43. Olivia

43

OLIVIA

I feel like I’m getting a taste of the Brandi life as I skulk in the underground parking lot at the RGM. And let me tell you, it’s not the life for me.

For one, it’s freaking cold down here.

For two, my legs hurt from crouching beside Aaron’s car like a criminal.

Although, it’s given me a lot of time to examine that dent in his driver’s side door and reflect on just how much this man has done for me in such a short span of time.

Which is why I’m currently doing this for him.

For us .

It’s the first opportunity I’ve had to face this head on, because Aaron’s mom and Nonna kept us occupied from the moment we came back from visiting the kids in the hospital, right up until they walked through security at ATL last night.

It felt weird to be on that side of things—to not be the one leaving, but the one saying goodbye. To people who, strangely enough, already feel like family.

And as I walked out of the airport hand in hand with Aaron, ready to go home, I felt complete.

Bright headlights flood the parking lot and I look up to see that Jake’s forest green SUV is finally pulling into the lot.

About fricking time.

I jump up and run over to his assigned parking spot, so I’m waiting, arms crossed, when he clambers out of his vehicle in his game-day suit. It’s a nice one—charcoal gray and perfectly tailored. Sofia must’ve picked it out.

“Looking good, big bro.”

Jake jerks his head up in surprise. “Liv, what the hell are you doing down here?”

“Waiting for you.”

“Why?”

“I need to talk to you before your game.”

His mouth twists. “Couldn’t you have just called me?”

“No.”

Well, yes, actually. But pointlessly crouching behind a car and then surprising him seemed like a better plan. You know, for dramatic effect.

“What’s going on?” Jake eyes me suspiciously. “Is this about Marino? Because if it is, I’ve already said my piece to him.”

“But you haven’t said your piece to me!” I burst out. “Me, your only sister. Who is a consenting adult and would like to be part of this moronic conversation!”

“The hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that Aaron’s been your best friend for years, and he came home after your morning skate earlier and said you barely talked to him. Barely even looked at him. That all the guys seem to think he’s been taking advantage of Jake Griswold’s poor, sweet, innocent sister.”

“Huh. So Marino ran home to tattle to you. How cute.”

This makes me a little enraged. It’s been two days since Christmas, and Aaron’s been nothing but nice about Jake and his so-called protective-big-brother motives. But I haven’t heard a peep out of Jake to prove that theory right. “I forced him to tell me! He keeps covering for you, saying he’d be the same way if he were in your position.”

“Damn right he would,” Jake thunders. “You’re my sister, Olivia. And Aaron might be a nice guy, but the women he dates don’t tend to stick around for awhile, if you know what I mean.”

“Duh!” I say. “I am aware. And I’m also aware that neither did the women you dated. Until Sofia.”

This makes Jake flounder for a moment, but his glare darkens. “Not the same. I didn’t move Sofia into my house and seduce her behind her brother’s back. You always seemed to hate Aaron so much, I figured I’d never have to worry about you two.” His eyes flicker to my hair. “Despite the fact that Aaron typically goes for women that look like you.”

I pause, momentarily caught off guard.

Looks like Aaron Marino got a brand new redhead for Christmas!

The words from the caption of Brandi’s Instagram post come back to me, but I’m surprised to feel… nothing .

The old Olivia would have stumbled over this. Would have spiraled thinking about how pretty Aaron’s redheaded ex Tessa is. How, when I first saw Aaron again at the club all those months ago, he was on a date with a brunette that he declared a “total nonstarter” and approached a redhead later that same night. How even freaking Brandi appears to have dyed her previously blond hair auburn to get Aaron’s attention in the first place…

How his exact words to me the day I packed up my apartment were that he was “always more into redheads.”

In the past, I would have pieced all this together to form an incomplete picture that ignored the most important thing: what was actually real and true below the surface.

But I am not that Olivia anymore. I’m not that person who’s rootless and looking for an excuse to run at the first sign of trouble.

