We have two days left on our trip, we've literally stayed at the resort the entire time — never having to leave because it's everything we need and more!
Room service, hotel pool, the beach a few steps out our door, endless sun, and waves — what more could I ask for?
A part of me feels guilty being here in paradise while Liv is home working her butt off, but she didn't want to come with us even though Nikki, Sarah, and Emily all said it would be fine for her to come to our girl's trip. I know it might have to do with the last time we went on a trip with my friends but it can't be, we talked it out already.
We're all laying by the pool in our cabana soaking up as much sun as possible, "can I ask you guys something? And I want your absolute honest opinion, don't hold anything back, okay?"
"Of course."
"Shoot!"
"Always!" My three girlfriends answer.
"What do you guys really think about Olivia and me being together this past year and a half?"
"You know we like her, Abz, what's the sudden concern?" Nikki wondered.
"Just answer — HONESTLY," I change my tone so my girlfriends know I'm serious.
"We like Olivia, I like her. I don't have a problem with her, I never did," Emily shrugged.
I turned to Nikki and Sarah for their answers.
"Honestly, I didn't think you guys would be this serious. I thought it was a fling from when you guys were on tour. It was hard for me to take Olivia seriously because she's always been this pop star that came from Disney and I did her hair from time to time..." Sarah revealed. "She's just so young, Abby."
I nod my head, "Nikki?"
"I don't know, Abz. I agree with Sarah, I know I'm not just speaking for myself but we didn't realize you would be so serious about her. Olivia is just this squeaky clean, goody-two-shoes A-list celeb. She's just a kid and she was engaged to Lucas for so long. You need someone who..." Nikki hesitates. "Who...can take care of you and be strong for you. I know you'll never find someone like Monty again, but he was perfect for you! You should be with someone like him, not some girl."
"Liv was right...this whole time. She's not just some girl," I reply.
"Right about what?" Emily restated.
I don't know how to react to what my friends just told me. I stand up, frustrated and appalled by their responses. Liv was right, this whole time. I kept making excuses for them that they just needed to get to know each other, but she was right.
"She told me! She told me you guys weren't treating her like a...like an actual person except when everyone wanted her to pick up the tab and she said that Laurel basically told her to break up with me! What about Liv really bothers all of you, exactly?? That she's successful? That she's made a name for herself? Created an multi-million dollar-brand?" I protested.
"What you guys don't see...what not many of you have taken the time to see is how much she truly loves me — how in love she is with me and I am with her. That she is strong and does take care of me, better than anyone ever has. You guys, I tortured her for an entire year, she had to watch me pretend to be with another man while we were a complete secret and she stayed; she put her feelings before mine every day. I can't explain it, but I know Monty wanted me to be with her, it's like he sent her to me."
"Abby, we're sorry. I'm sorry Laurel said that and Michelle has sort of...gotten to all of us regarding Olivia. You're right, we haven't taken the time to get to know her or even see you two together. I don't know about the rest of the girls, but I'm gonna try. I really am," Nikki apologized.
"I didn't know...I don't know much about your relationship and I'm really sorry I jumped into conclusions. I let my preconceived notions of Olivia decide my opinion of her has your girlfriend. I just didn't think she could be the one for you," Sarah conceded.
"You guys obviously haven't seen the way I look at her or the way she looks at me. She makes my heart glow!" I sit back down, smiling at my friends. "She gives me butterflies every time she kisses me...but most of all she brought me back to life, she breathed love back into me after Monty. You guys love me and want the best for me, I know. But you need to take the time to see that Liv is what's best for me."
"We will, Abby. Promise," Nikki hugs me with "I'm sorry" eyes.
"Ms. Ricci, sorry to interrupt, but we have a paddle board session set up for you and your friends," a hotel pool boy comes up to our cabana during our heart to heart.
"We didn't plan paddle boarding today..." Emily replies quickly.
"No, someone else reserved the session for you, here..." he hands me a card.
I slowly open it, skeptical of what exactly was happening right now, "Hope you four are enjoying your girl's only trip! Can't lay by the pool the whole time though. Enjoy this bit of fun, on me. (I know it's Abby's fave!) Olivia" I read aloud.
We look outside of our cabana and there's a golf cart carrying four paddle boards and paddles waiting for us.
"OH MY GOD!!"
"SERIOUSLY?"
