Page 96 of Love on the Run

Beau shook his head and turned back to the truck. “I’m not talking about Anna with you.”

Olivia chuckled. “You are so adorable.”

Good grief. The sides of his neck were itching. His blood pressure was probably through the roof. “I’m not adorable. I’m big and ugly and gross. Tell your friends.”

“You’re in love, and it’s so sweet!” Olivia said, high-pitched and giddy.

“I don’t feel sweet. I feel like I’m going to puke.”

She squealed again, clapping her hands.

Beau turned to her, making eye contact as he whispered, “Will you keep your voice down. Someone might hear you.”

“Oh, they’ll all know soon.”

“Liv! You told Anna you wouldn’t tell anyone.”

She held her hands up in the air. “And I won’t, but I have a feeling the two of you aren’t going to be able to resist telling the world.”

“I’m not telling the world about my relationships. Do you know me at all?”

“Everyone hates Dean, but everyone wants Anna to be happy. We all swallowed our tongues for months because we wanted to believe she really was as happy as she claimed. But I know my best friend,” Olivia said, pointing at her chest.

“And I think you know me too. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t talk about my feelings.”

Olivia pointed a finger at him. “I knew it! You do have feelings!”

“Please shut up. I’m begging you.”

Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing him as hard as she could. “I’m just so happy.”

“Don’t be happy. Just tell your little brain not to care.”

“Sorry, but you’re not raining on my parade today.” She released him and brushed a hand over her scrubs. “Actually, I’m hoping you’ll give her the courage to stand up to her mother.” Olivia shivered and grimaced.

“Okay, what’s up with her mom? I’ve heard some horror stories.” Anna’s reaction to her mother’s phone calls on the trip was all he needed to see.

“She’s awful,” Olivia whispered.

“Now you decide to lower your voice. I need more details.”

“This isn’t girl talk?” Olivia asked. “It won’t hurt your devil-may-care reputation if someone sees us being very secretive after you just took a week off work to run away into the Rocky Mountains with a beautiful woman?”

“Liv, focus. Mom details.” Good grief, his sister could narrate her trip to the grocery store and make it into a soap opera screenplay.

“Be very careful. She’s super strict, and she’s mean to Anna. She’s controlling and unreasonable.”

“And you’re not exaggerating?” Beau asked.

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and straightened her posture. “Rude.”

“As if it wasn’t a valid question.”

“Fine. No, I’m not exaggerating. She doesn’t like that Anna is a Christian, and she’s very vocal about it. I’d call it blasphemous.”

“How does Anna take that?” Beau asked.

“It’s the one thing Anna will stand up about. She lets her mom walk all over her in every other part of her life except that one.”

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