Page 115 of Gone for You

A humorless laugh escapes me. “Yeah, Owen, I did. Maybe tell me something new.”

“Alright, how about she’s scared because of how you make her feel. How intense her feelings are and the potential of how badly you could break her heart. Which you did, because you’re scared, too.”

“She’s worried about her heart? What about mine, huh? I know I’m scared! I’m not an idiot. Yes, I pushed her away but she. Didn’t. Fight.” I’m yelling now, angry at not just myself, but Liv, too.

“You’re not listening to me.”

“Then use better words!” I raise my voice.

“She’s so madly in love with you, she can’t see the good that you two have. All she can see is the bad. The failed relationships of the past. Of exactly what happened between you two when you bailed so she’s not going to put herself out there, only to get rejected once again.”

“We fucked us up, didn’t we?”

“Nothing that can’t be fixed.”

I’m not sure that’s true. I said some terrible things and fed into her biggest fear, then she did the exact same to me. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I finally pulled my head out of my ass, hoping you did, too.”

I spin around, breath whooshing out of my lungs when my eyes land on Olivia’s beautiful face for the first time in two months.

“Hey, sis. Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for calling.”

Owen makes his way to Olivia, gives her a hug and whispers something in her ear before he moves out of the way.

“You called her?” I ask Owen, not taking my eyes off Liv. I can’t. If I do, she might leave and I can’t take that chance.

“What can I say? I’m a romantic.”

“Either that or you were tired of listening to me whine.”

“Definitely that.”

Chapter 47

Olivia

Owen shovesus outside so we’re on the deck, giving us some privacy. Ethan’s voice is gravely when he finally speaks. “You’re here.”

Dang, he’s sexy. His hair’s shorter than last time I saw him, there’s a dusting of stubble on his chin and cheeks. “I’m here.”

“Why?”

“Because I needed to tell you something.”

He takes two steps in my direction and stops. “What did you need to tell me?”

“That thereissomething between us and always will be. We aren’t over.”

“We aren’t?”

“No.”

Two more steps.

“But…”