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Jesse looked up at me and back at his mom. “Andrew and Caleb and Jack can help eat it?”
I watched pain shoot across Olive’s face but she forced a smile and tried to hide it. “They have to go home.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re jerks.” Lydie huffed. “Come on, Jesse.”
Olive swung around to her sister and grabbed her arm. In a harsh whisper that carried to us because of the stillness of the night, she snapped. “No. He loves them and it doesn’t matter how I feel if they’re good to him, Lydie. Go inside.”
Lydie’s cheeks darkened and she nodded. “Sorry. You’re right.”
“Alright. Inside with Aunt Lydie, Jesse. Now.”
Lydie shot me one last death glare. “Until next time.”
Jesse tugged on my hand and held his arms up for a hug. I picked him up and held him tight, until he giggled and pretended to choke. “You’re too big, Andy. You’re squishing me.”
Jack took him from me and hugged him just as tight. “I’m bigger than him. Look at these muscles, little dude. I could squish you like a booger.”
Jesse ran into Caleb’s arms last and they just held each other for a long moment. I knew Caleb was struggling so I gripped his shoulder and met his pained gaze. He nodded and let Jesse go. “See you later, little dude.”
“Can I see you tomorrow?”
“Jesse.” Olive’s voice was thick with emotion that made me want to punch the brick exterior of her apartment until I could forget the sound.
“Go inside, Jesse. We’ll talk to your mom about when we can hang out again. Okay?” I ruffled his hair and eased him towards Olive. “Cuddle your seal for us.”
Olive bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head before gently pushing him into the apartment and closing the door. I could hear the shaky breath she took so clearly when she looked back at us. “I don’t expect you to take him every time he wants to go with you. You’d never be able to do anything else.”
“We want to see him. We’ll take everything you’ll give us.” Caleb looked away and wiped his eyes before moving closer. “Fuck, sweetheart. You’re hurting. Let us-”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. “It means a lot to me that you guys showed up for Jesse today. Thank you for that. It doesn’t mean that things between us are fixed.”
Jack growled. “We don’t want a magic solution. Just tell us what you need. Tell us how to make it better.”
She hugged herself tighter, causing the hoodie to ride up her thighs. I could see the line of angry red cuts from her nails and it sent pain and anger crashing through me. Covering my mouth, I turned away from her and told myself to let her set and keep her boundaries. The sound of another sniffle cracked my resolve right down the middle.
I was standing inches from her in two long strides. I gripped the back of her neck in one and ran my hand down her thigh, feeling the cuts. I heard the quick intake of breath from her and stared into her eyes as her pupils dilated. “You’re hurting. You hurt yourself, Olive. I don’t have enough time or words to tell you how sorry I am. I was stupid. I fucked up. Give me a chance to fix it. Please.”
“I have a harder time throwing out expired condiments than you had throwing me away.” She gently pushed me away. “I want to matter. I want to be wanted. I want someone who needs me as much as I need them and someone who would do anything to be with me. I thought that was you three. I thought you loved me. You don’t leave the people you love, though.”
“Give us a chance.” I ran my hands through my hair and tugged at it to keep from grabbing her. “Give us one fucking chance to show you how we feel, Olive. I can’t walk away without a chance.”
“It’s a free country, Andrew. Do whatever you want.” She pushed the door open behind her and wouldn’t meet my eyes as she stepped inside. “When do you want to pick up Jesse again.”
“Tomorrow.” I took a step backwards and then another, a smile slowly tilting my mouth. “You didn’t say no, Olive.”
Her eyes shot up to mine and I watched as her lips parted. I held my breath, afraid the next word out of her mouth was going to crush me. She opened her mouth and snapped it shut a few more times before her cheeks burned red. “You can pick him up from school again.”
She pushed the door closed silently and I heard the lock turn before I turned to face Jack and Caleb. They both looked like they’d been through a battle. It was going to be better soon, though. That smile didn’t budge from my lips.
“She didn’t say no.”
59
***Olive***
IglaredatLydieand angrily whisper-yelled at her. “You couldn’t think of a single other thing for us to do with them? Not one thing?”
