"I'd like to spend time here with you." She does a little shrug thing.

"Okay-"

"No, Hendrix, I really have missed you all week." There is sadness in her voice.

"How about I fix us something to eat, and we chill until it gets busy?" I laugh. "It'll be like a date."

"Never been on one."

"Me, either."

We're sitting at the bar, eating burgers, when Sadi comes in. She immediately huffs, "I thought I was working Thursday nights, alone."

"Livi's not working, Sadi. She and I are eating dinner together." I wink at Livi, and she smiles, her eyes lighting up. "I keep telling her to go home-she works too much-but she wants to fight me about it," I joke.

"Not like you to put up with shit from a-"

"Watch yourself, Sadi."

"So I tiptoe around the-"

"Listen, Sadi, the stuff you said to me the other night, well, not that it's any of your business, but he's already had it."

Sadi laughs like it is a joke, and I laugh at Livi trying to be badass.

"As a matter-a-fact, we live together." Hearing her say this makes it ... well, real.

"Yeah, right," Sadi scoffs with an evil laugh and looks at me. When I don't laugh and don't deny it, her jaw drops. "She's joking."

"No, she's not." I laugh now, because Sadi's face is hanging open in shock. "Almost a week now."

"Taking in strays now?"

I look over at Livi, and now she's not so badass. No, she looks embarrassed.

"Nope, I moved her in myself. So, like I said when you walked in, watch yourself with this one. She is a damn good friend."

I give Livi a wink then take our plates into the kitchen. When I come out, she is getting her things.

"Tired?" I ask, brushing her cheek with my fingertip.

She nods.

"Good, get some rest. I'll see you soon." I lean in and kiss the top of her head as Jagger walks in, shaking his head.

"See ya."

"Shit." I pull her into me and whisper, "When do you get your, your-"

"Should be any day," she responds in a cool tone.

As the bar begins filling up, Sadi starts fucking shit up. A female bartenders on ladies' night is a dumb ass move to begin with, but a bitchy one certainly isn't what I need.

Jagger and Morrison are playing the crowd well and end up shirtless before the bar dancing even starts up. I am out back when Jagger comes out, "She's a bad fucking idea." He's referring to Sadi's bitchiness. "Where is Livi?"

"I sent her home. She works too much."

"Are you kidding me? She loves it here. How'd she take it?" Jagger is being a douche, trying to push me, and I am in no mood to explain myself.

"It's really none of your business how she takes anything. She's mine to worry about."

"What do you mean, worry about?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I didn't use a baby bag the other night. Thought she was on the pill or something. There's a chance that she could-"

"Holy shit, man!" Jagger is beaming as he says it.

"No, dude, this isn't good. I have no business being someone's old man."

"Come on, H." He chuckles.

"None of us do," I snap at him. "We don't know how to be."

"Are you joking? Mom was both, so we sure as fuck do." He scowls and then laughs. "If you aren't man enough, I know I am. Just say the word, and I'll slide," he pauses, "right in that little-"

"You fucking watch yourself, man."

"I'm not afraid. You, on the other hand, are chicken-shit, and it's funny as fuck to watch."

"None of this is funny."

"Do you like her?"

"Of course I like her." I shake my head and look down. "Pops loved Mom once, too, and look how that-"

"You're Caldwell, not Pops. She didn't even give us his last name."

We look at each other silently for a minute.

"Something tells me Momma would love Livi, Hendrix."

I nod. "I miss her."

"But a little less in the past few weeks, huh?"

I ignore him, leaning back against the wall. I guess I am finally hitting the final stage of grief, acceptance. Final. Like death, it's all so final. Letting go of Momma, letting go of the loss without letting go of her life. It's all so final. It fucking hurts.

"No need to answer. I think we all feel a hell of a lot better with Livi around. She's good people, Hendrix."

"Yeah, she is." I smile as I feel contentment wash over me. Acceptance.

"And she's hot as fuck. Don't screw it up, man, 'cause you won't have a chance to tag out, I'll tap that sh-"

"Fuck you." I push him and laugh. "Now get to work."

When I get home, Floyd isn't at the door waiting for me. Truth be told, she hasn't been all week. I kick off my shoes and walk up the stairs. I can't take my clothes off any quicker. All I want is to slide into bed, pull Livi next to me, smell her hair, and hold her all night long. So, that's just what I do.

Friday night, Livi is running late. Well, not late, but not early, and she's always early. When she finally walks in, I feel a calm come over me. It's the same feeling I always got when I saw Momma wasn't banged up from Pops.

"Hey, Livi." Jagger smiles and wraps his arm around her. "How's our girl?"

She looks at him and then me. "Gooood?"

"Perfect." He kisses the top of her head, and she looks at me.

Morrison is walking out of the back, zipping up his pants as he gives her a wink. "Hey, Liiiivi." He snakes his arm around her waist and pulls her into a hug.

He holds her head against his chest and covers her eyes with his hand. Then, two girls come out of the back room, and when he nods his head to the door, they scamper out.

I laugh to myself, even he wants to shield her. The words, 'Leave a legacy of good in a world of bad' sound in my head. Acceptance, definitely acceptance.

I glare at Jagger, knowing he told Morrison, and that is why he is acting like a fool.

"Morrison?" I hear Livi's voice muffled against his chest.

"Let her go. What the fuck are you trying to do, suffocate her?" Jagger shoves his shoulder.

He lets go and steps back. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She looks at all of us and then at me. "Is everything all right?"

I walk up and grab her hand. "How was work?"

"Hendrix, what is going on?" she asks, eyeing us suspiciously.

"I think the guys missed you last night." I grab her hips and pull her toward me. "I missed you last night."

I lean in to give her a kiss, and her eyes grow wide. "Hendrix, people."

"I don't give a shit."

"This is work."

"Nah, this is family." I lean in and kiss her lips.

She freezes.

"Livi?" I say against her mouth.

"Yeah?"

"You're making me look like a chump."

I feel her lips turn up, and then she kisses me back. When I step back, she is smiling, yet still looking confused.

"Was it that bad last night?"

"Yes," all three of us reply at the same time.

The rest of the night is crazy busy; as a result, whenever I get a chance to come out of the kitchen, I do.

Jagger and Morrison are keeping the coolers stocked, and Livi is walking around with her head held high in spite of Sadi being here.

Sadi is on her way out, though. I'm not having this shit with Livi.

The weekend passes by in a blur as it, too, is crazy busy. Livi is tired, and I am suspicious of that. I mean, I Googled pregnancy signs, and being tired is one of them.

I make sure she doesn't come in Sunday. Jagger opens for me again, so we spend the day in bed, talking, fucking, and fucking some more.

After finally asking about her job yesterday, I show up at the hospital on Monday. I fucking hate hospitals, but I like Livi, a lot. I'm not letting my hate for this place ruin my day off as well as the chance to chill with her.

I get off the elevator on the fourth flour and walk down to her office. The door is open, and I hear her voice, so I peek my head in. She looks up, smiling.

"You free for lunch?"

"Uh-oh, what did you do to make the boss come to find you?" Toni jokes.

"Um, nothing." She turns all red and shakes her head back and forth. "I can meet you in ten minutes. The lobby?"

"Oh, hell, come on in and wait." Toni lets out a laugh.

"Everything okay, babe?" I ask her, wondering if she isn't feeling well.

A bar straw could have dropped and you would have heard it, followed by a whispered, "Oh, my God."

"I'm fine." Livi stood up and gave Toni a dirty look. "I'll be down in ten."

I nod then turn to Toni. "Nice seeing you again." And I walk out, yet don't go far.

"You better spill it," Toni says.