Page 28 of Mr. Almost

Confusion fills her face. “I’m fine. Why?”

I nod. “I realized today that since I learned about Ari the other day, I haven’t really left. The last thing I want to do is leave either of you, but at the same time, I don’t want to outstay my welcome.”

Livvy’s face softens as she slides off the arm and onto the couch.

“You’re always welcome here,” she says softly.

“Thank you.” I clear my throat when I feel myself getting choked up. “That means more to me than you know. Truly.”

“You’re welcome.”

“There’s two things I would like to talk to you about.”

She nods. “Go on.”

“I would like to start paying you child support.”

Before I can even finish my sentence, she starts shaking her head. “What else?”

“I was thinking…” I see Livvy tense again, but I keep going. “That maybe you two could spend some time at my place.”

“Why would we do that?” she asks harshly.

“Change of scenery. More room for all of us.”

Livvy chokes out a laugh as she shakes her head. “No, thank you.”

I frown. “You won’t even think about it?”

“Ari and I are doing just fine right here. I know this place isn’t much, but it’s our home. If you don’t like it, there’s the door.” She points to the door.

“Livvy, you can’t be mad at me for wanting all of us to sleep in beds. That’s not possible here,” I plead.

“Then you are more than welcome to go back to your place.”

“I don’t understand what the big deal is. The way I look at it, if you two like my place, you guys can move in. You can let this place go and then save however much this place is on rent.”

Livvy scoffs. “We aren’t moving in with you, and I’m not taking money from you, Mason. I’m sorry.”

“Why not?” I ask slightly higher than I mean to.

“First off, keep your goddamn voice down. The last thing we need is to wake Ari up right now. To answer your question, the reason that isn’t going to happen is because then I would be proving your mother right.”

“I don’t see how you moving in would prove my mother right.”

“She thought I was after your money then, and if I take child support from you or we move in now, she would think the same thing. I would be taking advantage of you, and I hate to break it to you, Mason, I don’t want your money. I don’t want you for your fancy house, or your driver, or whatever else you come up with. The only thing I want from you is a little bit of attention, and I don’t even want that for myself. Ari deserves a father, and that’s you.”

“Livvy, I know you don’t want me for my bank account, and I don’t give a damn what my mother thinks. I just want the three of us under the same roof.”

“And we are, Mason.” She looks up at the ceiling and back at me, raising a brow.

“That’s not what I meant.” I sigh. “I just want to take care of you, both of you. Is that so bad? Besides, what’s the point of having money if I can’t spend it on people I care about?”

“It’s not happening. I’m sorry. I just can’t risk it.”

“Risk what?”

“You changing your mind and then kicking us out. It’s all fun and games staying with us, but in a month from now, you might change your mind. You wouldn’t be able to bring a woman home if you wanted to or have friends over or whatever it is you do.”

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