Page 88 of The Romance Library

‘Hey.’ He lifted my chin. ‘I didn’t mean to make you sad. I’m sorry. I thought it would make you happy. I can take it back if it’s too painful for you.’

‘No.’ I looked him in the eye. ‘I love it. I am happy. So happy. You don’t know how much this means to me.’

Theo opened his arms and pulled me into a hug. As I sobbed on his shoulder, he rubbed my back gently, kissing the top of my head.

I didn’t know why I was crying. I genuinely was happy. I’d looked so many places for this version of the paperback and it was always sold out. They had the new version online, but I’d always preferred the original one. The one that Theo had just got me.

So many emotions swirled around inside me.

After what my ex did, I never thought I’d get back into reading or date again. And now, here I was, with my reading mojo slowly creeping back and with a man who not only didn’t judge my reading, he embraced it. Encouraged it.

Not only did Theo believe I should read whatever I liked, he’d even gone out of his way to buy my favourite books to help me do that.

Sod’s Law that this was going to be the last time we’d get to be together.

Once we left this beach, we’d be locked in our rooms until the presentation. Then next Friday, we’d be back to being rivals.

And once the decision was made, we’d never see each other again.

Thinking about that sent a fresh wave of tears rolling down my cheeks.

‘Please don’t cry, Jess.’ Theo gently brushed his hand over my cheeks, wiping my tears away, before kissing the top of my head softly again.

This man was killing me. First he gave me the best sex of my life. Then he bought me a bag full of books because he wanted to make me happy, and now he’d just called me Jess for the first time in that sexy, buttery voice of his, whilst wiping away my tears and comforting me.

How was I supposed to just walk away from the first man that had made me feel so… so special?

‘Thank you,’ I whispered into his chest.

‘You’re welcome. If you really want to thank me, I need you to try and do something for me.’

‘What’s that?’ I said. At first I thought it might be something to do with the presentation, but then I dismissed it. That wasn’t Theo’s style.

‘Try and read again. I don’t care if it’s one of these books or something on Mrs Davis’s Kindle, just try and take the first step. Even if it’s a sentence or a paragraph. Whatever happens next Friday, it would mean a lot to me to know that at the very least, something long-lasting came out of this situation.’

That was what he wanted me to do for him?

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Of all the things he could’ve wished for, he wanted me to read again: something that would benefit me a lot more than him.

I was supposed to be distancing myself from him, but that selfless request only made me like him more.

‘Okay,’ I said, lifting my head from his chest. ‘I promise.’

As he got up and I watched him walk away, I made a promise to myself to keep my word.

Tonight, once I’d finished work, I was going to do it. I was going to read. For Theo and Mrs Davis, but most importantly, for myself.

29

Jess

‘How’d the talent show go?’ Sarah’s voice boomed down the phone along with a loud munching sound. It was lunchtime, so she was probably in the park across the road from where she worked, eating a ham and pickle sandwich, which was what she always had for lunch.

‘We won!’

‘Amazing! Not surprised with your voice! Now you and your nemesis finally have something to bond over.’

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