The Secret (Single in Seattle 1)

“I get that a lot.” I help her into the car, and she waves as it pulls away.

I need to get back to the house and get ready for the realtor tomorrow.

The sooner I can get home to Liv and make things right, the better.

Chapter 18

~Olivia~

It’s amazing how time really can make you feel better. I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and yanked out of my funk. I took a shower and pulled myself together, even applied some lipstick to give myself just a little extra kick, and then set off to get my day going.

My first order of business was a new phone number. Every time I turned my old one on, I had more messages and missed calls from the press.

That didn’t help matters.

I also couldn’t check in with Vaughn to make sure he got to LA safely or to find out when he was coming back to Seattle. I never realized how attached to my phone I really was.

Vaughn did send a message through Stella that he wouldn’t be back until this afternoon, which was nice of him.

I haven’t been able to shake off the look on his face from yesterday when I admitted that I didn’t know if we were breaking up or not. He’d looked…devastated.

He’d looked the way I felt.

I pull up to the cell phone store and prepare myself for at least an hour spent with them, but I’m surprised when I walk back out only thirty minutes later with not only a new number but also a new phone, with all my stuff already transferred over.

“Technology is getting a little easier,” I mutter when I sit in the driver’s seat of my car and send a group text to the family.

We have a group text set up with all of the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents for emergencies.

I bite my lip and stare out the windshield for half a second.

This isn’t technically an emergency.

But it’ll take me an hour to send a text to everyone individually.

“Group it is,” I mutter as I tap out the message.

Me: Hey, gang. This is Olivia. Not an emergency. Just wanted to let you know this is my new phone number. Please delete the old one. No need to reply.

I hit send and then immediately send another message, this time just to Vaughn.

Me: Hey, it’s Liv. New number alert. I hope all is well down there.

With that done, I set off but don’t go home. I head north on the freeway, out of Seattle, and take an exit about ten miles out of the city. I make my way to the cliffs and park in front of the house I know almost as well as I do my parents’ home.

I knock and grin when my uncle Leo answers the door. He smiles and immediately folds me into his arms in a big hug.

“Well, hey there, ladybug. This is a treat.”

“I didn’t know if you’d be home.” I look to my left and see Aunt Samantha walking into the foyer. As soon as she sees my face, she gives me a wink.

“Let’s go into the library for some girl talk,” Sam says and takes my hand.

“I will not be participating in the girl talk,” Leo says and kisses Sam’s cheek. “Let me know if you need anything, Sunshine.”

“Thanks, babe.”

Sam leads me into a two-story room, lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves—completely full of books.

“Good God, I could just live in here,” I say with a sigh as I sit in the corner of the couch, bringing my feet up under me.

“I spend a lot of time in here,” Sam agrees as she faces me, resting her head on her hand. “What’s going on with you?”

“Maybe I just wanted to come by for a chat.”

She smiles, her eyes so much like my dad’s that it surprises me sometimes, and then wrinkles her nose. “We both know that’s not true.”

“Have my parents talked to you?”

“Not in a few days.”

“Do you know I’ve been dating Vaughn Barrymore?”

“That, I knew. He’s a hottie. Good job, toots.”

I laugh and already know this was the right move. My aunt Sam is the absolute best.

“He is pretty hot,” I agree. “But it’s been interesting over the past few days.”

I outline everything that’s happened, how Vaughn and I have handled things, and when I’m done, Sam just shakes her head.

“I think you overreacted.”

I feel my jaw drop, and she holds up a hand.

“Just hear me out, okay? I know it’s hard, and maybe you’re just wired too much like your dad. I was there when things got crazy back in the day with the press, fans, and tabloids. They were ruthless. Luke didn’t enjoy it at all. I don’t think anyone enjoys it, but some can tolerate it.

“Luke couldn’t. And he adapted and changed his life accordingly. You’re like him in so many ways. Maybe this is another one. But I can tell you that this all sounds very normal to me for the celebrity status that Vaughn has.”