"THAT'S SO FUCKING COOL!!"
"That's my girl," I smile, picking up my phone to call Liv while my friends head to the golf cart carrying the paddle boards.
"Hey, sexy!" She answers the phone.
"Hi, baby! What are you doing?? You didn't have to!"
"Ohhh! You got the paddle boards!!"
"Yeah! The girls are losing their minds!!"
"Ha! Tell em to enjoy! I know you will! You and your glorious ass will look great on that board," she said in a raspy voice that made my lower belly tense.
"Thank you, baby! I love you."
"You're welcome, I love you, too! Go and paddle board!"
"Kay, bye!"
"Bye!"
"Was that Olivia?" Nikki asked.
"Yeah, I just wanted to thank her for all this."
"Aw! I wanted to thank her too, I'll text her a picture of all of us on with the boards!!"
After we spent the afternoon paddle boarding the waters of Maui complements of my perfect girlfriend, the four of us walked together back to our hotel room.
"What's all this?" Sarah marveled at the multiple carts of room service that was delivered.
"Did you guys order anything?" I asked, looking around the room and opening up the trays of food.
"Paddle boarding is exhausting, enjoy! Olivia," Nikki read from another card from my girl.
"We get it now, Abby..." Emily said looking at me from across the trays of food. "That even when she's not with you she is — taking care of you."
"No, she's showing off, now," I giggle, shaking my head at all this food she's ordered for us.
"Can we FaceTime her?" Nikki asks me.
"Yeah, she's probably home by now," I said, checking the time and adjusting the time difference.
"Hey! Dinner time?" My girl answered the phone. She looked beautiful, especially sexy with her red lipstick and dark eyes.
"HEEEYYY OLIVIA!!! THANKS FOR TODAY!!! THANKS FOR THE PADDLE BOARDS AND NOW DINNER!? YOU'RE THE BEST!!"
"Glad you guys like it, enjoy!"
"We will!!! Thank you!!!"
I sat back as my friends slowly started to see my relationship for what it really is and how wrong they were about my perfect, beautiful girlfriend.
"I love you, munch! I'll talk to you later! Go have fun with your friends!" Liv winks at me before she hangs up the FaceTime call.
Ugh, she's so sexy when she winks. She's so good at it! I can't wait to get home and put my hands and my mouth all over her.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"I'm not ready to go back. I just wanna stay here...right...here," Liv said laying on top of me, kissing me between each word.
"Mmm then stay with me," I giggled wrapping my arms and legs around the hovering beauty.
I snake my hand down in between Liv's legs, cupping her still sticky, wet sex. Her breath hitches when I slide my fingers between her folds, swirling and lazily lapping around her clit.
"Mmm, don't start something you can't finish," she growled, leaning down kissing me with a bruising intensity.
Just as I'm about to slide my fingers into my sexy girlfriend our alarm goes off and we both know that today neither of us exactly have the time this morning. Olivia rolls herself off, all hot and bothered and unfinished, "I gotta go. I don't wanna be late and give Watters another reason to hate me."
"Nope, not until you're done," I growl, rolling to my side and thrusting my fingers into her.
Liv's groaned deeply when my fingers found her clit and rolled and stroked it firmly.
"Mmmm, muuunch," Liv panted, squeezing her eyes shut and biting on her lower lip.
I locked my mouth onto the base of Liv's throat, sucking and nipping. The snooze alarm went off again and I knew I had to speed things up.
I thrust another finger into my girl and rubbed her sweet spot, simultaneously rubbing her swollen, throbbing clit with my thumb. Olivia rolled her hips,pushing up against my hand, "let go, baby."
I rubbed my palm firmly against her clit and instantly she came undone, shuddering with every wave of pleasure. Writhing and gripping the sheets, pulling the pillow over her face as her body curled and stiffened.
"For good luck," I feather her body with kisses, each kiss followed by a shudder from the girl beneath me.
"And you're sure you'll be done with class before we need to start getting ready for the EW Fest right?" I yelled from the shower.
"Yes, Abigail! I'll be done a little after lunch and I'll come straight to meet you, wherever you are!" I hear her answer sarcastically.
I get out of the shower, wrap my hair in a towel and another around myself. I walk over to my girl, who is fully dressed now and working on her makeup before heading to class.
"I'll probably be with Jon and Lee, meeting with a couple friends. You look nice for your first day," I cooed.
