Page 8 of Always Been You

“Yeah, it’s fine. Don’t ask Liv,” Grayson says.

Zoey comes up to us then, placing a hand on Matt’s arm. He looks down at her with a small smile and she smiles back. “I think we should cut the cake. Do you want to come help?”

“Yeah, of course, let’s go.” He nods at us before he follows Zoey into the kitchen, guiding her with a hand on her lower back.

“I’m gonna grab a beer. You guys want another?” I ask Grayson and Caleb. They both shake their heads, and I turn and follow Matt into the kitchen. I grab a beer from the bucket of ice and pop it open. Scanning the room, I notice Olivia across the room talking with a group of her friends, her head back as a huge laugh fills the room. She looks so happy and carefree. Her smile and laugh make me feel light, but jealous at the same time. I want her smiles. I want to be the person who makes her laugh so hard she throws her head back or her laugh turns silent.

Matt walks past me carrying a black forest cake with candles on it and makes his way over to the corner where Olivia is with her friends. I follow behind and when he stops in front of her and starts singing “Happy Birthday,” everyone joins in as she turns and faces us, and a blush creeps up her neck and cheeks. I still, wondering if I were to peel her top off if it extends down her chest too. Would her skin be warm to the touch? If I trailed my fingers over the skin there would she erupt in goosebumps? She has never been someone who enjoys being the centre of attention, but she is just a person who sucks in those around her. She’s infectious but in all the best possible ways. She sucked me into her orbit years ago, and even though I have tried to create space between us in recent years, I have found myself pulled right back in, in less than twenty-four hours.

When we all finish singing, she closes her eyes for a few seconds before leaning forward and blowing out the candles. I close my eyes to avoid catching a glimpse down her top. Matt takes the cake over to the food table and Zoey cuts it. Shehands a piece to Olivia, and she passes it to Matt. “Thanks for all of this, Matt.”

“Don’t worry about it, Liv.”

She then hands the next piece to me. “Thanks for being here, Josh”

Reaching forward, I place my hand on the top of her arm and smile down at her, “I wouldn’t miss your birthday, Olivia. I’m glad I’m here. I promise I won’t miss any future birthdays, either.”

She smiles up at me with a glint in her eyes. “I’m glad you’re here too.”

She turns back to Zoey and hands out the rest of the cake. I spend the rest of the evening talking with my friends. Just after 1 a.m., I am talking with Grayson and Caleb, and I notice that everyone has left. Making my way to the kitchen with them behind me, I see that Matt is doing shots with Olivia, Zoey, Hannah, and Eliza, and they are all wasted.

Matt looks up and notices me, “JJJooooossssshhhhh, hey, man! I’m so glad that you’re here.” He walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. “I love you man, you’re the brother I never had,” he says as he pats me on the back. “Sometimes I wish you really were my brother.”

I chuckle and pat him on the back, too. “Love you too, man. Maybe it’s time to call it a night?”

He pulls back, resting his hands on my shoulders. “More shots!” he exclaims, and the girls then join him. “More shots!” Zoey proceeds to pour another round of tequila shots for them. They toss them back at the same time and she gets to work on pouring another round.

“I think this might be your final round, guys,” Caleb suggests, joining us at the kitchen counter. He grabs the bottle of tequila as they all toss back the round of shotsagain. Grayson is just leaning against the fridge, enjoying the sight before him.

“Come on, we’ll give you guys a ride home. Where are you all going?” Caleb asks them.

“Hannah’s coming to my place, Zoey’s going home, and Liv’s going home,” Eliza explains, sounding like she might be the most sober of the bunch even though she is three sheets to the wind.

“Okay, we can work with that. You guys grab your stuff. We’ll make sure that Matt gets to bed and then take you home.”

Grayson leads Matt back down the hallway to his bedroom and gets him settled, while Caleb and I make sure the girls have everything. Standing in the entryway of Matt’s apartment, Caleb and I get the addresses of the girls.

“Caleb, can you take Liz and Hannah? Grayson, can you take Zoey, and I’ll take Olivia?” The guys nod and we make our way into the hallway outside Matt’s apartment.

I lock the door and lead Olivia to the elevator. She leans into me and wraps herself around my arm as we walk.

“Thanks for being such a good man and getting us home, Josh,” she murmurs, patting my chest.

“Olivia, I will always make sure that you are safe.”

I can feel my body temperature rising as she continues to hold onto me. We step into the elevator, and she looks up at me through her long lashes. “You are a good man,” everyone is looking at us now. Olivia leans forward toward her friends and fails in her attempt at whispering, “He is like all muscle; I don’t think I can feel an ounce of fat on him at all.”

The girls start laughing, and Grayson and Caleb look at me with grins spread across their faces. Drunk Olivia apparently speaks her mind. I shake my head as they continue to look atme. Grayson, the shit disturber that he is, looks at Olivia and asks, “Liv, how much of Josh have you felt to come to that assessment?” She completely shocks me, because she looks him in the eyes and says, “Not as much as I wish.” One of the girls makes a sound and Olivia turns to them, “I can window shop, I just can’t buy. I’m in a relationship, not blind.”

Right then, the elevator doors open, and everyone laughs at Olivia’s statement. “Okay, well, I think it’s time to get these drunk girls home,” I say as I usher Olivia out of the elevator and towards my car.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” Grayson calls after me with the biggest grin. I won’t be doing anything besides making sure that Olivia makes it home safely. Firstly, she’s drunk, and secondly, even if she was completely sober, she’s in a relationship.

I open the passenger door and help Olivia inside. She works on her seatbelt but is having difficulties, so I reach across her and fasten it for her. I turn my face and look her in the eyes. “All good?”

She nods her head and places her hands on either side of my face. “Anyone ever told you that you have the most gorgeous eyes?” she whispers. I continue to stare into her eyes, shaking my head.

“No Olivia, no one has ever said that. Thank you.”

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