Page 35 of When We Meet Again

Am I drunk? I must be drunk. I’m usually one to read between the lines, but I’m trying not to do that anymore. I’m trying to go with the flow. “Be the ocean,” Tom said. I can’t bethe ocean when she’s being cryptic with her message. She is an attorney. Attorneys are good with veiled meanings and dancing around answers.

I take another sip…gulp… of my wine and wonder if she’s going to keep talking, or if I’ll have to surreptitiously beg her to continue. It’s the latter.

“I’m confused. What do you see?” My voice rises while I trudge through the chaos in my head. I know I’m wearing my expression on my face: pinched, raised eyebrows, wide and unsure eyes. It’s my biggest flaw, says my mother.

“Roman had a thing for you. Or stillhas.” Her eyes narrow and she gives me a sideways grin. The one Patrick would give me. He was his mother's son, for sure. “But he doesn’t tell me anything.”

“Who doesn’t tell you anything?”Thank fuck!Roman appears out of thin air like he could hear my silent pleas for a savior. Even Harold would have sufficed.

His mom snaps out of her interrogation that wasn’t an interrogation, but that sure felt like one.Strange.“We were just catching up. You know, girl talk.” She finally sets her now-empty wine glass down.

“Have fun, you two. I’m going to find your father.” She pats Roman’s shoulder and disappears behind a door.

I’m going to need something a lot stronger than wine if I’m going to make it through this trip.

I feel Roman’s hand grab my elbow and give it a gentle squeeze. “You okay? When I saw her talking to you, I knew I needed to come to your rescue.” He smiles. God, that smile. It can light up a dark room. My head is light and airy from the wine. My cheeks are warm, and my head is fuzzy enough I’m starting to relax.

“I’m fine. It was a bit intense. A lot of chat about grandkids.” I fake laugh. At the funeral, Roman mentioned he wanted littleRomans running around. It’s not that I wouldn’t want to give him that, but I’m a little more anxious about the thought now. Pregnancy at this age is considered high risk.

I pour a shot of whiskey from the bottle that's sitting next to the wine, and hand one over to Roman before I shoot one myself, then I pour another and do the same thing.

Tom’s words ring in my head.Let go of fear.

CHAPTER 20

ROMAN

With every whiskey Waverly has, I see her shoulders fall away from her ears. This woman needs a good massage. She’s so tense. Well, not anymore.

“You know what? Enough chat about all this,” she giggles out, gesturing loosely with her hands. “Let’s party, Rome. If you’re not too busy driving the boat.” She slaps her hand over her chest. “Oh no! Who’s driving the boat?!”

She’s so fucking cute, I can’t help but laugh, and I rock backward from the force of it, whiskey sloshing over the side of my glass. I'll pretend that didn't happen…

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that.” I rub my hand down her silky hair.

A nice shade of rosy pink climbs her cheeks. “Rome. You treat me so well.” Her hand pushes my chest steadily, backing me up against the window. She’s feeling the wine now…and those shots.

She steps onto her tip-toes and touches her nose to mine. The smell of wine mixed with her coconut shampoo is driving me insane. “Can I tell you a secret, Ro-man?” she says my name seductively and slowly. My heart is beating against my rib cage. There is no way she can’t feel it.

“Tell me all of your secrets, Waverly.”

She leans her body into mine. “I knew I was wearing your Shamrock 5K shirt.”

My lips threaten to turn up at her words, but I keep a stone-cold face, hoping she’ll tell me more. Our eyes dance with each other’s.

“It smelled like you. I always loved the way you smelled. Like a mix of sweet and salty.” She rubs her nose against mine. “Do you like sweet and salty, Roman?”

I’m not even sure what she’s insinuating. I’m so turned on by her forwardness that my brain is misfiring. I nod, egging her on to spill more secrets. They’re refreshing. She’s been hiding her feelings so well lately that I thought I was deep in the friend zone.

She stares at me, and I let her. Except instead of her falling into a kiss I’m pretty sure we both want, she pushes my chest again, moving herself away from my proximity, and her smile fades.

“Your mom said you’re seeing someone.” She looks upset.

I don’t answer but instead, it’s my turn to push her against the window. I turn her around, backing her up against the tinted glass. I lean down and touch my forehead to hers. “Someone sounds a little jealous, Kensi.”

“I’m not jealous. I’m curious. You told me one thing, your mom said another. Which is it?”

My hand glides up her arm while I’m propping myself up on the wall with the other. “I am seeing someone.” Her shoulders slump. “I’m not sure if she’s into me, though.”

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