17. Dawson

Dawson parked his truck next to Olivia's car at Beau's garage. Asa's truck and another he didn't recognize were parked in the side lot.

Twelve hours in his uniform was about all Dawson could stand, but when Olivia texted promising meatloaf at the garage, he couldn't say no. No matter what Olivia was offering, his answer was always yes.

Pizza? Yes.

Spaghetti? Yes.

A lifetime of love? Absolutely.

Okay, he was getting ahead of himself, but he'd settle for meatloaf today.

He walked in and headed straight for the break room, the scent of spiced meat leading the way. Olivia, Asa, Lyric, and Jacob sat at the table with half-eaten plates of food in front of them.

Betsy stood from the dog bed by the wall. Of course, the newest crew member already had her own place at the garage.

Dawson crouched and held out a hand to Betsy. "Come on, girl."

She trotted over and pressed her head to Dawson's hand. She'd warmed up to him over the last few days, and he liked to think they were already thick as thieves.

"Miracles happen every day," Asa said.

Dawson could make friends with a fence post. He could handle a dog the size of his left shin. "Betsy should hold a press conference and let her furry friends know how awesome I am," Dawson joked. "Where's Beau?"

Asa looked up at Lyric before turning his attention back to his food. Olivia hesitated before answering. "Interviewing someone in his office."

"Good," Dawson said as he pulled up a chair at the table. "He needs some better help around here. Business is booming."

"They said you know him," Jacob piped up. "It's Gage Howard."

Dawson stopped with his hand hanging in the air above the corn bread. "Gage? Are you kidding me?"

"Wish we were," Asa said without looking up.

Gage Howard. Everyone in town knew the Howards, and there wasn't a good one of them in the bunch. Dawson himself had arrested eighty percent of them at some point in time.

Gage? He wasn't the worst one. In fact, he was the lesser of many evils, but that didn't mean he was Dawson's favorite person.

Dawson picked up a piece of cornbread. "Does Beau actually think he'd be a good hire?"

Asa shrugged. "He knows his way around a machine. He's been working at his uncle's shop for a decade or more."

"Why does he want to work here then? Sounds like he's getting a piece of the family pie."

"He said business is slow over there," Asa answered before stuffing his face with a bite of meatloaf.

Dawson scoffed. "That's what happens when you overcharge and don't have a clue what you're doing under the hood of a vehicle."

"Beau thinks Gage knows what he's doing," Olivia added.

Dawson looked around the room. "Whose side are you on?"

Lyric spoke up. "She's right. People can change."

He didn't have a retort for that. Lyric was living proof that people were capable of change in a good way, but Gage Howard was a different story.

"Weren't you hoping just last week that Zach would turn over a new leaf?" Asa asked.

Dawson let his fork fall to the table. Nothing like getting taught a lesson over lunch.

Beau walked into the break room and picked up a plate. Everyone watched as he loaded up some meatloaf and green beans. He didn't notice that all the attention was on him until he looked up.

"Um, everything okay?" Beau asked warily.

"What happened?" Jacob asked.

Beau narrowed his eyes. "When?"

"In the interview, genius," Olivia quipped. "Are you hiring Gage?"

Beau shrugged and loaded his fork with meatloaf. "Probably."

"What did he say about his criminal history?" Dawson asked.

"Said he's trying to distance himself from his family. He knows they're a sinking ship, and he wants off before things go south."

Dawson scoffed. "Should"a jumped ship a while ago then." The Howards knew how to do two things: Get away with murder and train up-and-coming criminals.

Olivia dropped her fist onto the table with a thud and stared at Dawson with fire in her eyes. "I've heard enough. Gage might be serious, and it would be nice if you gave him a shot."

The room got quiet as Olivia's outburst sank in. She was right, and her flaming arrow hit him straight in the chest.

"I'm sorry. I'll give him a chance," Dawson said quietly.

Olivia ducked her chin and moved her food around her plate with her fork.

Great. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Olivia. Or anyone. He'd been talking faster than he was thinking.

Normal talk resumed for the rest of the meal, but Betsy snuck over to Olivia's side and whined until she picked the dog up and cradled her to her chest.

So much for forming alliances today.

When everyone had finished eating, Olivia started cleaning up. Lyric jumped into action with her, but Dawson caught her attention.

"You mind if I have a minute alone with Olivia? I'll clean up."

Lyric gave him a bright smile and glanced at her friend. "She's not mad at you," she whispered back.

"How do you know?"

Lyric patted his arm. "She'll forgive you."

"Do you forgive me?" he asked. Lyric turned her back on her old life and was a different and better person. Her change wasn't anything to scoff at. She'd worked hard and earned mountains of trust she didn't have before. She'd knit her family back together and become a good wife to Asa.

She was right. People could make drastic changes.

Shaking her head, Lyric waved a hand. "Water under the bridge."

Dawson bumped her arm with his elbow. "Thanks. Wish me luck." His eyes shifted to Olivia packing up the leftover food.

