Page 52 of See You Maybe
She took a few bites of the cheesecake in front of her, but it tasted weird. Her head felt heavy, and she was suddenly exhausted. It had been a long day. I’ll just close my eyes… She jerked, eyes flying open when Stuart laid a hand on her arm.
“Olivia?”
“Mm-hmm.” She smiled at him feeling better. Actually, she was feeling pretty good. The nausea and blurred vision had disappeared. Everything around her seemed a little brighter, and a delicious floaty feeling took over her arms.
She licked her lips. “Where is Richard?”
That didn’t sound right. “Richard,” she repeated slowly, but her words sounded slurred even to her ears. Courtney laughed across the table, making Olivia’s head swivel. The world took a few seconds to catch up.
Stuart frowned at her. “He’s waiting in the car. I’m going to head back to the hotel with him. Maybe you should come with us.”
“Yes, go.” Courtney said, a dark smile on her face. “You don’t belong here.”
Olivia’s temper sparked. “No thank you, Stuart. I’m going to stay a little while longer. I’ll get my own car.”
That sounded normal.
“Okay.” Stuart looked unsure. “Call me if you need anything.”
Olivia forced herself to eat several more bites of the cake before the world tipped again and she lost her grip on the fork. It clattered loudly against the china plate.
Shit, am I drunk? Breathe through your nose, Olivia.
She planted her hands on the tabletop, to ground herself, trying to absorb how solid the table felt. It didn’t work. She needed to leave before she passed out.
Olivia concentrated on rising slowly, but the table blurred in front of her again, and Olivia waited for it to clear before moving.
“Classless,” Courtney said loudly. “Why is she even here?”
If Olivia didn’t feel so ill, she’d be embarrassed. She wanted Declan with such a sudden intensity, she thought she might cry.
No! What the hell?
She shut down the thought immediately.
You haven’t needed him for twelve years. You don’t need him now.
Chris’s voice was in her ear. “Let me help you.”
He sounded genuinely concerned, but Olivia wanted to get away. Be by herself and forget this night had ever happened.
“Fine. I’m fine.” If she kept her sentences short, he might not hear how drunk she was. “Going to make a call.”
Before she could step away, the scent of Kyle’s cologne filled her senses. She flinched back as he caught her elbow, his grip pinching more than helping steady her. He chuckled, but Olivia knew she was the only one there that heard the furious undertone in it.
Panic bubbled in her stomach and clawed up her throat. Not Kyle.
What had Dr. Turner said? When the panic came, she was supposed to count… use her senses… Find five... But her mind betrayed her, and she couldn’t focus on anything.
“My wife never could hold her liquor. I think it’s time for us to go home.”
She sucked in a breath, and both of Chris’s faces frowned. “You’re our guest here tonight. Stay. I’ll make sure your ex-wife gets back to her hotel safely.”
Olivia sensed rather than saw the testosterone battle over her head, but Kyle’s fingers loosened, and she didn’t want to wait and find out who the winner was.
Stairs. All she needed to do was get to the top of the stairs and then get a taxi.
Olivia glimpsed the hard lines of Declan's face as she maneuvered past his table. Her face tingled, and she felt like she was breathing through sand. She managed the first step without a problem. A slight bit of her panic abated. Almost there.