“Do you hear yourself right now?!” I cry. “First, my relationship—and most importantly, why someone is dating me —is none of your business. And second, to be honest, this noble big brother act of yours is wearing a little thin. I like Aaron, and he likes me, and if you have a problem with that, it’s your problem. Not mine. Not Aaron’s. So stop putting it on him.”

I know my place with Aaron. I know who he is and how he feels about me, no matter what I look like. And I know how I feel about him, too.

I’m in this. All in. I choose to be with him, and to let the chips fall where they may. I might not know what the future holds, but I know that choosing to take a chance on this—on us —is worth the risk.

I’m not Aaron’s type, I’m his person.

And he’s mine.

“I—” Jake starts, all fired up, but then, his face falls. “Wait. What do you mean ‘noble big brother act?’”

I wipe my nose with my sleeve. “What I mean is that I’ve been on my own for years now and you never cared about what I did, or where I was, or who I dated. And then, I start dating someone you like and admire, and you lose your ever-loving mind about it. Like, grow up, Jake.”

Jake’s face slackens. “Is that what you really think?” He swallows. “That couldn't be further from the truth. I care, Liv. I’ve always cared. Our parents put us through so much crap and I wanted to be there for you, but I know I fell short. Didn’t try hard enough. You were always so hell-bent on getting as far away from our family as possible—which I understand, and I was glad you got out—but I always felt bad that I couldn’t look out for you. I was so fricking happy when you moved here. I thought it would give us a fresh start. Give me a chance to be the brother I wasn’t.”

I have to bite my lip as tears fill my eyes. “That’s what I wanted too,” I say quietly. “I chose Atlanta specifically to be closer to you. And when I came here and saw you and Sofia together, a part of me felt like I was intruding. Like you had your own thing going here. And so, I guess I kept my distance, emotionally.”

Jake looks downright aghast. “You would never be intruding, Liv. You’re my family, and I love you. No matter what.”

“Same.” The tears are flowing freely now, and Jake’s blinking rather quickly.

He opens his arms and wraps me in a hug—something we don’t do, ever. I hug him back fiercely. My only brother. My family.

I pull back after a moment and look at him through my tears. “We’re a sorry pair, huh?”

“We are,” he agrees. “I guess I might have overreacted a smidge to you being with Marino. I was trying to make up for lost time. So many years of not threatening to kick all your old boyfriends’ asses.”

I snort with laughter. “Please. I could’ve kicked their asses myself, if I’d been so inclined.”

This makes him smile, and he ruffles my hair. “I know. You’re a badass, Liv. But that checks out, because you’re related to me.”

“A sorry pair of badasses, indeed,” I agree.

“Hey, look.” He pulls a pained face. “I love you, and Aaron’s the best friend I ever had. I trust both of your judgments, and if you’re saying that this is real for you, I believe you. Sure, it’s a bit weird for me—and probably will be for awhile—but I’m not going to be a jackass about it anymore. You can look out for yourself, and I respect that.”

“Thanks, Jake.”

He nods. Draws his brows together. “But in the interest of looking out for both of you, you should probably know that, given everything that’s happened this season, that photo might not be great for his image.”

Jake’s words remind me of what Lieberman said at the gala about Aaron keeping his love life out of the media, but I shake my head. “I think that photo just shows that we’re together, rather than being a catalyst for more negative stories.”

“I hope so. Plus, I’ve never seen him react the way he did about this.”

“React like what?”

“Like he was more worried about you than what it might mean for his hockey career.”

My stomach simultaneously soars and tightens at Jake’s words. I’m overjoyed to hear how much Aaron seems to care for me, but at the same time, I’d never want to negatively affect his career.

Before I can fully process this, Jake smiles. “But I will kill him if he hurts you, no matter how much I like the guy. Understand?”

“I do.” I smile back at him. “But you won’t ever have to. Because he won’t.”

“Good.”

“Now get out of here.” I give my brother a shove. “You have a game to win.”

And with that, my brother gives me a wave and exits the parking lot towards the players’ area. Meanwhile, I run back to the arena entrance. I’m ready to sit in the friends and family box as both girlfriend and family of Cyclones players, and watch my boys kick some ass on the ice together.