Love Me Like You Do

by M. H. Soars

  “You’re telling me. I had to explain to her three times how to calculate ROI.”

  Cynthia leans against the sink and stares at me. “You know there are rumors flying around about your boss and her.”

  “What rumors?”

  “That they’re screwing.”

  “No way! He’s married.”

  Cynthia gives me a droll look. “And since when does that matter anymore? Listen, I’m late for a call. I just came here to check if you were okay. Are we still on for lunch?”

  “I don’t know. It depends on how royally she screwed up.”

  “Well, let me know. I’m here if you need to vent.”

  I stay in the restroom a while longer after Cynthia leaves. What if what she said is true? That would explain so much about Bill’s behavior. But I can’t indulge in that thought or perpetuate a story when I don’t know if it’s true. Bill’s wife doesn’t deserve that. I won’t be responsible for causing strife in their marriage based on gossip.

  Staring at my reflection, a take a deep breath and square my shoulders. The situation is super unfair, but I have to be the one to draw the line when enough is enough. I have to make a contract with myself of how much I can take before I walk out.

  Eleven

  SEBASTIAN

  “So, what do you think?” Allan asks me, unable to hide the excitement in his tone.

  “That’s pretty badass. I love the sound of pop rock with techno. Very catchy. They’re going to be huge.”

  The ginger’s grin takes up his entire face. “I think so too. Now we just need to find the missing pieces to complete the band.”

  “Are Rebel and Riot the real names of the duo?”

  “Yup. Awesome, huh?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t name my kids that, but those are good stage names.”

  The thought takes me back to the decision Liv and I made in Cabo, and I wonder if there is already a tiny baby growing in her belly. Excitement mixes with fear. It probably won’t happen so soon, but it’s fucking hard not to obsess about it.

  “They’re fantastic musicians, but neither has strong vocals. We need to find a lead.” Allan looks pointedly at me.

  Wait… does he want me to step up to the challenge?

  I shake my head. “Don’t even think about it. My days in the limelight are over. I’d rather work behind the scenes now.”

  Allan groans. “How did you know I was going to ask?”

  “Dude, you have the worst poker face in the world.”

  “Yeah, I need to work on that. Well, I guess I’d better start looking for a lead singer.”

  “Do the twins know about that?”

  “Not really. They know we’re looking for two more members, but I haven’t mentioned who will lead. I need to find someone badass enough who will blow their minds so they won’t even second-guess my decision.”

  “It sounds like you have a lot to do.”

  “Yup, I sure do.”

  The sound of the front door opening downstairs draws Allan’s attention to the security camera feed. There are cameras mounted in front of the house and also inside, pointing at the front door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Eli—I mean Sticks. I’ll be right back.”

  The guy gets out of his chair in a jerky movement and practically flies down the stairs. I haven’t been working at Renegades long enough, but even so, I can already tell there’s something going on between Allan and Wreck of the Day’s drummer. He’d better not fuck it up with the girl; otherwise, there will be hell to pay. Between Saylor and Tabatha, I don’t know who would give out the worst punishment. I shudder, remembering the time Saylor threatened to rip my nut sack off if I fucked up with Liv again.

  My phone rings, pulling my mind out of that not-so-pleasant memory. I frown when I don’t recognize the number, but the UK country code tells me I should answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Sebastian?”

  “Yes, who is this?”

  “It’s Charlotte, Ollie’s sister.”

  I sit up straighter, my body on high alert all of a sudden. “What happened?”

  “Oh God.” Her voice trembles. “I don’t even know how to say this. It’s Oliver and Saylor.”

  They’re dead. It’s the first thought that comes to my mind. Clenching my jaw, I’m sent back to the moment I was told my parents had died. I feel the blood vanish from my face as my heart stops beating for a second, only to restart with a painful lurch. I want to shout at Charlotte to tell me what the fuck happened already, but I bite my tongue.

  “They were attacked. By Harry.”

  My brain takes a couple of seconds to process her words, but it’s no use. “What?”

