Wild Zone (Rough Riders Hockey 4)

“I—“ she started, then choked on the words. “I thought I had everything handled.”

“If that lie is for me, its dead on arrival. You don’t take out a five hundred thousand dollar mortgage to save a flailing company and call that handling things. If the lie is for you, that’s up to you.”

“I meant now. I thought I had everything handled now.”

Olivia sighed a choppy breath and nodded.

“I’m going to make this right, Livvy.” She reached out and covered Olivia’s hand, squeezing it. “I stopped by the Senator’s home and picked up a deposit check from his wife. I don’t have twelve thousand dollars to spend on liquor but I have five. I know a good discount store that will give me a deal. You don’t have to worry about Tate’s party. I’ll make sure it’s fine. I always come through, Livvy.”

She smiled, exhausted and aching. “You usually do, Mom. I know you try your best every time. But I gave Tate my word, so I already took care of the alcohol. When you get the money, you can just send me a check.”

Her mother sat back. “Where did you get twelve thousand dollars?”

“It was ten, and that doesn’t matter.” She lifted her gaze to her mother’s. “I want you to know that I’m sorry for my part in this distance between us. I feel partially responsible for the trouble you’re in now, too, and that if I hadn’t left after dad died, we might have made different choices as a family. As much as I felt betrayed over the rest of you keeping dad’s cancer secret, I know now that you felt hurt and abandoned when I left.”

She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, stinging from so much crying. “I want you to know that I believe in you. I believe you have what it takes to pull this company out of the fire. And I also want you to know that no matter what happens or what you have to do to survive, I love you. I may not like what’s happened or how it’s happened, but I’ll always, always love you.”

“Oh, Liv…”

Tears made Olivia’s face sticky and she sighed as she wiped at them again. Then she tapped her Uber app on her phone and stood, pulling her rolling suitcase from behind her chair.

“What—“ Panic lit up her mother’s eyes.

“I need some time, mom.”

“But where are you going? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to do what dad would want me to do. I’m going to do what I’ve always done.” She leaned in and kissed her mother’s cheek.

Her mother closed her hand over Olivia’s and met her eyes. “This is my fault. Tate is a good man, Liv. He only did what he thought was best for you, because I told him it was best.”

Her heart twisted. “I know.”

“He called and asked me not to take the jobs with his agent. He was worried about how risking the house would hurt you because of how much you love it. He wanted our family to heal, Liv, because he knew it would make you happy. That’s why he didn’t tell you.”

She smiled, but her heart felt like it was in a vice. “He’s a good man.” She pulled her hand from her mother’s. “I love you, mom. See you soon.”

She walked to the car pulling up at the curb with her mother standing in the doorway of the only home Olivia had ever known. And as she pulled away from the curb, in a lot of ways, Olivia felt like she had when she’d been eighteen, driving to the airport after her father died.

Only this time she could make better decisions. Decisions her dad would be proud of.

Tate tipped back his sixth beer, wishing the pain killing affects would kick in. He glanced at his phone again, squinting because his vision was a little blurred.

Eden stood from the sofa in the apartment she shared with Beckett and Lily and took the empty bottle from his hand. Tate didn’t even feel it leave his fingers.

He turned his phone toward her. “Is that a new message?”

“No, handsome.” She ruffled his hair the same way he did with Lily. “That’s the old one.”

The old one—the one and only text Olivia had sent after Tate’s dozens of calls had gone unanswered—was something to the effect of “I need time”.

He exhaled and dropped his head back against the chair. Looking up at Eden he said, “This is your fiancé’s fault. You know that right?”

“So you’ve said.” She gave him an affectionate pat on the cheek. “I’m going to let you boys talk. Goodnight.” She leaned down and kissed Tate’s forehead. “I’m sorry, Tate.”

“Me too,” he said, looking out at the night beyond the windows of Beckett’s luxury apartment, as Eden walked through the kitchen and into the bedroom. “I’m one sorry sonofa—“ he caught himself, because he couldn’t remember if Lily was in bed or not. Hell, Tate didn’t even know what time it was. “Where’s Lily?”

“She’s been in bed for two hours,” Beckett said from his spot in the corner of the sofa.