Marked Heart (Marked Heart #3) (7 page)

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The little bell over the door rang as Liv entered Legacy Ink. She wasn't two steps in when her cell phone buzzed in her hand.

B: I think you forgot something.

Drawing in a deep breath, she ignored the text and continued into the shop.

"Rough morning?" Jimmy laughed from behind the counter as Liv gave him the finger and continued to the back.

Throwing her purse on the chair, Liv noticed Penny was right behind her.

Pursing her lips up into a smile, Penny asked, "So...today is pajama day?"

"Sexy, right?" she sarcastically replied, pulling a black elastic band from around her wrist.

"Are you alright?"

Nodding, Liv replied, "Without a doubt, beautiful."

Penny scowled a bit then gave a weak smile as she walked out of the room.

Pulling her hair up into a ponytail before looping it around to make a loose bun, Liv continued to ignore the buzzing of her phone. She dug through the desk drawers until she found a black and white patterned handkerchief. Folding it, she made herself a wide headband that covered the top of her barely brushed hair. As she stepped over to the mirror she grabbed her lipstick out of her purse, thankful she at least had the sense to put her chuck's on before she left the house.

Everything was thrown off kilter from the moment she woke up late. She didn't hear her alarm, then when she did get up, Braden was already awake. That would have been fine though, except the burner on her gas stove went out and she couldn't get it to re-light. When Braden tried, he got it but because it was turned on high for the fifteen minutes while she was trying, a huge flame shot up and scared the hell out of both of them. He dropped the lighter onto the burner and it burst before either one of them could turn the burner off. By the time the catastrophe was over, Liv lost two cup towels, her favorite pan, and her whole house smelled like gas and burnt plastic. As insane as her stove catching on fire was, that wasn't what sent her out of the house in a black tank top and skull and crossbones pajama bottoms. It was when she was trying to air out the house and Braden came up beside her to help her open one of the windows that wouldn't budge. Pushing up from both sides, when it broke free and opened, it happened so fast, she lost her balance and almost fell. Braden caught her before she hit the floor, and she appreciated that, but when she was steady and his hand on her side tightened at her waist, she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

After smoothing her lipstick over her lips, Liv looked at herself in the mirror. Her view was darkened slightly by the aviator sunglasses she planned to wear all day in the absence of eye makeup. Making a face in the mirror, she mentally chastised herself for not being able to shake off the urges Braden's touch invoked.

~

Straight from the shop to The Dog House after work, Liv sat on a barstool at the far corner of the bar. Texting Charlotte, she waited for Auggie to make his way over.

"Nice pj's." Auggie teased.

Laughing, Liv replied, "Gin and tonic."

"Bad day?" he questioned, walking to the center of the bar to make her drink.

As he set her glass down in front of her, Liv shared, "Your brother damn near caught my whole kitchen on fire this morning."

"So you said screw it I'm not getting dressed today?"

She smirked at him, answering, "Somethin' like that."

Auggie laughed, offering, "I know you got sleeves but you need a jacket. It's supposed to be in the fifties tonight."

Lifting her drink, she assured, "This should keep me warm," before taking a sip and then drinking the rest down. "Another."

"You okay?" he questioned with a scowl on his face.

"You bet."

Auggie gave a slight grunt in disbelief as he turned to make her another drink.

Once drink number two was out of the way, Liv took her time slowly sipping her third gin and tonic. She wanted to relax and clear her mind, not get sloppy fall off the barstool drunk. As the bar started to fill up with the usual Friday night crowd, she glanced down at her phone.

C: If you keep turning him down, he's going to stop asking.

L: It hasn't stopped him yet.

C: What's stopping you?

L: It's complicated.

C: Call it what you like. I still say go for it.

~

Walking into the back door of The Dog House, Braden walked straight into Charlotte's office instead of heading to the main area of the bar.

"Got a minute?" he asked, pulling her attention away from her cell phone as she looked up at him.

Charlotte quickly sent a text then set her phone down saying, "What's up?"

"Who was that?" he questioned, eyeing her phone on the desk.

Curling the corner of her mouth into a smile, she flipped her cell face down as she replied, "Did you need something?"

Closing her office door, he asked, "Can you keep a secret?"

Eyeing him suspiciously, she replied, "Yes."

Braden took a deep breath before confessing, "I'm kinda diggin' Liv."

Charlotte appeared more confused and less surprised then he thought she should.

"Oh-kay..."

Giving her a dirty look, Braden griped, "Just okay, that's it?"

Shrugging a shoulder at him, she added, "I'm sure you are."

"Am I missing something?"

