Page 109 of Gone for You

“Well, I’m thinking I need to go to sleep. You’ve slammed me with alotof information today and I’m kinda freaking out.”

“I know. And I’m sorry but desperate times call for desperate measures and I needed to tell you everything.”

“Did Dad forgive you?”

“He’s working on it. You know forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting, but he’s trying. And I’ve made it clear that I have all the patience in the world waiting for him.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. I don’t deserve it, but I’m working on that myself. To know that I am worth it. Sound familiar?”

I huff, pretending to be annoyed.

“Go to sleep. I’ll be here in the morning.”

“Oh goodie.”

“Tomorrow we’re having a Mommy and Me day. Like we used to when you were younger.”

My eyes light up because those are some of my favorite memories. Mom and I would have a day all to ourselves, doing all the girly things that Owen and Dad would never have wanted to do.

“I love you, Livvy Loo. When you’re tossing and turning tonight, trying to fall asleep, just remember that.”

She’s wrong, though.

I don’t think about Mom being the one who loves me as I do everything I can to fall asleep.

I think about the last words I heard out of Ethan’s mouth before everything went down with his mom. I hope I didn’t screw up the best thing that ever happened to me all because I was scared and didn’t put up the fight we both deserve.

Chapter 45

Ethan

“Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey!”

I groan and pull the covers over my head, bury myself under my pillow so I don’t have to hear Owen’s annoying voice anymore. “What the hell, man? I thought I was here on vacation?”

He jumps on my bed and jostles me around. “I think we already established that you’re my free labor.”

“Just let me sleep.”

“You think just because in one night you polished off over half the beer I’d so graciously stocked in your fridge I’m gonna go easy on you? Think again. Get your ass up. Shower. Brush the funk off your teeth. You can sweat off your hangover.”

“You suck.”

“Nah. I leave that to the ladies.”

“I hate you.”

“Aww. Such sweet words.”

I reach out from under the blankets and swing at him but he hops off my mattress and onto his feet quicker than I could ever manage. At least in my current state.

He chuckles. “Come on, princess. Time to get to work.”

“Screw you.”

“Again with the sweetness. Hard to believe your employees wanted you gone.”

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