Page 6 of Force Play
To her, the “bad ones” are still good underneath, and they just need to find a reason to let that show.
Except Matt. She agrees that he’s shit.
I try to put on a playful smile. “You guys took all the good ones. I’m left with the ones no one wants.”
“There’s someone out there for you, Luc,” Olive states.
I know why she thinks that. Liv has more trauma than most people and still managed to find the most patient and gentle man in Lane. She deserves that, though.
“Maybe online dating isn’t for you,” Rory shrugs.
“Hey, I gotta look somewhere. We can’t all end up with our best friend’s brother.”
She just chuckles. “Nah, you can keep your hands off Cole, thanks.”
Ella pipes in now. “Let’s move past Lucia’s abysmal love life.”
“Gee, thanks, bitch,” I laugh, no actual bite to my tone. “But you’re right. We’re here to celebrate our Liv, not listen to me lament on my lack of romance.”
Liv grins softly. “We don’t have to celebrate me getting my GED, guys. Honestly, Lane having everyone over right now for that is more than I expected.”
“But you deserve to be celebrated!” Harlow chimes. “That’s still a major accomplishment. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Thanks,” she smiles shyly.
Sage walks up now and tugs on Liv’s shirt sleeve. “Mommy, can I have more juice?”
“Of course you can, sweet girl,” Liv says happily, taking Sage’s hand before looking over at us. “Be right back, ladies.”
We watch as they go, and the four of us just smile at them. Olive can’t have kids of her own, and we know how much she loves Sage.
Lane knows she does, too, because he asked her to adopt Sage last month.
So fucking happy for both of them.
And a little bit jealous.
I know I want kids one day, but I’m a thirty-one-year-old single woman—I don’t have forever to wait. I can’t even guarantee it’s in the cards for me.
But I can’t focus on that when Rory brings up my current ticking timebomb.
“How has the apartment hunt been going?”
My landlord decided to raise my rent, and I can’t afford it on my own now. My lease is up in a month, and I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.
“It’s… going,” I sigh. “Everything in my budget is a shithole. I’m lucky I found my current apartment at the price I did a few years ago.”
“We all have rooms you can stay in for now,” Ella reminds me.
“I appreciate the offer, but still, no thanks. Rory and Cole are pretty much always in bed. Harlow and Knox are getting married in two months. Olive and Lane currently have a sassy toddler. And you, my dear Ella, are trying to create one of your own with Josh.” I let out a deep breath. “I’ve still got a month. I’ll figure something out.”
Harlow looks at me nervously. “Don’t forget about your other option, Luc.”
“Nope, not a fucking chance,” I reply emphatically.
“It might be your only choice if you don’t want to live with one of us,” Ella shrugs.
“He’s not that bad,” Rory adds.
