Make It To Me

Friend

"I'm not sure I've ever seen Liv so mad as when we had 45 minutes to learn that fashion show dance," Simone laughed from where she sat at the head of the table on the opposite side of Olivia. The group has been enjoying food, drinks and laughs at the table for the past hour. The June sun was warm but the shade of the patio kept them cool.

"I was definitely way more mad when you canceled the wedding I had spent weeks helping plan," Olivia corrected from her spot between Spencer and Jordan, who sat in the other head chair opposite Simone. "Still, all that huffing and puffing you did about that fashion show choreo just to go out and kill it," Keisha jumped in from her spot across from Spencer.

Next to Keisha and across from Olivia sat Zach, Jordan's college friend. "A fashion show?" Zach looked around the table. "I would've liked to see that," he turned and grinned at Olivia. Zach had a routine of flirting with her any time they had crossed paths since Olivia and Spencer broke up. He was never pushy but Olivia knew his interest was serious.

Olivia gave him a quick smile as she watched Spencer's fist clench against his leg out of the corner of her eye.

Jordan quickly caught their well-hidden discomfort and turned the attention to himself.

"Oh please, none of you have seen anything. That's all light work. You should have seen her our senior year of high school when I stole some of her clothes and wore them for a senior prank," Jordan laughed. "You remember that, Spence and Ash?"

Asher chimed in from his spot between Keisha and Simone at the table. "Liv didn't speak to you for days. I had to play messenger at school," Asher laughed. "I definitely thought you had a death wish, dawg," Spencer shook his head. Olivia glanced at Spencer, momentarily distracted by his beautiful skin as it contrasted against his cream summer suit.

Olivia shook herself out of it and turned to Jordan. "You're lucky I didn't do worse," Olivia rolled her eyes. "You stretched out my favorite cheetah print skirt."

The last member of the bridal party was Sierra, a college friend of Simone's. She sat between Spencer and Simone and turned to Spencer to quietly make small talk. "So, you went to high school with Jordan and Simone," she asked with a bright, flirty smile. Olivia cocked a brow and tuned them out, turning to Jordan.

He was already watching her. "Cut it out," Olivia warned. "I know what you're doing," she added quietly. Jordan just smiled. "I'm not doing anything, Liv."

"You and Simone are not at all subtle. Nothing's changed in three years, Jordan."

"You're right, nothing's changed. Definitely not your feelings. Or his."

"Or our locations."

"Small obstacle for true love."

Olivia rolled her eyes hard. "Leave it alone."

"Sure. When you start telling the truth," his smug smile never left his face and Olivia wanted to smack him.

As brunch came to an end and the group began to say goodbyes, Olivia watched Spencer and Sierra speak from a distance, Sierra's wide smile visible.

"You know that's nothing." Olivia jumped as Keisha came behind her and watched Spencer and Sierra too.

"Don't scare me like that! I don't know what you're talking about," Olivia said unconvincingly.

"Oh please, girl. You're worried but you shouldn't be. Want me to twerk on him again to prove it to you? I bet you he's going to make his way over here to you at the first opportunity. That will feel like deja vu, won't it?"

Olivia worried her eyes would get stuck if she rolled them one more time.

"Is there like a group plot going on? How many of y'all are in on it? How elaborate is the plan?"

"If this is what we have to do to get you two out of your own way then so be it," Keisha leaned in and kissed Olivia's cheek, and then grinned at the sight in front of them as Spencer approached. "Would you look at that.... Hi Spencer, bye Spencer." Keisha quickly kissed his cheek and left the two of them alone, turning around to grin at Olivia from over Spencer's shoulder.

Olivia turned to Spencer and caught the confused look on his face. "Don't ask," Olivia said dryly. He grinned and then spoke. "Hey, J said you're about to head to the airport?"

"Yeah, gotta get back to work."

"Want a ride? I'm heading that way in my car."

"Um, sure. Wait, where are you leaving your car if you're headed back to Arizona?"

"Oh, uh, I'm flying private actually. Someone will take it for me," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Olivia's eyebrows shot up as she cocked her head. "Okay, hot shot," she laughed. "Well I just need to get to the Delta terminal with the rest of the peasants, if you don't mind taking me there."

"I got you," he smiled. Olivia backed away to change her clothes and finish her goodbyes.

About 30 minutes and a few tearful goodbyes later, they were on the road.

"So..." Spencer tried to break the awkward silence. "I read your article about the NYPD's racist training. It was incredible."

"Thanks," Olivia blushed and looked down.

"How were you able to get their training documents?"

She grinned, "Oh you know, badgered them until they were basically legally forced to share."

Spencer laughed, "Good. That's exactly how I imagined it."

Olivia turned and caught the proud grin on his face. She felt her heart pick up speed. "You know, I um.... I watched you in the playoffs earlier this year. You were... really great," she nodded and smiled at him, trying to offer an olive branch.

He turned and grinned at her quickly, fluttering his eyes in that way that drove her insane, "Just this year?" Olivia heard his voice drop an octave and exhaled.

She smiled and bit her lip but kept her eyes glued to her lap. "Okay... maybe every year," she said slowly with a soft laugh.

"Mmm. Well that's good because I've read every single article of yours." Olivia felt the tension in the vehicle jump up just as they got to her drop off point.

Spencer hopped out of the car and opened Olivia's door, helping her out before grabbing her carryon. They stood in front of each other on the sidewalk for a moment. Neither was quite sure what to say.

"Hey, Liv, listen. I know with J and Simone's wedding, we'll have to spend a lot of time together. I don't ever want you to feel uncomfortable and... more than anything, I just miss my friend," he said and shrugged his shoulders. "So, I'm following your lead. Aight?"

Olivia smiled and nodded, touched by how earnest he was. Still putting her first. She looked down for a minute and then looked back up at him and said with an apologetic smile, "I miss my friend too. Sorry for being so awkward this weekend."

They looked at each other and smiled for a moment. She didn't move away, so Spencer stepped forward, grabbing one of her hands to tug her towards him. "Come here," he whispered, holding her gaze until she was tucked into him. He slid his hands across her back and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Spencer felt her tuck her head into his neck and exhale, and swayed her slightly in response. He couldn't help but breathe her in too and enjoy their first hug in years.

Feeling her start to pull away, Spencer quickly ran his hands up her back before dropping them.

Olivia smiled as she began backing away. "See you around?" Spencer smiled but shook his head in response, "talk to you soon." He kept his eyes on her, daring her to see that he meant it.

Her smile widened but she said nothing and turned away, looking back at him once to wave.

Spencer stood in that spot until he could no longer see her frame.