  “It turns out Harry wasn’t Harry, but an impostor. Somehow, Saylor discovered the truth, and he tried to murder her and Oliver.”

  “You said tried, meaning he didn’t succeed?” Please God, don’t take my friends away from me as well.

  “No, our butler saved the day. It’s a long story. Oliver took the worst of it, but he’s recovering. I just thought you’d want to know.”

  “How is Saylor?”

  “Shaken up, but you know her. She’s tough. There’s more. We’ve found the real Harry. This is such a mess. I’m honestly afraid Oliver won’t be able to handle it.”

  I rest my head in my hand. My mind is reeling. It’s almost as if I’m stuck in a horror movie. I know how the subject of Harry affects Oliver. It’s Oliver’s demon. I need to go see him. “I’m catching the first flight out of LA.”

  “Thanks, Bas. I was hoping you would. I can’t deal with this and my mother as well. It’s just too much.”

  “No worries. I’ll be there.”

  I end the call but stay frozen as my head deals with the news. There’s no doubt in my mind that I need to be there for my friend, but what is Liv going to do? Will she put her job first again?

  LIV

  “Bas?” I call out when I enter our apartment.

  “I’m in the bedroom.”

  “God, you’re not going to believe the day I had today. Celine totally fucked up, and Bill took—” I stop in my tracks when I catch Sebastian in the middle of packing a suitcase. “Going somewhere?”

  He turns to me, his face serious and hard. I immediately know something bad happened.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s Saylor and Oliver. It turned out Harry was an impostor and a psychopath. He tried to kill our friends.”

  “Oh my God.” I cover my mouth with my hands. That’s the most horrific thing I’ve ever heard.

  “Anyway, the lunatic is dead and Oliver is at the hospital. And there’s more.”

  “I’m afraid to even ask.”

  “As fucked up as the situation is, this is the only good thing about it. Oliver’s real brother was found. He was being held captive by the impostor. You can imagine how this will affect Oliver. I have to go see him.”

  “When did you find out?”

  “A few hours ago. Charlotte called me first, but she didn’t give me all the details. Allan was able to get a hold of Saylor and get the rest of the story.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?” I’m shocked and angry that he didn’t.

  Sebastian looks way, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t want to screw up your day at work. I know how important your job is to you.”

  “Bas! Come on! Don’t you think I would put my best friend first over a stupid job?” I’m so hurt he would make such an assumption that I start to shake.

  “I’m sorry, okay?”

  “Did you at least get me a ticket?”

  “I’m not flying commercial. Couldn’t find tickets so last minute.”

  The stricken look on his face reveals he didn’t consider buying me one. I thought after Cabo and our decision, we had moved past making assumptions.

  “Well, I’m coming too.”

  He nods. “Okay.”

  I’ve never packed so fast in my life, and to be completely hones
t, I don’t even know what I shoved inside the duffel bag. On the ride to the airport, I can’t even glance in Sebastian’s direction, still pissed that he thought I’d stay behind because of work.

  My phone rings. It’s Kimmy. Shit. I was so lost in my anger that I forgot to call her and my folks to let them know what happened.

  “Hey, Kimmy. I’m so glad you called.”

  “Liv, I’m at the hospital.”

  “What?” My heartbeat increases in pace. “Why?”

  “It’s Gracie. She’s had a high fever for the last couple of days, and the pediatrician finally decided to hospitalize her. It’s pneumonia.”

  “Oh my God, Kimmy. How bad is it?”

  “We don’t know yet. I’m losing my mind here, Liv. She’s just a baby.” Kimmy’s voice cracks.

  “Liv, what’s the matter?” Sebastian glances at me, worry etched on his face.

  “I can’t come with you,” I tell him.

  “You’re scaring me. Tell me what happened.”

  “Gracie has been admitted at the Children’s Hospital. She has pneumonia.”

