And, like a lovesick fool, he fired up his computer first thing in the morning. Not that he expected an email from her this early, but a guy could hope.
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Shirt color
December 16, 7:03 AM
Do not smile at this early email. For some reason I woke up at the crack of dawn today. Could be my early bedtime. Anyway, I think you should wear green. It brings out the olive in your eyes.
Danny Ellis
Re: Scruff
December 16, 7:05 AM
Or no scruff?
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Depends
December 16, 7:05 AM
What image are you trying to convey? Wholesome, my furniture is classic and traditional, or edgy, my furniture is unlike anything else out there. I’d say you’re a really great combination of both, but I’m not your target audience.
Danny Ellis
Re: Bulls-eye
December 16, 7:06 AM
You’re the one that matters most. In the market for a new piece of furniture? Or maybe the classic, edgy guy that makes it? Both are available.
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Tried that
December 16, 7:08 AM
The guy, anyway. Things didn’t turn out all that great, but I think I’m ready to have my best friend back.
Danny Ellis
Re: Hooky
December 16, 7:08 AM
What are you doing today? Come with me to L.A. I’ll make it worth your while.
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Wish I could
December 16, 7:09 AM
But… I’m in San Francisco. Thanks for asking, though. Don’t forget to say “cheese.”
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Danny?
December 16, 7:14 AM
You still there?
Danny Ellis
Re: I’m here
December 16, 7:15 AM
Sorry. So the Bay area, huh?
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Yes
December 16, 7:15 AM
My old boss has started her own business and is living up here. I’m staying with her and thinking about an offer to work together. She’s pretty persuasive so it’s looking like I’ll cave soon.
Danny Ellis
Re: Congrats, Maybug
December 16, 7:16 AM
Sounds like a great opportunity. What’s holding you back?
Danny Ellis
Re: Liv?
December 16, 7:19 AM
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Still here
December 16, 7:20 AM
Just…thinking. Sometimes what you don’t say means more than what you do say, and I’m trying to figure out what’s best for me and my baby.
Our baby, Danny wanted to correct. Fuck, this was hard. Was he supposed to declare his undying love in a damn email? Over the phone? Olivia was five hundred miles away and it physically hurt to find that out. So yeah, he’d been fishing with his congrats, curious about her feelings. But she hadn’t taken the bait.
What they needed to say to each other had to be said in person and she’d put miles between them because she wanted time. Well, time was up.
Danny Ellis
Re: Love Game
December 16, 7:21 AM
Play with me this weekend, Maybug. I miss you.
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Lost
December 16, 7:21 AM
And I don’t mean the TV series. What are you talking about?
Danny Ellis
Re: Trust me
December 16, 7:21 AM
Text me your address. Be ready at 8am, Saturday. Pack a weekend bag. Let me help you make your decision.
It’s what best friends are for.
Olivia Lincoln
Re: Up your sleeve
December 16, 7:22 AM
Whatever you’ve got there, please don’t make this any harder, okay? Promise me. But I make no promises in return.
Danny Ellis
Re: Deal
December 16, 7:22 AM
See you soon.
Danny quickly quit out of mail. He had four days to come up with a plan to get her back to White Strand. In the back of his mind, an idea took shape.
He picked up his phone to call Honor. He needed her help if he was going to pull this off. Next, he called Jennifer. The L.A. interior designer had connections all over the place and, for the first time, he wasn’t too proud to ask for help. Lastly, he dialed Zane and Bryce. He needed his wingmen to help make sure he didn’t screw up.
Chapter Fifteen
Olivia stared up at the ceiling. When she was little and couldn’t sleep she’d had glow-in-the-dark stars to count and connect with imaginary lines to make pretty geometric shapes. They’d been a gift from her nana and the two of them had stuck them to the ceiling on one of nana’s rare visits. The best thing about them was that Olivia felt like she had a piece of her grandmother with her every time she crawled into bed.
Since leaving White Strand, the only person filling her head before she fell asleep was Danny. Tonight, more than ever, because she had no idea what to say to him when he showed up tomorrow morning.
Danny had left her. Just like Will. And just like her other boyfriends before him. But Danny’s leaving hurt a million times worse, and she didn’t know if she could be around him and not be resentful. She’d try, of course. Because no matter how many times she had a talk with herself, she couldn’t turn off any of her feelings for him.