"I'll call you when I get out and meet you guys wherever you are. You think this is okay? I don't look too flashy or anything?" She worried.
"You...look...perfect," I tell her between kisses. "Now go, so you're not late!"
Liv picks up her bag full of books and her laptop and heads towards the door and I follow her out, "have a great day, baby! Don't let em fuck with you!"
She kisses me intensely before walking out the door.
"Love you, endlessly, munch!"
"Lee, honestly, would it kill you to make the wedding a little less..." Jon grimaced at the possible centerpieces for their wedding.
"Less what, Jon?" I tease, egging on this impending argument.
"Jon, I only plan on getting married once so I want it to be everything I ever wanted and more," Lee snapped.
"I know but...none of these are really us? All the floral arrangements? I know the flowers are important but there's just so much..."
"Maybe if you came to the meetings with the wedding planner it would be less me and more us," Lee hissed.
I stepped in between the two, "Wow...okay, why don't we just talk to the wedding planner and have them make adjustments, huh? There's no rush! You guys can calm the fuck down."
After a surprisingly stressful wedding planning date with the grooms to be, I needed a drink.
"What the fuck is going on with you two? Why are you guys bickering like this?" I press the two.
Both Jon and Lee are staying mum.
"You guys, come on..." I repeat.
"It's harder than I thought — planning the wedding. There's so much detail that needs to be decided, yeah the wedding planner does a lot but we still need to make all these decisions," Jon confessed.
"Sometimes I just think about going to city hall," Lee looks sadly into Jon's eyes.
"I know that's not what you want, babe," my best friend reaches for his fiancé's hand on the table.
I watch this exchange and my heart melts, "oh thank god, you guys...it's not easy planning a wedding but that's why there's the wedding planner. Just pick stuff, she's always going to make sure everything flows — it's her job. For a second there I could have sworn either you guys were going to break up or elope. Please don't elope!"
"We just need to take it one step at a time, one day at a time," Lee looks lovingly into Jon's blue eyes and it's like I wasn't even there.
"Abby's right, there's no rush, we have the rest of the year to plan our perfect wedding. A wedding that's equally as me as it is you," Jon beamed.
"You guys make me sick..." I cackled because this is probably what it's like looking at me and Liv. Speaking of, there's my girl now.
She walks in through the restaurant and the room instantly lights up. The sun somehow breaks through the January gloom in New York, the mixture of snow and rain was no more and instead it was raining sparkles and the butterflies in my stomach were floating all around me. She's dressed in all black but a grey beanie and she's the cutest little snow bunny! But those black leggings are really accentuating her perfect ass and her tone legs.
"Hey, sorry I'm late, it took a while to get uptown, ooohh!! Bread!" She plops down next to me after giving Jon and Lee a hug, she picks up a piece of bread with one hand and brings our heads together with the other, she kisses me deeply.
I close my eyes and breathe her in deeply, kissing her back with the same intensity, I swear I could keep going but she pulls away after Jon or Lee coughs to get our attention. The second she pulls away I lose my breath and it felt like our first kiss all over again.
"Mmmm! How was the wedding stuff?" She asks as I was still trying to catch my breath.
"It was okay, we have somethings to work on..." Lee looks at Jon and cracks half a smile.
I'm still staring at Liv, I can't help but stare at every nook and cranny of her beautiful face, memorizing every part of her.
I finally snap out of it when Liv is eating off all three of our plates, "babe! Have you not eaten yet? Just order something!"
"Mmm, no, I'm full," she hummed stuffing food into her mouth.
"Babe," I nagged.
"Excuse me!" I waved over a waiter. "Can we get a menu, please?"
"No, I'm nob hungwy," but I dart my eyes at her. "Okay...a menu is good."
Jon and Lee laugh hysterically at the exchange Liv and I just had, this was a normal occurrence between the two of us. It's always one of us being completely insufferable and the other having to keep it together, but honestly I fucking love it.
"What's so funny?" I ask them.
Jon and Lee look at one another, then back at the two of us making a loud, "WAAAAH-PSSSSSH" sound.
"Ladies, are we ready?" Calvin asked us both.
"Yeaup," Liv answers confidently in her red dress.
"Okay, are we clear that you guys are working right now, you're not lovie-dovie girlfriends. Hey! Sweet cheeks, are you listening?" Calvin shoots at Olivia who's snapchatting and laughing with Mariah.
