Chasing Olivia (Trace + Olivia #2) (3 page)

“A tree will work,” he waggled his eyebrows.

“You’re impossible,” I shook my head, turning to my mom, praying that she didn’t hear us. Luckily, she was engrossed in conversation with Nick and Ben.

Our food was brought out, and while it looked delicious, I was too nervous to eat. I merely pushed it around the plate with my fork. It was like there was a clock in my head and I could hear it ticking down the seconds until I made a fool of myself.

When the food was cleared away Ben stood to give his speech, sending my stomach plummeting out of my body.

Everyone listened intently to his speech but I didn’t hear a single word. It was like my ears decided to stop working.

When he sat down, I knew my time was finally up.

I stood shakily, and Trace reached up, putting a supportive hand on my lower back. He was probably afraid I was about to fall.

I swallowed, turning away from the crowd and facing my mom and Nick. After all, what I was about to say was for them and no one else.

Clearing my throat, my fingers wiggled restlessly against my side.

“First, I think it’s necessary for me to say that I am so extremely happy for the both of you. Mom, you deserve to love and be loved, and I’m glad you’ve found someone that loves you completely. Nick,” I said his name shakily, and his eyes met mine, “I truly mean it, when I say, there’s no one else I’d rather have seen my mom marry. The love you feel for her is palpable. I’m honored to have you become a part of our family and I’m excited…” I paused, “to see you create your own family together.” I smiled significantly at my mother’s small bulge. Nick laid his hand protectively over her stomach.

I did a small curtsy and took my seat.

Wait…I curtsied?!

Trace snickered beside me.

Oh, God.

Before I could dwell on my embarrassing curtsy, Nick reached for my hand. “Our family.”

“Huh?” I looked at him questioningly.

“You said, and I quote, ‘create your own family together,’ but you’re a part of this family, Olivia. Don’t ever think you’re not,” he eyed me.

I smiled at him and my mom. “My bad,
our
family,” I enunciated the word.

“That’s better,” Nick grinned, his dimple popping out on his cheek. “Now that that’s cleared up,” he turned to my mom, “let’s dance the night away.”

“Ugh, my feet are killing me,” I groaned, kicking off my heels, and reaching for the zipper on my bride’s maid dress. It pooled on the floor beside the door and I breathed a sigh of relief to finally be out of that dress.

The apartment was dark and our black lab, Ace, scurried forward. His nails clacked against the floors.

“Hey buddy,” I petted his head as I passed by him on the way to the bedroom.

Trace came into the bedroom behind me carrying the fluffy lavender dress. “I didn’t want Ace to mess it up,” he explained.

I looked over at Ace, who’d jumped up on the bed, and then back at Trace. “You know Ace would never do that. He’s a good boy.”

Trace chuckled, hanging the dress over the top of the open closet door. “You never know.”

I removed my bra and pulled on a sleep shirt and sleep shorts. I was so exhausted that I was sure I’d be asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

I pulled the covers back and climbed into bed. Ace lay down beside me with his head on my stomach. I loved that dog so much.

Trace stripped down to his boxers and got in bed. We were quiet, listening to the symphony of our breaths.

I rolled to my side, towards him, and he put his arm around me, pulling me close. My ear rested over his heart and the beat calmed me. I felt his lips press tenderly against the back of my head, right over the scar that my hair kept hidden.

My eyes shut.

Even two years later, the memories of that day still haunted me. Sometimes, I closed my eyes and it was like Aaron was hovering over me once more with his fist raised. On those nights, Trace comforted me, sometimes staying up until the wee hours of the morning. I don’t know how he didn’t get tired of it…I think, maybe because of what he went through with his dad, that he understood it was going to take me a long time to get over it. It was easy for others who’d never been through something traumatic to judge me. They thought I should magically be over what happened. But that’s not how it works. Healing takes time…a long time. It takes patience. It takes love. Thankfully, Trace had all the love and patience anyone could ever need.

“I love you,” he whispered, believing I was asleep.

I smiled. I knew he did. He didn’t have to tell me, but it was nice to hear.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Bang.

Knock.

With a groan, I sat up. What the heck was going on? It had to be the middle of the night.

I climbed from the bed to investigate the strange sound. I couldn’t decide if it was someone knocking on the apartment door or something else. The noise was strange…

Once I was out of the bedroom, it was easy to deduce that the noise was, indeed, someone at the door. But they definitely weren’t knocking on it with their fist. It sounded more like they were using their whole body…or head…

Scared to go to the door—because let’s face it, I wasn’t exactly the strongest person on the planet—I went to wake up Trace.

“Trace,” I pushed his shoulder, trying to rouse him from sleep. “Trace,” I shook him a bit harder.

“Huh?” His eyes cracked open a bit, just a thin slit of green showing through.

“There’s someone at the door,” I hissed.

“What time is it?” He rubbed his eyes, yawning.

“Two,” I muttered, looking at the clock beside the bed. “I don’t know who it is and I’m scared to open the door,” I admitted reluctantly, playing with the ends of my hair.

He sat up and rolled out of bed, pulling on a pair of jeans, which he left unbuttoned. “I’ll check it out,” he assured me, kissing the end of my nose.

I tiptoed behind him and out of the bedroom. He undid the deadbolt and slowly opened the door.

Whoever was standing there fell into his arms.

“Avery?” I gasped, taking in the vibrant red hair.

“Mhmmmmitsme,” she slurred drunkenly.

