Unrequited

Chapter 12

The smile on his face gives him away but he doesn't divulge the details. "I just had something I forgot to tell her. That's all."

Maureen smiles back seeing the obvious happiness on his face. "Good for you dad."

"Thanks."

"She looks good. I don't know what I was expecting considering," her eyes cast down again in discomfort. "But either way she looks good. I can't wait to see her again."

Elliot chuckles, shaking his head in amusement. There was no use in trying to talk her out of it because he was sure that her mind was made up. If anything he just hoped that it wouldn't be too much for Olivia. His goal was not to overtake her life especially when he could tell that she was vulnerable. "Hey, do me a favor."

"What's that?" she asks removing the mustard from her lip.

"Just take it a little easy with her. She's got a lot going on between balancing her work and Noah and just everything. Ok? I don't want you and your sisters bombarding her."

"Us?" she held her hand to her chest in mock offense. "Would we ever do something like that?"

The obvious delight dancing in her eyes and he chuckles again.

"Maureen?"

"I hear you dad. Seriously. I won't bother her. I'll give her a little while. Test the waters a little bit you know? Don't you worry. I got this. So what's her phone number?"

Her confidence was hilarious. Elliot lays his head on the back of the sofa, his arm draped over his face. "Oh god."

"You may as well give it to me. I would hate to have to hack your contacts and get it."

His head lifts in disbelief, eyes squinting at her. "Hack my contacts? How would you manage that?"

"It's called iCloud. You know nothing about it but I'm the one who set up your phone remember? I know all the passwords so just make it easy on yourself."

Defeated, he lays back on the sofa again while Maureen goes through his phone programming Olivia's number into hers.

His mind starts to wander back to those moments before. Right here on this couch. It had all escalated so quickly. One minute he was looking into her eyes and the next-

Jolting up instantly, he scrubs his hand down his face trying to rid himself of the memory. The last thing he needs is for his body to react while his daughter was sitting across from him. Speaking of his daughter...

"Wait who are you calling?" he asks reaching for her phone when he hears it ringing but she dodges him and stands up. "I told you not to bother her right now."

"I'm not," she squeals and holds his hand back off her as he approaches. "Hey Katie."

Elliot exhales in relief momentarily while Maureen walks to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water and hands him a beer. "Here. Calm yourself a little."

Pulling the receiver back to her ear she continues to talk and Elliot pops the cap to the beer. "You will never guess what just happened. Dad was making out with Liv on the sofa. I walked in and caught them pawing at each other. Yep. That Liv."

He rolls his eyes at the exaggeration but maybe it wasn't an exaggeration after all. When she was beneath him as much as he had tried to maintain some control and revel in the moment, he felt his restraint slipping.

Elliot scoffs as he hears his daughters talk back and forth with Maureen eventually putting Kathleen on speaker. "Dad, give us details how long has this been going on? Are you guys together now?"