"Yeah, yeah, we're good! Jamie! Get in here! Come say hi to the fans, we're live streaming before we get to the red carpet!" She snickers.
"Hey, can you guys behave and be discrete please? I'm not saying this to shove you two back in the closet, I'm saying this because I'm trying to help you two in the long run. Talk to her, please," Calvin pleaded with me.
"I'll talk to her, we'll be good," I laugh.
Lee chases after the two of us, doting over our makeup before we hit the read carpet. Calvin and our managers already prefaced and pre-approved our questions, all of them had to do with our relationship but the ones we did approve ahead of time were strictly about the show and we're going to keep it that way, we don't know just how public we want our relationship to be.
"Abby! Over here!"
"Olivia! Here! To your left!"
"Girls, can we get a picture together please?"
"Come on! Just one together!!"
Photographers, screamed our names, waiting to take our pictures before we finally made our way backstage to get mic'd for the panel.
"It'll be Mariah, Abby, Olivia, Jamie, and Eli," the producer announced, lining us up.
I look to my right and Liv is dancing to the music playing in the background and I can't help but giggle at the sight because she has so much swag!
We were all advised that the audience loves when we interact with one another like normal and not like it's an interview — they love the banter and the jokes between all of us.
The panel begins and I can't help but notice how absolutely cool Olivia is, she's just so calm and relaxed when it comes to stuff like this — she's a natural. It comes so easy for her to entertain the entire crowd and just be this charismatic person. God, and she's so fucking funny too! There isn't a time that I don't cry tears of joy then Liv makes me laugh.
"So, how do you guys like the twist Eli put on the show, turning it into anthology with a killer instead of making one of the Heathers the one killing off all the people they thought were annoying?"
"I absolutely loved that Eli switched it up and essentially extended the story of the film — it gave us all the chance to really get to know the characters."
"Eli is killing the game, he took this cult classic and reinvented it without changing the integrity of the original. He modernized it and made it relatable to our current pop culture. I just think it's funny that when we look back in 15 or 20 years that none of what we're saying will be cool — it'll only make us all cringe and ask ourselves why were even saying things like 'savage' or 'no chill.'"
"All of you are close friends, on social media we see that you hang out not only on set but off, was there ever any drama like the girls on the show?"
"Oh yeah, we all actually hate each other. We do it for the gram!"
"Literally, we always fight. We have no fun together! We honestly fought backstage over stealing Mariah's boyfriend!"
"No, but seriously we all love each other so much, we really bonded and became the best of friends and that shows on the show!"
"These young ladies are so professional on and off screen, they never bash or talk badly about one another — they only ever empower each other. It's wonderful to see. You have Olivia who is an actual one-take wonder and can spit out the lines like fire. Abby who is HILARIOUS! She's so quick and witty, it's like she's always five steps ahead when it comes to punch lines. Mariah has so much energy and pizaazz! And we always have the juiciest men so it's not like it's tortuous to come to work."
"You all were just green lit for a second season, any hopes, dreams for your characters?"
"I want her to get into a full on brawl, as in I need to get stunt training, do you hear that Eli? I have dreams of kicking ass in heels!"
"I think it would be hilarious if all of that was just a dream!"
"How about more juicy men on the show, just half naked all the time!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
We're back in LA after a fun bit of press in NYC. I'm done with my book and we're in the final stages of editing! We're so close I can taste it! I've been working on the dedication but I'm stuck on how to thank Monty and Olivia.
It's so crazy to think that Monty is my past, I still think about how I could have spent a lifetime with that man. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him but now I only see Liv in my future — I close my eyes and see only Olivia and I can feel the happiness in my bones, and I feel guilty for it. My mind goes back to my dream of Monty driving me to our spot off PCH in his stupid red Lamborghini.
I know he wouldn't want me to be hung up on him, my therapist said it's survivors guilt and guilt of not knowing what was actually going on with him. I know I've moved on and I know I'm happy, there's just moments, instances where I forget that it's okay to move on with my life.
"How's your dedication going, babe?" Liv asks looking over my shoulder, resting her chin on my right shoulder and kissing my cheek.
We're both looking at my computer screen and it's still blank, "not so good huh?"
"No," I mumbled. "I'm stuck..."
"Writer's block?" She blew a raspberry on my cheek making me laugh.