Since she seemed to have lost the ability to move her legs, Trace picked her up, and gently laid her down on the couch.

I grabbed a bottle of water before kneeling beside her. She was completely wasted and the dress she’d worn to Nick and Nora’s wedding was ruined. It was covered in grass and mud stains, as was her body.

My eyes widened, zeroing in on something wrapped around her neck. I gasped when I realized what it was.

“Avery! Why is your underwear around your neck?” I bit my lip to hold back laughter. I mean, it wasn’t every day your best friend showed up at your place drunk with underwear around her neck.

“Huh?” She looked at me with bleary eyes and fingered the silky string of fabric around her neck. “Must have taken em’ off.”

“Obviously,” I snorted. “What were you doing?”

“I’m pretty sure it involved beer and sex in a field…by the way, don’t ever try that,” she warned Trace and me, pointing at us with a shaky finger, “it really itches.”

I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter, but quickly sobered. “Wait…who’d you have sex with?”

Last I’d heard, she and Luca weren’t together…unless they’d gotten together tonight.

“The guy I bought the beer from was getting off work and we both wanted to have some fun. I think his name was Austin. Or maybe it was John? Brad? Anyway, he wasn’t very good,” she pouted. “Hey, is that water for me?” She reached for the bottle in my hand.

“Oh yeah, sorry,” I handed it to her.

She slurped at it greedily and when the bottle was empty she let out a very undignified burp.

“I miss Luca,” she began to cry. “I keep trying to forget him, but I can’t Libby,” she slurred my name. “I lub him.” She wrapped her arms awkwardly around my shoulders and sobbed. I’m pretty sure she drooled on my neck too.

I bit my lip and looked up at Trace helplessly. I had no idea what to do with her.

“Uhm,” I patted her back. “I’m sorry?” It came out as a question.

“All I d-d-do is p-push p-p-people away,” she cried.

“That’s not true,” I tried to comfort her. “Um…Avery?”

“Yeah?” She pulled away and looked at me with shimmery green eyes. I wrinkled my nose. “I hate to tell you this, but you smell
really
bad?”

We looked at each other and neither of us could contain our laughter.

I pulled a strand of grass from her hair and glanced up at Trace, who was still standing by the couch with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Can you help me get her in the bathtub?”

“Yeah,” Avery looked up at Trace with wide eyes, “help me, Tracey-poo.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll carry her, but I’m not stripping her. You’re on your own with that part.”

“Good, I didn’t want your help for that,” I smiled at him. I stood and pointed a finger at Avery. “Don’t grope my boyfriend.”

“Not making any promises,” her giggle ended in a hiccup, “he has a nice ass.”

I rolled my eyes. Only Avery.

I pushed open the bathroom door and flicked on the light, yawning. I yanked the shower curtain open and started a bubble bath.

Trace came into the bathroom with a half-asleep Avery in his arms. “For someone that looks so little, she’s kinda heavy.”

“It’s the boobs,” Avery mumbled into his shoulder, “they must weigh fifty pounds.”

Trace chuckled and sat her on the edge of the tub.

“Thank you,” I told him, kissing his stubbled cheek.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” he pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “She’ll be more comfortable in our bed and from the looks of it, she’s going to have a killer headache in the morning. So, let’s not add a sore back to her list of ailments.”

“You’re too sweet.”

“I try,” he smiled crookedly.

“Danks Tracey,” Avery slurred, leaning her head against the tiled wall, her eyes closed.

He shook his head and closed the bathroom door behind him.

The bathtub was about halfway full of hot water and smelled of vanilla bubble bath.

“Come on,” I coaxed Avery into a sitting position instead of her slumped one. “Lift your arms.”

I helped her out of her dress and removed the underwear from around her neck. She wasn’t wearing a bra and I figured she’d probably lost it in whatever field she’d been rolling around.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I grumbled, helping my drunk and very naked friend into the water.

“That feels nice,” she murmured, a content smile lighting her face.

“You so owe me for this,” I laughed, grabbing a handful of bubbles and blowing them at her face.

She swatted them away and smirked. “I reward you with my fabulosity on a regular basis. You owe
me.
”

“Whatever,” I laughed.

“Any special plans for graduation?” She asked, her eyes twinkling, hinting that she knew something that I didn’t. Our graduation was in two days and classes had ended last week.

“No,” I shook my head. “Nothing special.”

“I know something you don’t know,” she sing-songed in a very off-key pitch. “Trace—”

“SHUT UP, AVERY!” Trace yelled from the living room. “SO HELP ME GOD, I WILL COME INTO THAT BATHROOM, AND SEE YOUR GOODS IF YOU DON’T STOP TALKING!”

Avery giggled. “Trace wants to see my goods.”

I looked between my best friend and the closed door. What the hell was going on?

“What do you know that I don’t?” I asked her.

She opened her mouth but Trace came busting into the bathroom. “She knows nothing! Nothing! Right, Avery?”

She looked up at Trace with bleary eyes. “Oh, right. It’s a surprise.”

He smacked his face with the palm of his hands. “Never again,” he grumbled under his breath. “Don’t say anything,” he pointed a finger at her and then turned to me, “and don’t you
dare
try to get it out of her.”

I couldn’t help laughing. I raised my hands in surrender. “Fine.”

He looked between the two of us. “Don’t make me find a roll—or six—of duct tape.”

Avery mimed zipping her lips and giggled.

Trace sighed and ran his fingers through his hair so that it stuck up in random directions. Shaking his head, he left the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him.