Charlotte looked like she was about to laugh as she questioned, "Were you expecting it to be a big deal?"

"Yeah!" he blurted, wondering why it wasn't.

Appearing as though she felt bad for letting him down, she replied, "Sorry, I didn't know this was some sort of a revelation for you."

Baffled, he couldn't help standing there shaking his head at her.

Standing up from behind her desk, Charlotte walked over to him.

Holding her hands up, she shared, "Look, I don't judge."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

With a hint of knowing in her expression she shared, "I just assumed since y'all hook up once a week..."

Taken aback he cut her off, swearing, "No, we don't."

"Then what do the two of you do every Thursday night?" Charlotte questioned with an air of disbelief.

"Drink beer and play board games."

"Seriously?"

Nodding, Braden asked, "What would make you think that?"

Laughing at him, she replied, "Don't sound so offended."

"I'm not, but we're not and why would you think we were?"

As her laughter faded she answered, "It seemed reasonable seeing as you won't commit to Mina and she's holding back from getting with Pat."

Braden paused to think for a moment before asking, "Holding back as in..." leaving the question open for her to fill in the blank.

Charlotte quickly turned and walked behind her desk.

Taking a seat, she smiled, replying, "You should break up with Mina and ask her out."

"I did," he shared before clarifying, "Break up with Mina."

"Then I suggest you get to her before Pat does."

It took a minute of her glancing between him and the door with a serious expression before he got the hint and walked out.

Scanning the crowd, Braden looked for Liv on his way up to the bar. Spotting her sitting alone was a relief. He stayed focused on her, watching her red lips sip from the drink in her hand, leaving their mark against the glass as he made his way over. When he reached her, Braden stood at her side instead of taking a seat. As she stared down into her glass, he stole it from her grasp and took a sip.

"Gin?"

Keeping her eyes down, Liv replied, "Tastes like it."

Braden glanced over seeing his brother with a hard scowl across his face hold up four fingers.

"You wanna get a table?" he cautiously asked, knowing she only drank liquor when she was upset.

Lowering her forehead to the palms of her hands, she shook her head.

"Take me home."

~

The drive out to the farmhouse was silent. It wasn't until they were inside that Liv said a word to him.

Opening her refrigerator, she offered, "Beer?"

Braden wished she would take her sunglasses off, as she handed him a bottle. He could see her eyes but just barely and not enough to figure out what was wrong.

Setting his beer on the counter, he watched her grab one for herself, saying, "You can go."

"I don't want to."

Shaking her head, she urged, "Please. Go."

Reaching to her face, Braden pulled her sunglasses off before asking, "Why?"

"I want to be alone."

Finding it hard to believe her, he questioned, "Then why were you at the bar?"

"I wanted to drink."

Frustration started to build inside him at the thought of her not wanting him there.

"And what? Pat not showing up just ruined your night?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

Liv was right, she didn't but that didn't stop him from wanting her to.

"I would never turn you away." Braden swore as he walked passed her.

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It took several attempts of turning the key in the ignition, and jiggling wires under the hood before Braden caved and called his brother. He hated asking Auggie for help but had no choice when his El Camino wouldn't start. While he waited, Penny and Seth showed up, which was cool because he liked hanging with Seth but then Mina walked over at the exact same time Auggie drove up in his diesel with both Charlotte and Liv.

As the three of them hopped out of Auggie's truck, Charlotte and Liv were laughing which happened to piss Braden off a little.

"Don't ya think it's about time to let the old girl die a peaceful death?"

Penny instantly joined Auggie, teasing, "Oh please, you know that's his baby."

"Isn't it a classic?"

Braden gave Seth a quick nod of appreciation as he replied, "Yeah, she is."

He had almost forgotten Mina was there until she stepped forward, asking, "Is your car broken?"

Before Braden had the chance to answer, Liv opened his car door, saying, "She's in need of good jump," as she slid into the driver's side.

"He called the right man then." Charlotte insinuated with a sly smile.

Liv slid out of the car and stood up holding her sunglasses that Braden had walked out of her house with the night before.

Braden fussed, "Don't talk dirty about my girl."

Penny laughed, "See."

Sliding her sunglasses on, Liv smirked, "You left your lights on, punk."

Sure enough, when he looked at the steering column, she was right. Damn it.

It took a minute for everyone's teasing to subside. After all the jokes were out of the way, Auggie jumped Braden's car and it started right away.

As they stood in the parking lot while Braden let his car run to recharge the battery, Penny asked, "So what's everyone doing today?"

Charlotte answered, "We're taking Liv to get her car from The Dog House then she and I are going shopping. You want to come?"