"Yes and no," I chuckled, scooting back my chair and pulling Liv's wrist so she can sit on my lap.
She let's me pull her into my lap and I nuzzle my face into her back, closing my eyes. I hear clicking on my laptop and wonder what she could possibly be typing.
"What are you-"
"Sssshhh heeey! No peeking!"
"Are you done? Baby, stop, I really need to send in this dedication!"
She types for a good five minutes not letting me look over her shoulder, which I didn't mind, I like having my girl this close to me, molded perfectly to my body where I could feel her breathe and I can feel her heartbeat.
"Done!" And my girl leans to the right so I can read what she spent all that time typing away. Before I look at the doc I lean over and look at her face, she has a smug look and she seems very proud of the work that she's done. "Read it out loud."
"This book has been a labor of love for me. It's become my pride and joy. I'm happy to get to share my story of how my ambition got me where I am today and hopefully it can help and inspire you to reach for your dreams. I want to thank my parents who have done nothing but support me and love me despite this crazy life I've chosen. They drove me to every audition and every show. They never lied to me when I performed poorly — they are my toughest critics. To Monty, I will always, always love you. You brought so much happiness and light into my life, thank you for being a part of my life when everything was changing, thank you for your unwavering love. Thank you to my girl, for breathing life back into me, for loving me through all the torture. Thank you for being strong enough to take every hit, every kick, and all the bad. Thank you for the best sex I've ever had and for making me a kept woman," I crying from Liv's beautiful words that turned into the silliest thing — the epitome of Liv.
"You're so stupid!" I gushed, wiping the tears away from my eyes.
"I know, but you still love me," she kissed me on the head before getting up off my lap. "Keep it or erase the whole thing, either way that should get your creative juices flowing."
"Oh and munch, it's okay to write about Monty like that," she winked back at me, heading into the kitchen probably for another snack. My girl and her snacks.
I leave Liv's little blurb up as inspiration and write my dedication...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Tonight we have an event honoring Eli and his accomplishments in the film and television industry. Everyone that's ever worked on any of Eli's shows or movies are coming to honor and celebrate him, Liv and I are so, so excited to go and support him.
"I'm so excited to see everyone again!" I grinned from my makeup chair.
"Don't get too excited because I have to berate you two with some PR crap that we can't avoid anymore," Calvin said harshly.
"Oh god, Calvin, seriously don't you ever have good news for us?" Liv grumbled.
"Not when you two aren't discreet, no," he growled. "Listen, there's been a few headlines about you two living together, they know it's for sure because they found out that Abby's house has been up for sale."
Liv and I look at each other because it's not that big of a deal, we've been living together, officially, for months, but it feels like we've been living together since we were on tour.
"They're not wrong," Olivia objects.
"Okay, well this goes against the whole fucking thing of you guys trying to be discreet. Like you guys need to decide and if you already have, it would be nice if you let me know. I'm just trying to help you. I'm trying to do my job," he asserted.
"We live together, are we supposed release a statement? What?" I wondered.
"No, we don't release a statement but we also don't stop trying to cover up the fact," he chastised.
"You know what? It's fine with me, I really don't care. We shouldn't have to react to every single story they release about our relationship. It's our relationship — between Abby and me, not me, Abby, and the rest of the world," holding up three fingers.
"Unless we post it on our personal social media platforms, it's not true or we don't care to share that part of our lives with the world, okay? This is something we want to keep private and special but at the same time we should be free to share what we want with who we want," Liv barked back while getting her hair done.
"Okay then...," Calvin quavered, jumping off the counter and out the door with his tail between his legs.
This wouldn't be the first time Liv has had to bark back or bellow at someone who's trying to tell her what she can and can't do, probably why there's also the rumor that she's a bitch to work with, which isn't true, obviously.
"Olivia, you're the most recent member to join the Eli Fletcher family how is it knowing of this whole little group and now being part of it," Kristin dos Santos, the panel mediator asked.
"You know, I hung out a lot with the Show Must Go On cast a lot on set a while ago and we're all really good friends so I knew it was always a really fun work environment but I didn't realize exactly how much fun it would actually be. It's also so, so, so rewarding and I've gotten to stretch my acting muscles with him."
"Abby, this is the second show you've worked with Eli on, are you going to stay in the Eli Fletcher universe forever because we would love you to!"