  “How serious is it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Without further questions, Sebastian takes the next exit and heads toward the hospital. On the phone, Kimmy gives me a little more information about where to find them, and then we end the call. I don’t tell her about Saylor and Oliver. There’s nothing she can do about it, and there’s no reason to worry her more.

  Sebastian parks the car and makes a motion to get out. I place a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Where are you going?”

  “What do you mean? I’m coming with you.”

  Shaking my head, I say, “No. You have a plane to catch. Oliver needs you, Bas. Kimmy and Owen have all the support they need. Ollie and Saylor are pretty much alone in the UK.”

  I see the conflict swirl in Sebastian’s eyes, and even though it breaks my heart that he has to choose between two impossible scenarios, I love that he cares that much.

  “Okay. Call me when you have news, no matter the time.”

  “You too.”

  He cups the back of my head, pulling me toward him for a crushing kiss. Wrapping my hand around his neck, I allow myself a moment to get lost in his taste, in his essence. Eventually we both pull apart, keeping our foreheads together.

  “We’ll get through this,” he whispers.

  “I know. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Take care of Blue and Ollie for me, okay?”

  “You betcha. And you take care of yourself. Remember that if anything happens to you, I’ll die.”

  I chuckle. “Now is not the time to develop a flavor for theatrics. Leave the drama to Kennedy.”

  Sebastian kisses the tip of my nose. “I’m not being dramatic. I need to know you’ll be okay.”

  His statement is loaded with meaning, and I get it. My behavior for the last couple of months can’t be erased with only one getaway weekend.

  “I’ll be okay, Bas. I promise.”

  Twelve

  LIV

  I watch Sebastian drive off and don’t enter the hospital building until I can no longer see his car’s taillights. My heart is heavy as I reach the reception desk to get a visitor’s pass. It’s late, and they won’t give me one, no matter how much I plead. I guess Kimmy forgot to check the visiting hours.

  The lady at the desk notices that I’m about to lose it, and she’s kind enough to let me know the cafeteria is still open. I head that way and call Mom, who answers on the first ring.

  “Liv, where are you?”

  “I’m heading toward the cafeteria. They wouldn’t let me up. Visiting hours are over.”

  “Yeah, we just got kicked out. Kimmy and Owen are staying with Gracie. Your father and I are on our way down.”

  “Okay.”

  I order a cup of coffee and find an empty table. But instead of taking a sip of my drink, I just curl my hands around it and stare at the Styrofoam cup. I can’t believe all of this is happening. It’s like I’m stuck in a bad dream.

  Five minutes later, I sense someone approach. My parents are here. The first thing Mom notices is the duffel bag on the floor. “Were you planning to spend the night, or is that for Kimmy?”

  “Neither. I was on my way to the airport when Kimmy called.”

  “Oh?”

  I wait until my parents take a seat and tell them the other awful news of the day. They are both horrified.

  “Honey, your sister would have understood if you went to see your friend. She has us and Owen’s parents too.”

  “I know, but she sounded so terrified on the phone, Mom. I’ve never heard Kimmy freaked out like that. At the time, I felt I was more needed here. It breaks my heart, though. Saylor is like a sister to me.”

  Mom pats my hand. “I know, dear. Maybe you can join Sebastian tomorrow.”

  “Yes, maybe.” I grip the sides of my head. “God, why does bad stuff have to happen all at once?”

  “It feels that way, but I’m sure more good things are happening at once than bad things,” Dad says.

  I want to share his optimistic point of view, but at the moment I find it really hard.

  “Liv?”

  Looking up, I find Derek standing next to our table.

  “Derek, what are you doing here?”

  “I work here.”

  It’s then that I notice the hospital scrubs with cartoons all over them. “Right, I forgot.”

  He turns his attention to Mom and Dad. “Murphy, Karen, long time no see.”

  Dad stands up and shakes hands with Derek. “Yes, too long. I see you’re a doctor now. Well done, son.”

  “Is everything okay?” he asks.

  “I’m afraid not. Kimmy and Owen’s daughter, Gracie, has been admitted. It’s pneumonia.”

