Never 'Til Now

Chapter 30

Two more weeks had passed since everything changed. Olivia was once again a stranger to him. The echoes of her absence reverberated in his thoughts; it was a constant reminder of what was lost.

To make matters worse, he received a check in the mail and an emotionless brief note. Olivia had decided to part ways with him professionally as well. It explained that she would continue remodeling her home with someone else. The gesture, though expected, hit Sam with a pang of finality.

Sam found himself in Damon's office one night after finishing his work. It was one of those nights when the weight on his shoulders felt too heavy, and he needed advice from his best friend.

Understanding, Damon offered a sympathetic ear and a glass of whiskey.

Seated across from each other in the plush armchairs, the amber liquid glinting in their glasses, Sam took a moment before finally breaking the silence. "Damon, man, I miss Olivia."

Damon already knew part of the story from his wife, Ashley, but he wanted to hear his side of the story. "What happened, Sam?"

Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She told me she loved me."

"That's it?" Damon questioned the simplicity of the statement. There had to be more.

"I told her I liked her and that I was unsure about the love part of things...because it was just a lot at once."

"And how do you feel now?"

Sam took a big gulp from his glass, finishing what was there. "I still don't know if it's love, but I know I miss her."

Damon listened intently, recognizing the turmoil in Sam's voice. "Have you tried talking to her, really laying it all out on the table?" He did his friend a favor and poured three fingers into his glass.

"I planned to when she brought Josiah to his karate class at the gym, but Lexi was there, and Olivia got the wrong idea."

"Why not go after her then? What stopped you?"

"She blocked me from her phone, and to rub salt in the wound, she fired me from the work I was doing at her house, so here I am, miserable and ready to jump off a fucking cliff.

Damon studied Sam, understanding the complexity of emotions that coursed through him. "Regret is a bitter pill, my friend. But if you care about her or think there's something worth salvaging, find a way to make her talk to you."

Sam nodded, but uncertainty lingered in his eyes. "Man, I'm just not sure. I only recently decided I wanted to settle down. And then comes Olivia, and now I'm worried it's all too fast. What if she was projecting what she felt for Anthony onto me?"

Damon leaned back, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "Sam, Olivia is one of the smartest people I know. Like Ash, she's always been very sure about her feelings. If she told you she loves you, it's because she does."

Damon sighed after a long silence; he rubbed the top of his brow, frustrated that Sam was making this more complicated than it needed to be. "Listen, the first thing is figuring out how you feel. If you see even the smallest possibility of a future with her, you owe it to yourself and her to try. Olivia deserves to know where she stands in your life."

Sam took a deep breath, contemplating Damon's words. "I just don't want to hurt her anymore."

Damon nodded, acknowledging the sincerity in Sam's words. "Then be honest with her. Lay out your feelings, even if you decide you don't love her right now, and let her decide if she wants to be a part of your journey. Relationships are a partnership, Sam. It's about navigating the challenges together."