"Haha! I'm going to stay a long as he'll have me! I'm not going anywhere! I'm going to be 90 years old and still trying to get a job with Eli!"
"Eli, do you have a hope and a wish for any and all of your future shows or movies?"
"I obviously hope that they'll all move and inspire the audience, but I'd be lying if I didn't hope and wish for longevity in my shows."
At the end of the panel Liv and I were backstage and I was de-mic'ing her so we could go to the after-party, "hold still!! You're going to..."
I try to walk away to say hi to Cris but I get yanked back by the wire of the mic, "heeeey!! Baby!"
"You're going to get tangled because you don't want to hold still!" Liv chirped.
"Get it off, babe!"
"Oh my god, I can't when you keep moving like that," Liv laughed hysterically with her hands on her knees.
Next thing we know, there's a flash from a photographer, oops.
"Hey! Hey! No pictures, right now, please," Angie blocks the ridiculous scene of me tangled up in a thin black wire and Liv laughing her ass off holding the other end of the wire.
After much struggle and help from Angie and Cris I finally was set free and on my way to the after-party with my girl in hand.
We pulled up to the restaurant and we could already see all the paparazzi waiting for us to get out of the car, "together?"
"Together," I smiled proudly, kissing my girl square on the lips, and she bites her lower lip, her eyes darkening.
"Later, baby," I cooed at my slowly winding girlfriend with a heavy groan following me out of the car.
We walk out but not hand in hand, instead my girl's hand on the nape of my back gently guiding me. Liv always has my back.
"Olivia! Abby! Can we get a picture of the two of you, please?"
"Girls, come on! Just one!!"
"Let loose! Give us a picture!! I have bills to pay!"
We walk into the party, unfazed by the screaming men at the entrance. We're instantly greeted by some Eli themed cocktails and very dim lighting. The two of us are seated and I hear Liv exhale deeply meaning she's either tired or hungry and my girlfriend is about to go non-human. I look at the time, dinner time.
"I'm huuungrrrryy," she whined into my ear, resting her forehead on my shoulder.
"We gotta wait a little bit before the food gets here," I try to tame the beasts about to be released.
"Hors d'oeuvres?" A waiter asks from behind.
"Oh thank god! Yes! All of them, right here. Yeaup, thank you! This one too, yeah, mhm!" Liv blurts out to the waiter practically cleaning out his tray.
"Did juwant shum?" The brunette asked, mouth full of stuffed mushroom.
"I'm good, I'll wait for the next guy to come along..." I refused.
We end the night with a full belly for Liv and me full of bliss as Liv quietly fell asleep in the car on the ride home.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"To Kasey and Zach! May your engagement and marriage be as fulfilling and loyal as your friendship is to us," Liv toasts.
"Cheers!"
"How is your wedding planning coming along because Jon and Lee have been doing this for MONTHS and it feels like they haven't really moved forward..." I asked the engaged couple.
"We didn't give ourselves a full year and a half for starters," Zach scoffed. "That's probably got a lot to do with it, time isn't pressing them."
"It'll get moving like six months before the wedding like it did for us," Kasey adds.
The four of us look out at the hills of Malibu for our sort of weekend retreat of intense hiking and disconnect. Zach and Liv are going over a map of all the possible hiking trails and the level of difficulty.
"I really think we should start off at like a novice level, we don't know how difficult these trails actually are," she proclaimed.
"Or we can just go for it!! Like full on climb to the top, we have the gear available for us!" Zach says optimistically.
"Yeah, no...we're not gonna do that," Kasey shakes her head.
"Why don't we, I don't know, meet halfway and pick a medium level trail?" I joke sarcastically.
"Fine, but by the end of the trip I want us to climb this one," Zach points to a trail that looks a lot like a bunch of zig zags going up the mountain.
"Why...is...this...so...hard?" Liv said panting between each word as we hiked our way up the mountain.
We all had camel packs filled with a gallon of water strapped to our backs, hiking boots, and a hiking stick in each hand. We were all very sweaty, Zach has taken off his sweat soaked shirt and Liv would take off all her clothes if it were appropriate to, she's down to her sports bra and workout pants.
We're all very fit people, Zach and Kasey go to this boot camp in LA, yet we're all really struggling to get up this hill. So, when we finally do we all collapse at the top of the hill for at least an hour before we can enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean.
