Read Online Had a Great Fall (An Olivia Thompson Mystery) by Jullian Scott - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jullian Scott
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morning.”
Olivia noticed how his entire demeanor changed when he talked about the kids. “I’ll have to stop over and see them. I was sorry I missed you guys at Cam’s wedding.”
“I’m not,” Brian said dryly. He and his family had been out of town last month when Olivia had come back for her cousin’s wedding. “Dad said you brought a guy with you. Are you seeing someone?”
“I am.” She didn’t tell him that at the time, she and Nate hadn’t been dating. Ed was the one that had pointed out how stupid she was being pretending that she wasn’t in love with Nate. A lot had changed since then.
“He didn’t come back with you?” Brian tried to sound neutral, but he was clearly making a judgment about Nate.
Olivia felt the need to defend him. “He offered, but I told him no. I wasn’t sure this would turn out to be anything serious.”
“I want to meet this guy,” Brian said. “I need to make sure he’s good enough for my sister.”
“You’ll like him,” she said confidently. “Everyone likes Nate.”
“We’ll see.” He looked doubtful. “I’m going to run down the cafeteria and get something to eat. Do you want anything?”
She shook her head and settled more comfortably into the chair. Olivia didn’t plan to fall asleep, but that’s exactly what happened when she shut her eyes. It was a fitful sleep, probably because she was curled into an uncomfortable position in an even more uncomfortable chair. During a moment of consciousness, she suddenly became aware that someone was watching her and her eyes flew open.
“It’s you.” Olivia’s heart jumped happily.
Nate was sitting in a chair across from her, elbows on his knees as he looked at her. She didn’t know how long he had been sitting there, but she knew that he wasn’t close enough. As she pushed herself from the chair, he leaned back and opened his arms. Her body fit neatly into his as she slid into his arms.
“You’re here,” she said, burying her head into his neck and breathing deeply. It took her almost a minute to get over the shock of seeing him and ask, “Why are you here?”
“This is where I belong.” He loosened his embrace just a bit so that she could pull back and look at him. “I also may have gotten myself suspended.”
“Of course you did.” Olivia sighed and smiled. “What did you do?”
Nate winced. “I punched Barnes in the face.”
“Nate.” She poked him in the chest. “What did I tell you about being nice to people?”
“Barnes is a prick.” Nate paused, choosing his next words carefully. “He’s lucky I only hit him once.”
“Why did you hit him, Nate?” Olivia felt like a mother scolding her child.
Nate shifted uncomfortably. “You know, I drove all the way here to be with you and you haven’t even kissed me yet.”
“And you didn’t answer my question.” Olivia was too tired to play games. “How long are you suspended?”
“One week.” Nate gave her a crooked smile. “You are stuck with me now.”
For the first time, she noticed his casual look- faded jeans, fitted t-shirt, and old baseball hat pulled low. He hadn’t bothered shaving either. It was unusual for him to look so disheveled, especially on a week day. Olivia decided that he looked irresistible.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, in case it wasn’t obvious. She rubbed a hand over his stubble. “Unkempt is a good look for you.”
He pushed back the bill of his cap so that he could kiss her properly. “What did I ever do to deserve a woman like you?”
“Excuse me.”
Olivia had thought that they were still alone in the waiting room. She was surprised when she looked up and found Brian standing awkwardly in the doorway.
“Brian.” Her face flushed and she quickly extricated herself from Nate’s arms. “This is Nate. Nate, this is my brother.”
Nate stood smoothly and took a step forward, holding out his hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You’re the boyfriend?” Brian said,
Olivia noticed how his entire demeanor changed when he talked about the kids. “I’ll have to stop over and see them. I was sorry I missed you guys at Cam’s wedding.”
“I’m not,” Brian said dryly. He and his family had been out of town last month when Olivia had come back for her cousin’s wedding. “Dad said you brought a guy with you. Are you seeing someone?”
“I am.” She didn’t tell him that at the time, she and Nate hadn’t been dating. Ed was the one that had pointed out how stupid she was being pretending that she wasn’t in love with Nate. A lot had changed since then.
“He didn’t come back with you?” Brian tried to sound neutral, but he was clearly making a judgment about Nate.
Olivia felt the need to defend him. “He offered, but I told him no. I wasn’t sure this would turn out to be anything serious.”
“I want to meet this guy,” Brian said. “I need to make sure he’s good enough for my sister.”
“You’ll like him,” she said confidently. “Everyone likes Nate.”
“We’ll see.” He looked doubtful. “I’m going to run down the cafeteria and get something to eat. Do you want anything?”
She shook her head and settled more comfortably into the chair. Olivia didn’t plan to fall asleep, but that’s exactly what happened when she shut her eyes. It was a fitful sleep, probably because she was curled into an uncomfortable position in an even more uncomfortable chair. During a moment of consciousness, she suddenly became aware that someone was watching her and her eyes flew open.
“It’s you.” Olivia’s heart jumped happily.
Nate was sitting in a chair across from her, elbows on his knees as he looked at her. She didn’t know how long he had been sitting there, but she knew that he wasn’t close enough. As she pushed herself from the chair, he leaned back and opened his arms. Her body fit neatly into his as she slid into his arms.
“You’re here,” she said, burying her head into his neck and breathing deeply. It took her almost a minute to get over the shock of seeing him and ask, “Why are you here?”
“This is where I belong.” He loosened his embrace just a bit so that she could pull back and look at him. “I also may have gotten myself suspended.”
“Of course you did.” Olivia sighed and smiled. “What did you do?”
Nate winced. “I punched Barnes in the face.”
“Nate.” She poked him in the chest. “What did I tell you about being nice to people?”
“Barnes is a prick.” Nate paused, choosing his next words carefully. “He’s lucky I only hit him once.”
“Why did you hit him, Nate?” Olivia felt like a mother scolding her child.
Nate shifted uncomfortably. “You know, I drove all the way here to be with you and you haven’t even kissed me yet.”
“And you didn’t answer my question.” Olivia was too tired to play games. “How long are you suspended?”
“One week.” Nate gave her a crooked smile. “You are stuck with me now.”
For the first time, she noticed his casual look- faded jeans, fitted t-shirt, and old baseball hat pulled low. He hadn’t bothered shaving either. It was unusual for him to look so disheveled, especially on a week day. Olivia decided that he looked irresistible.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, in case it wasn’t obvious. She rubbed a hand over his stubble. “Unkempt is a good look for you.”
He pushed back the bill of his cap so that he could kiss her properly. “What did I ever do to deserve a woman like you?”
“Excuse me.”
Olivia had thought that they were still alone in the waiting room. She was surprised when she looked up and found Brian standing awkwardly in the doorway.
“Brian.” Her face flushed and she quickly extricated herself from Nate’s arms. “This is Nate. Nate, this is my brother.”
Nate stood smoothly and took a step forward, holding out his hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You’re the boyfriend?” Brian said,
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