"Mina and I are going to lunch."

Charlotte gave Braden an odd look that he mirrored in return.

"I though you two broke up?" she questioned directly at Mina.

Penny quickly looked at Mina asking, "Y'all broke up?"

Before she could reply, Liv glared at Braden, "You broke up with her?"

"We broke up."

"He broke up with me." Mina pouted in a soft voice right before Braden griped, "I broke up with her. Damn."

Braden stood there wondering if there was any way for the situation to be more awkward. Maybe his mom could stop by and then they could invite Pat over.

Everyone was silent until Auggie walked over and closed Braden's hood.

"Game's on. You got beer?"

Braden gave his brother an 'of course I do' nod before asking, "Seth, you stayin'?"

"Sure." Seth replied before Penny cautioned, "Only one beer, okay."

As they all stared at her in horror, Penny defended herself, saying, "What? It lower's sperm count."

Auggie, griped, "Oh, what the hell," and turned, walking towards Braden's apartment.

Shaking his head at his sister, Braden urged Seth to follow, saying, "Come on, man," as he took off to his apartment also.

"I'm serious," Penny swore as Seth followed him.

With a wide smile, Braden assured, "Gotcha, Pen, only one beer."

~

The second the guys were inside Braden's apartment, Liv noticed an interested look on Penny's face as she turned to Mina.

"When did y'all break up?"

A pitiful expression coated Mina's face as she re-emphasized who was responsible, "He broke up with me Wednesday night."

Liv was glad Braden broke it off with her before he found out about their high school hook up. That meant she was guilt free in the break up and actually kinda proud of him for finally cutting her loose.

"Well, are ya grievin' or grateful?"

Mina gave Liv a confused look, questioning, "Am I what?"

With a slight huff, Charlotte explained, "Is this the first day you've drug yourself out of bed or are you like 'woo, I dodged that bullet'."

When Mina still appeared confused, Penny asked, "Are you happy or sad?"

Liv and Charlotte looked at each other as Mina gave a heavy sigh, replying, "Sad."

Giving a sigh of her own, Liv offered, "Come on then."

"Penny and I are supposed to go to lunch."

"And now y'all are shopping with us," Liv informed, opening the door to Auggie's truck.

Mina managed to get out a, "But..." before Charlotte cut her off, saying, "No buts. Just get in."

~

Although Liv felt a certain satisfaction in how uncomfortable Mina appeared while shopping, she wasn't sure why she was acting that way. They had never been anything but nice to her. If Liv had to guess, Mina had a plan to get Braden back through Penny and she just ruined her day. Why else would she have asked Penny to lunch without telling her they broke up?

Sitting at Lostracca's waiting for their food to arrive, the table was fairly silent, giving Liv an opportunity to get down to the bottom of Mina's intentions.

"So, Miss Mina, why did y'all break up?"

The look on her face leaned toward her saying, 'that's private' as she replied, "I'm not sure why he broke up with me."

Unable to help the nerve it struck each time Mina reminded them, it was Braden that did the breaking up and she was just an innocent victim, Liv rolled her eyes.

"What?"

Visibly trying not to laugh, Charlotte replied, "We get it."

Mina frowned, looking down at the table as Penny questioned, "He really just broke up with you out of nowhere?"

Turning to Penny as if she was her oldest friend in the world, Mina answered, "Everything was perfectly fine. All our plans were right on schedule until he got laid-off."

Penny gave her a strange look, much like the one Charlotte and Liv were giving her, as she asked, "My brother was making plans?"

Shrugging slightly, Mina informed, "Until he got preoccupied," shifting her eyes from Penny to Liv.

"What? With me?" Liv blurted across the table.

Mina's expression leaned toward a dirty look until her pitiful one took back over as she softly replied, "We were supposed to spend every day together, then you decided to need him every day."

Penny's eyes went wide as she covered her mouth with her hand leaning towards Charlotte, who clearly wasn't sure whether to laugh or not.

'Alright' Liv thought as she glared at Mina.

"Well, he didn't have to say yes."

With a snort Mina fussed, "Like he was going to say no to you."

"I don't know what you think..." Liv started before Mina cut her off, saying, "Yes you do. You know he feels sorry for you and you take advantage of it."

Liv took a sip of her drink and cleared her throat before imparting, "Now I see why he broke up with you. Braden has a lot of faults and no doubt our friendship is one of them, but if there's one thing he took away from his relationship with Lily, it's how to spot manipulative bullshit from a mile away. So if you really think I'm the reason, I feel sorry for you," putting Mina right in her place and an end to the conversation.