  Derek clenches his jaw and narrows his eyes a bit. The news clearly affects him, though I don’t know if it’s because he somehow knows this is bad news or if it has anything to do with his fallout with Owen. Guilt snakes into my heart. I’m the reason Derek and Owen are no longer friends.

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. If there’s anything I can do.”

  “Thanks, Derek. We appreciate it. I think Owen and Kimmy need someone they trust to give them some peace of mind,” Mom chimes in.

  Derek’s expression remains stoic, but I catch another clench of his jaw.

  “Owen misses you, Derek,” I say. My brother-in-law has never actually said those words to me, but Kimmy mentioned it a couple of times.

  Derek doesn’t reply, just stares at me with unreadable eyes. Is he thinking about the last time he saw his college friend? That was days before my wedding, and what a nightmare it was.

  “I’ll make sure to stop by and see how things are,” he finally says. “I’d better get going. Nice to see you again.” He says that part while looking at my parents. I don’t take offense. God only knows how I hurt this man.

  Sebastian calls me as soon as he lands and promises he’ll call again when he sees Ollie and Saylor. Hearing his voice, knowing he’s miles away, makes my heart ache so much, I can barely breathe. I want to cry from the mere sound of it. I keep it bottled in, though. I don’t want to worry him even more.

  He asks about Grace and I tell him that I couldn’t see her last night, but that Kimmy called and she’s doing much better already. I don’t mention that I bumped into Derek, not when Sebastian can’t see my face when I say it. To this day he’s still jealous of my ex, and the prank Derek’s cousins pulled on us days before our wedding didn’t help things either.

  Opening hours at the hospital start at eight, which means I’ll be late for work. I send an e-mail to my boss—he doesn’t deserve a call. I do call Rodrigo to let him know about Saylor, but he doesn’t answer. I leave him a message asking him to call me back.

  As I walk through the colorful hallway—at least the hospital did try to make this a cheery place—I hope I don’t bump into Derek again. It’s alm
ost cruel how destiny keeps pulling the guy into my life. I won’t deny that when he decided to distance himself from Owen, I was glad. It was selfish to think that way, considering they were best friends throughout college, and my brother-in-law moped around for months after the fight with his best buddy. But not seeing Derek’s hurt expression helped me deal with my guilt. I should have never slept with him after Kimmy and Owen’s wedding. We had been broken up for nearly a year then, but alcohol and loneliness made me stupid.

  Mercifully, I don’t bump into him this morning. The door to Grace’s room is open, and sticking my head inside, I find Owen sleeping on the couch and Kimmy sitting next to Grace’s bed, stroking her hair.

  “Hey,” I say.

  “Liv.” Kimmy stands up and we hug. “Mom told me about Saylor and Oliver. What an awful thing to happen. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to burden you.”

  We pull apart and Kimmy watches my face closely. I reciprocate the gesture. Her skin is paler than usual, the dark circles evident. Her eyes are also red; she must have been crying recently.

  “How are they doing?” she asks.

  “I don’t know yet. Bas said he would call me as soon as he saw them.”

  “I’m sorry you had to choose, but I’m glad you stayed.”

  My eyes prickle, and I blink several times to keep the tears at bay. “How is Gracie?”

  “Doing better, but the doctors want to keep her here until the meds do their job. Derek came by last night.”

  “He did?”

  Kimmy raises an eyebrow at me. “Don’t act so surprised. He told us he bumped into you, Mom, and Dad at the cafeteria.”

  I lower my gaze. “Well yeah, but I didn’t know he was coming here soon after.”

  “We’re talking about Derek here. The guy doesn’t have a rotten bone in his body. Of course he would come right away. Anyway, he and Owen talked. I think—at least I hope—they can mend their friendship.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “You don’t sound so enthusiastic about that.”

  I bring my face up again, locking eyes with my sister. “It’s not that. I still feel guilty about the way I handled things with him.”

  “You need to get over that, Liv. It seems Derek has.”

  “Do you really think so?”