Olivia Graham was twenty-two when she started a whirlwind romance with charismatic Jakob overseas.
By age twenty-five, Liv was back home and checking off the widowed box on paperwork. With zero plans, Olivia and beloved dog Snuggles find themselves...
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"Hi, little one." After I get cleaned up, I come to find my tiny girl Lily sitting on the couch next to Chris, holding her blanket and stuffed giraffe.
"How's my princess?" I ask her. She smiles around her pacifier and holds her arms out for me to scoop her up while Chris lets Snuggles back inside and locks the door.
"Time for bed, okay?" I walk Lily to the room where I have a pack and play for her. She lays her head on my shoulder as she lets out a tiny yawn, and I'm calling for his attention, "Chris?"
He appears in the doorway. "Yes, my love?"
I shake my head, smiling at those words because this is how he and I have been for the past fifteen years, and I just don't know how to stay away from him. This is the most challenging version of our hot and cold, and I'm eager for some milder days.
"I'm going to stay here with Lily until she falls asleep."
He bites his lip, frowning a little. "I have to work at 6 am. Should I go get my things and come back and stay with you?"
I shake my head a little. "It might be better for us all if we pick up a different night," I tell him, standing up.
"Okay," he murmurs, wrapping me up in a hug. He sways from side to side for a little bit.
"Thank you for letting me in," he says, his hands pressing my lower back closer to him.
That thank you feels more symbolic than anything else.
I let out a hum of happiness as he nuzzles his face into my neck and plants a kiss there once.
"Good night, beautiful."
"Good night," I echo.
I walk him to the door, where he gives me one more lingering kiss, then I lock the door and head back to Lily before I pull him back into my house. Snuggles is lying in front of where Lily is sleeping.
Thankfully, nothing strange has happened lately. I still occasionally feel nervous, like I'm being watched. But I know I have Chris or Sean nearby at the drop of a hat.
Turning off the light first, I climb into the guest room bed to be near Lily if she needs me.
I tuck my hands underneath my neck as I lie on my back and play the memory over in my imagination as I remember it.
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"Get lost, Johnny," Chris teases. "I need a dance with your date."
Johnny Diaz brought me as his date to the senior prom. My first kiss.
"Where's your date?" Johnny says, scoffing.
"She puked in the bathroom and went home," Chris explains. "Besides, I like your date way better than her."
"I'm only saying yes because I have to piss," Johnny says. "But you should ask her first."
Johnny walks off, and Chris turns to me. "Honor me?"
"What?" I say, giggling.
"I don't know, Harry Connick Jr. said it to Sandra Bullock, and it seemed like she liked it."
I wrap my arms around Chris's neck, and he grins down at me. "I wish you were my date," he remarks, pouting.
"You can't say things like that to me," I complain. "It's not fair."
"No, you in this dress isn't fair," Chris says, and his hands slide dangerously low down the small of my back.
I blush bright pink, and his smirk gets bigger. "Love when you blush."
"You love making me blush!" I accuse quietly.
"I do," he whispers in my ear, brushing his thumb against my cheek. "And I like watching your eyes crinkle up like that."
His thumb runs over my bottom lip. He nods his head to the exit. "Ditch Johnny and come with me to the after-party."
"You know I couldn't do that," I say, looking down.
His fingers touch my chin gently. "I'll tell him if you want me to."
I nod. Of course, I want Chris over Johnny.
Half an hour later, I'm in the passenger seat of Chris' SUV. He retrieved my bag out of John's car that had a change of clothes for me.
He had just parked the car so that we can eat some food before the after-party.
"You look gorgeous, Liv," he says to me, his hand on my thigh.
"What's with all of the sudden attention?" I ask him, covering his hand with mine.
"I'm just...I'm going to go to college out of state, and I want to spend time with you."
"We see each other all of the time," I say, taking a drink from my straw. I come home, and they visit me in New York. We text multiple times per week.
He shrugs. "I'm sick of denying that you're just my friend. Or my friend's sister."
My lips curve into a smile. "So, what am I?"
He leans over real close to me and rubs his nose against my temple. "You're kind, and you're smart," he begins, kissing my ear.
I shiver under his warm breath. "You make me laugh," he says, and I feel his lips touch under my ear. "You make me want to kiss you."
"I want that, too," I say, moving my mouth to his.
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