I looked away from Tommy, murmuring, “I need to get ice on my face.”

His voice changed, went low, sweet, and he got close again when he replied, “Yeah, you do. You want me to get it for you, baby?”

Baby.

Tears started to flood my eyes but I took a deep breath to hold them back.

I shook my head, “No, I just want to go home.”

“Take you, Liv.”

I looked back to him. “I need some time alone, Tommy.”

He studied me a moment. It was a long moment, too long. Long enough to make me fear I’d lose it, and I did not want to lose it, not there. Not close to Georgia and Dad. Not in front of Tommy.

Thankfully, he nodded.

“Give you tonight, Liv. Tomorrow, honey, we gotta talk.”

I was not talking to Tommy.

I didn’t know what I was doing, right then, the next second, the next day, the rest of my life.

All I knew was what I needed and that was that I had to get out of there.

To do that, I nodded to Tommy and moved around him.

I was halfway to the door when Tommy asked, “Babe, you gonna at least give me a hug or something?”

I again looked to him. I was losing my fight to control the tears. I knew this when I felt them start to spill over.

“Liv, baby,” he whispered, making a move toward me.

I took a quick step back, lifting a hand. “Don’t. Please.”

He stopped.

“I need some time,” I repeated.

There was a hesitation before he replied, “Okay, Liv. You got tonight. Yeah?”

I nodded.

“We’ll talk tomorrow. Sort shit out,” he declared.

I nodded again.

“We been waiting a long time but now’s our time. It’s finally our time. Okay?” he asked.

I made no verbal or non-verbal reply. I didn’t have it in me. I just kept looking at him.

“Love you, baby. Always loved you,” he said gently.

Maybe he did love me. It just wasn’t the kind of love I needed.

I knew the kind of love I needed. I’d tasted it.

It was sweet.

So, so sweet.

Ambrosia.

Even if it was a lie.

“Talk to you tomorrow, honey,” Tommy said. “Now go home, get some ice on your face. You want me, call me. I’m there.”

I nodded yet again then moved as quickly as I could in my tight skirt and heels, pulling my bag I’d completely forgotten I had and somehow held on to throughout it all down my arm.

I got out my keys.

I got out of the warehouse.

I got into my car.

I shoved my sunglasses on my nose, the throb in my face and sting in my wrist completely unnoticed seeing as I was more focused on the ice that was forming around my heart.

I reversed out of my spot.