"You still wanna climb that level green trail, big shot?" Kasey teases her fiancé who still has both hands on his knees.
"Fuck yeah, I do!! Don't the endorphins feel fucking awesome though??"
"He's right, we gotta try it! We don't have to go to the top but I wanna at least try!" Liv chirped.
I lean in and whisper to Kasey who is on my side about not wanting to climb that crazy mountain, "it's the endorphins, I'm betting they won't want to after they've worn off."
The two of us laugh, and enjoy the view.
"Totally worth waking up at 5 am for this, huh?" Liv says sitting on the tree stump next to me, kissing my cheek.
"Definitely! Carry me?" I tease with a raised brow, remembering Big Sur.
"Nice fucking try, Abigail! If I do, I'll probably die. I'll definitely die!"
"But you'd die carrying me!"
"Well if you put it that way...HELL NO!"
And I shove her off the stump and she falls catching herself with her hands, I stand up not realizing she would fall into the ground like that and try to help her up but I'm laughing too hard.
Liv takes her dirt covered hands and places them on my ass, leaving two dirt hand prints on my ass, "OLIVIA!!!!!!"
I don't know what comes over me but I literally jump Liv, as in I'm latched onto her back like a fucking koala, "AAAAAHHH STAAAAAPPPHHH I CAN'T HOLD US BOTH!!!"
"I SAID TO CARRY MEEE!!" I laugh hysterically
My left arm is wrapped around my girl's neck and both my legs snaked around her, the only reason she's able to hold us both up is because of her hiking sticks. She's giggling uncontrollably as I feather her with wet sloppy kisses.
"Baby, please! Okay! I yield!! Get off me, my legs are gonna fall off," she panted.
"Now clean off the mess you made," I spun on my heel and stood on my tiptoes to really accentuate my ass for her to dust off.
My girl dusted off her hands prints but not without digging her fingers into my ass and give it a good squeeze and pinch, making me bite my lower lip and let out a little moan.
"My legs are already fucking killing me and we only did that one hike this morning," Kasey whined.
"We also did that class," I add.
"Ugh! I feel invigorated but also in so much pain," I cried.
Our dinner starts but it's not just a typical dinner, it's a couple communication dinner, we have a mediator of some sort to help us direct our conversations in a "healthy and meaningful way."
"Now, I understand not all of us here are not married but the mere fact that you're here must mean you are in a committed relationship. If any of you are familiar with speed dating this night follows a similar premise, I'll ask a question for you to discuss but we'll only have a few minutes to answer each question, if you feel that your relationship would benefit more from discussing this topic again, simply raise your hand I'll bring a question card over for you two to go over later," Sheena the certified couples therapist said in a obviously-very-try-hard soothing voice. She has a mic, I don't know why she needs a mic for this dinner, but she does.
"Feel free to really think about the question first and just because we're having a discussion doesn't mean you all aren't allowed to eat, please feel free and if you want to skip a question that's okay too. Now, let's start with something simple: What attracted you to your partner initially and what do you believe your partner will help you become?"
I raise my brows at my girl, curious about her answer even though I already know what initially attracted her to me, "I always thought you were beautiful but what really attracted me to you was how safe you made me feel and how at home I feel when I'm with you no matter where we are. I believe you'll help me become a better girlfriend, neither of us have ever been in a relationship where we're both the girlfriend. I know you'll help me become the girlfriend you deserve. I know you'll help me be a better business woman too."
"You know what attracted me to you, the minute I heard you sing on stage, I instantly fell for you and you're right; we've never been in a relationship like this and I want to be the best girlfriend for you," she looks down at her food. "I know I haven't been the best — most present girlfriend and my work plays a huge part in that, I'm sorry and I'm really trying to make it better and be there for you."
"Baby...I know you're trying. I'm trying to be more understanding too. It's easier said than done for the both of us," I smile warmly at Liv.
"Next question, ladies and gentlemen, your life long goals: what do you hope to achieve in the near future and the distant future regarding your career?"
Both of us laugh because we just had this conversation the other night over dinner with Ellen and Portia.
"Pass?" Liv chuckles eating her salad.
"Pass."
"Our next question has to do with your mutual expectations and it's a two parter. How long does your partner need to spend with friends separately and together? And are you both comfortable with the salary differential between you? I know finances can be touchy subject for couples but not something that should be put on the back burner."
