Read Online Distractions (The Rebound Series) by Emilia Winters - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emilia Winters
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potato salad in front of her. “I do. He’s wonderful, mom,” she murmured honestly.
Her mother was silent for a moment but when Olivia looked up to see her reaction, she saw her smiling lightly. “Then, I’m happy for you, baby.” Her mom reached over to squeeze her hand as she gave her blessing and Olivia felt relief.
“Thanks, mom,” she said.
Her mother returned to mixing the dip, but then asked, “Is it awkward for you to see Miles here?” Her tone was concerned but Olivia wished she hadn’t brought up his name because she felt some of her ease turn into anger.
“I’d rather him not be here, but it can’t be helped,” she answered truthfully. “He is one of Brandon’s closest friends. And it is his birthday.”
“Did you see the woman he brought with him?” her mother asked with a hint of incredulity. “She is positively caked with make-up,” she gossiped.
Olivia had to smile at the scandalized tone of her mother, who raised Olivia on the belief that when it came to make-up, less was more. “I noticed,” she said, her tone cool. Olivia didn’t doubt that she was the woman he had cheated on her with. Their familiarness with one another was plain for all to see.
Olivia flicked her gaze to observe the two of them only to find Miles’ eyes on hers. He still looked the same to her. Whenever she looked at him, she would probably always feel a familiarity because they had been together for so long. But now, instead of feeling a comfortable dependability, she felt distaste. And disgust…but only for herself. Disgust for letting him walk all over her during their relationship and doing nothing about it until the end to stand up for herself.
Miles sent a small smile her way, but Olivia only nodded once to acknowledge him and then looked away. In the back of her mind, she knew she would have to deal with Miles eventually. But for now, she fantasized about not having to speak to him at all. But given the way he had showed up at her apartment unannounced a couple of nights ago, Olivia knew he would attempt to approach her.
Olivia shifted her gaze to Alex once again and smiled when she saw a few more people had joined their group. She shook her head when she noticed most of them were women, her great aunt included. But for once, she didn’t feel insecure about it.
“Okay, I think we’re all set,” her mother declared loudly, placing the huge bowl of dip at the end of the counter. They had the food set up along the kitchen table and spread out across the counters. Olivia knew that her parents would have leftovers for weeks, judging by the sheer amount her mother had prepared.
Her mom poked her head out the door and whistled loudly, “Food’s up, everyone!”
Olivia bit back a smile, but managed to escape the kitchen and into the backyard before she was run over by the pack of hungry relatives. Alex spotted her and smiled warmly, his dark eyes taking her in as he lifted his beer to his lips. The group that he and her father had been talking to dispersed when her mother called everybody inside. But her father was still plating the cooked hot dogs and burgers.
She spotted Miles out of the corner of her eye watching as she walked passed him, but she didn’t turn.
Her father was just turning off the grill when she reached them both, a massive platter of meat carefully nestled in his arms as though it was a child. “Looks good, dad,” she greeted. “You’ve outdone yourself.”
“I like him,” her father declared, not even bothering to respond to her compliment. Her father was a straight shooter and hated bullshit. But his statement still caught her off guard, nonetheless. “I can even overlook his love for the 49ers.”
“Wow, football talk already. I don’t think I left you two alone for twenty minutes even,” she murmured, glancing at Alex. He hid his grin well.
“Do you need help
Her mother was silent for a moment but when Olivia looked up to see her reaction, she saw her smiling lightly. “Then, I’m happy for you, baby.” Her mom reached over to squeeze her hand as she gave her blessing and Olivia felt relief.
“Thanks, mom,” she said.
Her mother returned to mixing the dip, but then asked, “Is it awkward for you to see Miles here?” Her tone was concerned but Olivia wished she hadn’t brought up his name because she felt some of her ease turn into anger.
“I’d rather him not be here, but it can’t be helped,” she answered truthfully. “He is one of Brandon’s closest friends. And it is his birthday.”
“Did you see the woman he brought with him?” her mother asked with a hint of incredulity. “She is positively caked with make-up,” she gossiped.
Olivia had to smile at the scandalized tone of her mother, who raised Olivia on the belief that when it came to make-up, less was more. “I noticed,” she said, her tone cool. Olivia didn’t doubt that she was the woman he had cheated on her with. Their familiarness with one another was plain for all to see.
Olivia flicked her gaze to observe the two of them only to find Miles’ eyes on hers. He still looked the same to her. Whenever she looked at him, she would probably always feel a familiarity because they had been together for so long. But now, instead of feeling a comfortable dependability, she felt distaste. And disgust…but only for herself. Disgust for letting him walk all over her during their relationship and doing nothing about it until the end to stand up for herself.
Miles sent a small smile her way, but Olivia only nodded once to acknowledge him and then looked away. In the back of her mind, she knew she would have to deal with Miles eventually. But for now, she fantasized about not having to speak to him at all. But given the way he had showed up at her apartment unannounced a couple of nights ago, Olivia knew he would attempt to approach her.
Olivia shifted her gaze to Alex once again and smiled when she saw a few more people had joined their group. She shook her head when she noticed most of them were women, her great aunt included. But for once, she didn’t feel insecure about it.
“Okay, I think we’re all set,” her mother declared loudly, placing the huge bowl of dip at the end of the counter. They had the food set up along the kitchen table and spread out across the counters. Olivia knew that her parents would have leftovers for weeks, judging by the sheer amount her mother had prepared.
Her mom poked her head out the door and whistled loudly, “Food’s up, everyone!”
Olivia bit back a smile, but managed to escape the kitchen and into the backyard before she was run over by the pack of hungry relatives. Alex spotted her and smiled warmly, his dark eyes taking her in as he lifted his beer to his lips. The group that he and her father had been talking to dispersed when her mother called everybody inside. But her father was still plating the cooked hot dogs and burgers.
She spotted Miles out of the corner of her eye watching as she walked passed him, but she didn’t turn.
Her father was just turning off the grill when she reached them both, a massive platter of meat carefully nestled in his arms as though it was a child. “Looks good, dad,” she greeted. “You’ve outdone yourself.”
“I like him,” her father declared, not even bothering to respond to her compliment. Her father was a straight shooter and hated bullshit. But his statement still caught her off guard, nonetheless. “I can even overlook his love for the 49ers.”
“Wow, football talk already. I don’t think I left you two alone for twenty minutes even,” she murmured, glancing at Alex. He hid his grin well.
“Do you need help
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