Begin Again (A Starting Over Romance)

14. Luke

The bar is closed finally and we are cleaning and getting ready to leave. I see Ryder and Olivia laughing about something while they wipe off the tables.

She's so fucking pretty, especially when she is laughing. I can't take my eyes off of her. Lexi comes up and nudges me with a grin on her face. I look down at my little sister and say "Save it, whatever you are going to say, just save it." I tell her but she shakes her head. "You really like her don't you? I haven't seen you like this, ever. Not even with Gretchen."

The mention of her name always puts me in a bad mood but not tonight. Tonight all I can think about is that pretty blonde that has taken over all of my thoughts recently. I shrug and say "Yeah, I do." And I leave it at that. Lexi doesn't say anything else, just keeps wiping down the bar.

Ryder and Olivia come up to the bar and lay their cleaning supplies on the bar. "All done, boss. What else can I do?" Olivia asks and my dirty thoughts take over but I don't say anything. She must know exactly what I'm thinking because she gives me a smirk and lifts her brow.

"Uhh, other than the trash being taken out, I think we are done. I gotta go send a few emails and then we can head out." I tell her and she nods. "I'll get the trash while you finish up in your office." She says and I shake my head. "Girls don't take the trash out at night alone. I'll come with you." I tell her and she puts her hands on her hips. "You don't think I can handle taking the trash out?" She asks with a little attitude. I smirk "Not at all, I'm sure you are fully capable but it's dangerous to go out in the alley alone at night." I explain and she rolls her eyes.

We take the trash out and we hear a noise coming from the other side of the dumpster. She scoots behind me in fear and I'll admit, I like that she knows I will protect her. "See, I told you that you shouldn't come out here alone at night." I whisper and she nods, her eyes are huge. We check out that the noise was and when she sees it's a little dog, she gasp.

"Oh my goodness. What a sweet little baby. You poor thing, you look so hungry. Come here baby." She speaks to the dog like it understands her. "Be careful, you don't know that dog." I warn her. She scoffs and waves her hand at me from the ground. She sits and the dog walks over to her. He is skittish but he lowers his head and walks over to her. His tail starts to wag. Olivia's face lights up. She looks up at me. "Look at this sweet baby. Do we have something we can feed him?" She asks and I shake my head. "If you feed him, he will never leave." I tell her and she looks from me to the dog. "I don't want him to leave, I've always wanted a dog but mom wouldn't let me have one and Logan said they were gross." She says sadly. She stands up and dust off her jeans. "Come on, let's go home." I tell her and hold out my hand. She grabs it and starts to walk with me. She looks behind her and the dog is following her. "No buddy, you can't come with me. If I had my own place, I'd take you home and give you all the love you deserve." She says and it sounds like she might start crying. The dog looks sad too. I'd be sad too if Olivia was leaving me behind too.

We get back inside the bar and we can hear the dog whining and scratching at the back door. She looks back once and then turns and walks toward the front of the bar, her head hung. I walk to my office, send the emails and walk back out and see her sitting at the bar looking at her phone. She looks sad still. Damn it. I don't want her to be sad. I sigh. She looks up at me and says "All done?" I nod at her and she stands up and grabs her purse.

"Hold on a second, I forgot something." I tell her and I head back out to the damn alley and drab the little dog. He licks my face and I say "Yeah yeah, you're lucky that she is so sad to leave you behind." I tell the dog. He perks up, like he understands what I said. I walk back into the bar and Olivia looks up at me and her face lights up. "What are you doing?" She asks and I hand her the dog. "We are going home" I tell her and she squeezes him. "He's coming home with us?!" She jumps and down. I sigh. "I can't take sad Olivia, so if the mutt is what makes you happy, then the mutt is what you will get" I tell her and she puts the dog down and jumps in to my arms. She wraps her hands behind my head and leans up and kisses me.

It's a quick kiss but it's enough to leave me wanting more. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She says and then picks the dog back up. He licks her and she laughs. Lucky dog.

She smiles the entire way home and I just know from now on, I will do everything in my power to give her whatever she wants to see that look on her face.

When we get home, they get out and she stops. "Should we have asked Ryan first before bringing him home first?" She asks and I shake my head. "Trust me, he will be just as excited as you are about having a dog. He's been trying to get me to agree to have one for years." I tell her. She nods and we head inside. He must be asleep already because we don't see him and all the lights are out.

"I'm going to give him a bath and then find him something to eat." She says and I nod. "I'll find him food. You go bathe him, he stinks." I say and she covers his ears "Shh don't say that, you will hurt his feelings" she says seriously and I roll my eyes. "He can't understand what we are saying Liv." I tell her and she looks at me like I'm the crazy one and walks toward the bathroom.