leaned against the counter across from her. “Shoot, I can take it.”
She hesitated but her curiosity won out. “Do you think you and Alex will ever…?” She didn’t know how to phrase the last part, so she trailed off.
“Restore our friendship, you mean?” Luke suggested. His eyes were sharp and intent on her, making her think she’d underestimated him. She could tell he was much smarter and more observant than she originally thought.
Olivia looked down to her mug, tracing the rim absentmindedly. “Alex told me a lot about you two and how close you were growing up. Your friendship means a lot to him, but he probably doesn’t always say it. Or show it. I think he misses what you two had. Very much.” Luke regarded her for a long time over his mug and for a moment, Olivia thought she’d crossed a line. “I’m sorry, Luke, it’s really none of my business. Forget I said anything.”
“Thanks for saying that,” he said honestly, ignoring the last part. “Sometimes, Alex can be hard to read, although I’m sure you know that. I’ve known him most of my life and I still can’t understand him sometimes.”
“He doesn’t blame you, you know,” she added softly, looking up at him from her stool. “For what happened.”
“But he can never completely forgive me either,” Luke finished for her. He smiled, but it was sad. “And I don’t blame him. Hell, if the situation was flipped, I don’t think I would either.”
She didn’t know what to say so she didn’t say anything. An awkward silence stretched between them before Luke broke it.
“You know, Alex was there for me during some really low points in my life. And I always felt like shit knowing that I paid him back by fucking his girlfriend. I mean, she was a bitch and I’m glad they broke up, but I felt like shit. Still feel like shit,” he corrected. He shook his head, “But I’m glad you’re with him now. I really am. Alex was never one for games. He likes people who cut through the bullshit and give it to him straight. And I have to thank you, Livy, because this past month, he’s different. With me. It’s starting to feel like how it was again. And I think you had something to do with that.”
Both of their heads turned when they heard noise from the master bedroom. Alex was awake. He padded down the hallway a moment later in a pair of sweats and nothing else. She smiled brightly at him and he gave her a sleepy grin, not noticing Luke yet.
“I thought you might’ve left to open up your shop,” he greeted huskily, approaching her.
She shook her head, “Alice is still making up hours, so I’m all yours until you go to work.”
Alex rounded the hallway corner and saw Luke standing in the kitchen. If he was surprised by it, he didn’t say anything, making Olivia think this had happened before. Noticing the coffee mugs on the counter, he raised a brow and said to his friend, “If you insist on breaking into my house to make coffee again, I hope you made me some at least.”
“Good morning to you to, sunshine. I thought you’d be in a better mood since you got laid, but obviously I was wrong.” Luke shot back. “And just so you know, Olivia likes creamer, so you might want to get some. Coffee-mate Pumpkin flavor would be preferable.”
Olivia couldn’t help her shocked laugh and Alex rolled his eyes at his friend, probably used to his quirks. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss and then he rounded the counter to get a mug for himself.
“Twenty bucks, Livy, it’s in the fridge next time you’re over. He’s so whipped ,” Luke whispered loudly, then he took another swig from his mug. She bit her lip to keep from smiling and Alex glared at him over his shoulder. Luke looked down at the watch on his wrist. “I need to get going. Gotta go get coffee.”
Olivia raised her brow. This
She hesitated but her curiosity won out. “Do you think you and Alex will ever…?” She didn’t know how to phrase the last part, so she trailed off.
“Restore our friendship, you mean?” Luke suggested. His eyes were sharp and intent on her, making her think she’d underestimated him. She could tell he was much smarter and more observant than she originally thought.
Olivia looked down to her mug, tracing the rim absentmindedly. “Alex told me a lot about you two and how close you were growing up. Your friendship means a lot to him, but he probably doesn’t always say it. Or show it. I think he misses what you two had. Very much.” Luke regarded her for a long time over his mug and for a moment, Olivia thought she’d crossed a line. “I’m sorry, Luke, it’s really none of my business. Forget I said anything.”
“Thanks for saying that,” he said honestly, ignoring the last part. “Sometimes, Alex can be hard to read, although I’m sure you know that. I’ve known him most of my life and I still can’t understand him sometimes.”
“He doesn’t blame you, you know,” she added softly, looking up at him from her stool. “For what happened.”
“But he can never completely forgive me either,” Luke finished for her. He smiled, but it was sad. “And I don’t blame him. Hell, if the situation was flipped, I don’t think I would either.”
She didn’t know what to say so she didn’t say anything. An awkward silence stretched between them before Luke broke it.
“You know, Alex was there for me during some really low points in my life. And I always felt like shit knowing that I paid him back by fucking his girlfriend. I mean, she was a bitch and I’m glad they broke up, but I felt like shit. Still feel like shit,” he corrected. He shook his head, “But I’m glad you’re with him now. I really am. Alex was never one for games. He likes people who cut through the bullshit and give it to him straight. And I have to thank you, Livy, because this past month, he’s different. With me. It’s starting to feel like how it was again. And I think you had something to do with that.”
Both of their heads turned when they heard noise from the master bedroom. Alex was awake. He padded down the hallway a moment later in a pair of sweats and nothing else. She smiled brightly at him and he gave her a sleepy grin, not noticing Luke yet.
“I thought you might’ve left to open up your shop,” he greeted huskily, approaching her.
She shook her head, “Alice is still making up hours, so I’m all yours until you go to work.”
Alex rounded the hallway corner and saw Luke standing in the kitchen. If he was surprised by it, he didn’t say anything, making Olivia think this had happened before. Noticing the coffee mugs on the counter, he raised a brow and said to his friend, “If you insist on breaking into my house to make coffee again, I hope you made me some at least.”
“Good morning to you to, sunshine. I thought you’d be in a better mood since you got laid, but obviously I was wrong.” Luke shot back. “And just so you know, Olivia likes creamer, so you might want to get some. Coffee-mate Pumpkin flavor would be preferable.”
Olivia couldn’t help her shocked laugh and Alex rolled his eyes at his friend, probably used to his quirks. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss and then he rounded the counter to get a mug for himself.
“Twenty bucks, Livy, it’s in the fridge next time you’re over. He’s so whipped ,” Luke whispered loudly, then he took another swig from his mug. She bit her lip to keep from smiling and Alex glared at him over his shoulder. Luke looked down at the watch on his wrist. “I need to get going. Gotta go get coffee.”
Olivia raised her brow. This
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