"I think your girl's trip to Hawaii was a really good amount of time for you and your friends to be together, right? We spent a week apart but it wasn't unbearably long. I was able to miss you but it didn't feel like you were abandoning me," Liv jokes.
"Yeah! It was good, I know we always say we miss each other even when we're together but time away gives us time to REALLY miss each other, it definitely adds to the intensity of the reunion sex," I laughed. "I don't think you spend as much time like that with your friends though, I know they all work and your schedules are impossible but you need it, too."
"I don't go on trips but I do have more frequent time with them, Shann and I hang out as often as we have date night. Whenever Liam is in town he stays out the house. Nick, Angie, and Jeff and I hang out all the time," Liv replied defensively.
"Yeah but try taking a trip too, okay?" I tell her in a waving the white flag tone. "We didn't answer the money question."
"Well, are you comfortable?" She questioned.
"Yeah, I'm comfortable with my income, it's not yours where you're on a private jet every time you fly but I'm definitely comfortable. I don't think our differences in salary makes a difference. You definitely shower me with some type of gift that's not the cheapest but, kept woman," I giggle into my wine glass.
"Yeah, I just like being able to take care of the people I love."
"Moving on, if you need additional time with those questions I'll be glad to bring over a card. Next up, your living arrangements. How do you determine if a new career path or job is reason enough to move?"
"I can only picturing us moving to New York or on location for a project like what we did in New Orleans," Liv shrugs starting her second course.
"Yeah, but what if we have to move to NYC if I go back to Broadway, what about your company that's based in LA? Or what if I'm filming a movie but you go on tour or we're both filming a movie in two different locations? What about then?"
"We'll make it work, babe. My company can still run even if I'm not there, I have plans for that. Flying to you wherever you may be will never be an issue. Even if I only get to see you for 24 hours, I'll be there because that's what it's going to take," Liv tells me firmly. "We have to be willing to make it work — sacrifice and compromise. We also have to understand that situations like that won't be forever."
"Next question, how often do you want to enjoy an intimate evening with each other?"
"Easy! All the fucking time! Best sex ever!"
"We have absolutely no issues here," my girl chortles.
"On to the next, conflict. Can either of you ask for a time to calm down and be creative in your problem-solving?"
"Okay, here's my thing with this one, I don't like the throwing. One day it's going to be more than pillows and spoons, munch. I'm not going to take that, alright?"
"I'm not taking you running away anymore. Face me and the problem. We can't be afraid of hurting each other's feelings, that's not healthy....and I'll stop throwing things. I'm gonna try," I looked down at my plate because that's something I'm kind of embarrassed about, up until Liv I never threw fits like that where I was actually throwing things.
"I don't run away and I need you to believe me next time I tell you things that you know might cause a fight if we talk about, like your friends."
"Don't tell me you don't run away! You ran off to New York when we got into our first fight! And why do we always end up at the topic of my friends? I said I fucking took care of it!"
"Next topic! Oh a card over here, alright! Great!" Sheena drops a card on our table because we clearly weren't done with this topic. "Lastly, will you talk to your partner about someone that you feel drawn to as a colleague or erotically since this can build the bond between you and your partner rather than the outside person?"
"I've been cheated on before, babe but this time around, at this point in my life, I don't think I have it in me to forgive and try again. I never actually healed after the first time. I will always, always tell you if someone comes onto me or if I even think about someone else. I know that pain of being cheated on, I would never do it."
I nod because I remember when Lucas cheated on Liv — it was all over the internet and the news for weeks. She was cheated on but somehow made into the bad guy. I can't even begin to imagine what she went through.
Flashback.
"...she didn't leave the house for weeks. She just stayed in bed or on the couch. I had never seen her so depressed before," Lee explained.
Lee was doing my makeup for an event and Liv and Lucas are still engaged.
"I only ask because Monty and I just had dinner with them and I remembered that they went through that and they're in such a good place."
"It wasn't easy. They went to therapy for along time, they still go. Not together anymore but separately. She wrote the saddest songs you'd ever heard after they broke up, it broke her in a way that I don't think she even realizes. She isn't the same, Abby, it's like he took a piece of her when he hurt her like that."
"How could someone hurt, Liv? How could she forgive someone that hurt her like that?"
"That's what makes her, her. Her heart, it's big and it's kind and forgiving."