Olivia laughed. “I stole Brad’s truck!”
A throat cleared from behind them. Standing in the doorway, Brendon smiled crookedly. “Look, I’m really happy for you guys, but maybe you should talk about your grand theft auto at a slightly lower volume.”
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Olivia said, cringing sharply.
Brendon waved her off. “No worries. We’ve got a little cushion.”
“We’ll be in in a minute,” Margot promised.
He winked, both eyes shutting instead of just the one, and ducked inside.
Margot’s cheeks ached from smiling. “That’s kind of hot, you know.”
“Me stealing a truck?” Olivia’s eyes crinkled at the corners.
“You stealing Brad’s truck,” she clarified.
Olivia brushed her fingers against Margot’s wrist and goose bumps erupted on her arms. Her lower lip wobbled gently. “I should’ve listened to you. Instead I almost didn’t make it and—I don’t know.” She ducked her chin. “I was standing there on Brad’s porch and it just hit me, how badly I want all of this. To be here. My whole life is here, and I love it here, I love what I do, and I—I’ve worked too hard this last year to just give up on it all. To throw it all away. When I was standing there and I realized I might not make it on time, I realized how badly I wanted everything I’ve worked for and how far I was willing to go to have it.” She tangled their fingers together and squeezed. “How far I was willing to go to keep it.”
Keep it. Margot’s heart soared. “Keep it, huh?”
Olivia laughed, free hand skimming Margot’s waist and wrapped around her, palm settling against the small of Margot’s back. Her smile fell, and her eyes went serious. “I am so sorry, Margot. For what I said. I—you were coming from a good place and I reacted poorly. When you said I was overreacting, it felt like you were belittling my feelings, and I lashed out. It was no excuse.”
Margot swallowed hard and brushed her thumb along the curve of Olivia’s cheek. There was a mysterious smudge that might’ve been grease, maybe mud, but Margot didn’t care. “I’m sorry, too. What I said about you overreacting was shitty, but everything else? Please tell me you understand that everything I said, I said because I care about you. You know that, right?”
Olivia sniffled softly and nodded. “It’s not the easiest, letting someone care about me.”
“Well, you’ll have lots of time to practice,” Margot joked, stepping closer until their knees bumped. “Because I’m not going to stop caring about you any time soon. Definitely not after one fight. I’m a lot harder to get rid of than that.”
Olivia’s laugh was watery, her smile bright. The hand resting on the small of Margot’s back traveled higher, tangling in the back of her hair. “So am I. I’m not going anywhere.”
Heat crept up Margot’s jaw, and the inside corners of her eyes prickled. “I know.”
“What were you doing standing out here?” Olivia asked.
“Everyone else went inside.” Margot lifted her free hand and rested it on the side of Olivia’s neck, her thumb brushing the hinge of Olivia’s jaw. “But I was waiting for you.”
Olivia smiled, and the hand in Margot’s hair tightened, drawing her close. Olivia dipped her chin and her nose slid against Margot’s, her breath warm against Margot’s mouth. Olivia’s lips brushed hers, a whispered tease of a kiss. Her hair smelled like shampoo and rain and her breath like toothpaste, and Margot wanted. She smiled and chased Olivia’s lips, gripping the front of Olivia’s blouse, dragging her in, and sealing their mouths together.
“I’m pretty sure a part of me has been waiting for you for eleven years. Just like I’m pretty sure, no matter what happens, I’m always going to be at least little bit in love with you, Liv. Waiting a few extra minutes wasn’t going to kill me.” A drop landed on the tip of Margot’s nose. A little rain wouldn’t kill her, either.
Olivia’s lips parted, hazel eyes widening. “Really?” she whispered.
Margot’s heart raced from the confession, from Olivia’s closeness, the warmth of her hand against the back of Margot’s neck. The thumb of Olivia’s other hand swept gentle circles over the inside of Margot’s wrist, where she could probably feel Margot’s pulse flutter wildly. “Really.”
“Always?” Olivia whispered against Margot’s mouth, seemingly as reluctant to drag herself from the kiss as Margot was.