Lyric slipped out with a quick goodbye to Olivia. Betsy stood at Olivia's feet, looking up and waiting patiently for attention.

Dawson scooped up the pup and held her to his chest. His vest probably wasn't comfortable, but the dog didn't seem to mind. Her eager tongue swiped over his jaw. He approached Olivia's side, and she paused what she was doing to look up at him.

He moved Betsy's paw in a waving gesture. "Hey, I'm your friend who messed up, and I come with a cute puppy to beg for your forgiveness."

Olivia's lips thinned and stretched. It didn't take long for her frown to disappear. "How can I resist the puppy dog eyes?"

"She's too cute to resist. And she likes me now, so I'm hoping you will too."

Olivia propped her hip against the counter. "I was talking about your puppy dog eyes."

Dawson let out a deep exhale. "I shouldn't have said what I did. You're right about everything, and I shouldn't be so cynical. If Gage is making a decision to change, I should support it."

Reaching out, Olivia brushed her hand over Betsy's head and ears. "I appreciate it. I hate to think that people who make mistakes have to stay stuck in that trap. Seeing what Lyric and Wendy have gone through gives me a better appreciation for what it takes to dig yourself out of a hole."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Dawson said.

Olivia continued petting Betsy, showering the pup with attention. They hadn't heard anything about a family who wanted the dog. Was it wrong to hope Olivia would get to keep Betsy? He liked having a dog that let him get close enough to touch.

Dawson tilted his head to the side. "Can I get some of that attention?"

Olivia laughed and reached up to brush a hand over Dawson's hair. Her soft touch was barely more than a breeze as her hand swept behind his ear and down his neck.

His entire body lit on fire when she made contact with his skin. His chest expanded, his hands tingled with the need to touch her. It took all of his willpower not to groan and lean into her delicate palm.

Her gaze traveled lazily over his features as her thumb traced the edge of his jaw. "You're a good man. I never doubt that."

"I'll be anything for you," Dawson said, leaning in and lowering his voice. "I'll be whatever you want me to be."

Olivia's eyes widened, and he realized what he'd said. There he went again, talking faster than his brain could filter. The truth he'd laid out on the line was a little bold, but it wasn't wrong. He was honest, and hiding anything from Olivia didn't sit well with him.

Her head tilted slightly to the side, and her brows pulled together. "You don't have to be anything for me."

The truth he'd been holding back was taut, but he was tired of pushing his feelings for her back like they needed to be hidden. "Olivia, I–"

"Don't," she said quickly, lifting a hand between them. "Don't say anything."

That spring inside him was ready to fly, and now that he'd made the decision to act, he didn't want to hold back. "Why not?"

"Because… because I can't…"

"You can't? You can't what?"

She fisted her hands at her chest, and her eyes narrowed in pleading. "I can't say what you want me to say."

"You can't, or you won't?"

What were they even talking about? He hadn't even gotten the words out yet, and she was already telling him she couldn't return his feelings?

"Both," she said, dropping her hands to her sides in defeat.

Dawson took half a step forward and locked his gaze with hers. He wanted answers, and she was dancing around the truth just enough to give him hints. "Do you feel it even though you tell me you won't say it?"

Olivia's gaze bore into his as she contemplated her answer. He held his breath as her teeth pressed into her bottom lip.

"Come on, Liv. Do you feel it? Not what I feel for you. I'm talking about what you feel."

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. The words were right on the tip of her tongue. She had something big to say, and he had a feeling it wasn't a flat-out "No."

"Dawson!" Jacob shouted from the hallway.

"In here!" Dawson shouted back without breaking his eye contact with Olivia.

Two seconds later, Jacob was at the door. "Come see this. The seats for the Shelby came!"

"I'll be there in just a sec," Dawson said.

When Jacob disappeared as quickly as he'd appeared, Dawson handed Betsy over to Olivia. "Listen, I know you're not in the same place I am, but I want to talk about…something. Anything. Chances, possibilities, the future? I don't mean a define-the-relationship talk, but I want to know where things are going. Or not going."

Man, it killed him to add that last part.

Olivia swept her hand over Betsy's ears. "Okay. I'll be home later this afternoon. Can you come by the house?"

Well, that progressed quickly. He'd expected "eventually" or a non-descriptive "sure."

She wanted to talk tonight. Which meant she was ready to say something.

No big deal. Today would be the beginning or the end of his more-than-platonic relationship with Olivia.

Please don't let it be the end before we even get started.

"Four okay?" he asked.

Olivia nodded–a little too emphatically for the simple response. "Four is great."

"Dawson!" Jacob shouted again.

Olivia looked at her watch and rested Betsy on the floor. "I need to get this put up. I have to be at Anna's in fifteen minutes."

Dawson rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take care of it. Tell Jacob I'm cleaning up the kitchen and I'll be out in a minute."

She looked around at the leftovers on the table and counter. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go hang out with your friend."

A small grin jumped on Olivia's lips before disappearing again. "Thanks."

"See you at four."

Four couldn't come soon enough.