Page 44 of When We Meet Again

“Hey, sunshine! How’s Italy?” Victoria’s voice is like a breath of fresh air.

“I’d be better if you were here, Victoria. Seriously. I didn’t know others outside of the Huxley clan were allowed to come because I would’ve invited you.” There would be a lot less suffering in Lena’s presence.

“I was invited, but I turned it down. Roman wanted me to surprise you, but I refused?—”

I cut her off. Sherefused? “What the hell? Why would you refuse?”

“It’s just his parents and the two of you. Parents always do that thing where they go off and do their own thing, leaving you and Rome to do whatever. And I hope you dowhatever. A lot ofwhatever, actually.” She giggles.

“I can appreciate that, but Lena’s here, too.”

“Lena…Lena…” she repeats, trying to figure out who I’m talking about.

I let out a breath. “His ex, Victoria!”

“No shit! That’s nuts. But why? Are they together? Oh my GOD! That two-timing, stupid, handsome?—”

“Relax, Rocky. He said they weren’t together. But it’s still… Awkward. I was kind of rude to her during lunch yesterday.”

I should probably apologize to Lena. Now that I’ve slept on it a little, I can see that I should. And especially now that, from the sound of it, she isn’t leaving anytime soon. Oh God… She’s going to know he was in here last night. I mean, he wasn’t inthere. Not that I care about what she might think of me. But the poor girldidjust proclaim her love for him earlier in the day. I shouldn’t have asked Roman to stay and watch a movie. I should have let them have a conversation.

“Enough about Lena, I want to know aboutyou. Tell me everything!

“There’s really nothing much to tell, Vic.”

“I don’t believe that. There’s got to be something…” I know what she’s asking, but I play dumb.“Like what?”

“You know what! Did you guys boink yet?”

“No, dirty girl. But we did kiss.”

A shriek of gargantuan proportions comes from the other side of the phone. “You’re shitting me! How was it? Was it good? Of course, it was. He has kissable lips. Mmm!”

“It was great. I’ve had some amazing kisses, but…I don’t know…”

“What’s wrong?”

I hesitate to bring it up at all. I know I said I give zero fucks, but it’s hard to just quit caring. I feel like it will take a few weeks to retrain my brain.Twenty-one days it takes to form a new habit. And I very much want Roman Huxley to be my new bad habit.

“Most of me doesn’t care, but the part of me that does reminds me that he’s twenty-four years old. He has his whole life ahead of him. I’m over here, already lived the wild part of life, and as if I’m not a total bore, the thought of leaving my bra on past eight p.m. every night sounds dreadful.”

Victoria cackles. I wait for her to finish and pour her words of wisdom onto me. “First off, you still have your whole life ahead of you, too! You’re only forty. It’s like the new thirty.” I smile. “Second, nobody said you have to wear a bra past eight. If you want to go the rest of your life without one, go for it. It’s what everyone is doing these days anyway. Let those titties fly, babe.”

“That was oddly freeing to hear.” I take a deep breath in, hold it, and release it. “You’re right. I may not be in my twenties, but I’m not decrepit.”I’m forty, naughty, and my field of fucks left is barren.

“That’s the spirit! Now go get your man! And don’t let Lena’s one-million followers on Instagram get in your way. You deserve happiness. We all do.” Victoria is so wise. She’s like the sister I never had.

“Okay, I’m going to go find Roman,” I chirp as I slide a jean skirt up my legs.

I hear her cheering. “Go get him, tiger! Oh, and Waverly?” she says out of breath.

“Yeah?

“Happy birthday, babe. Live your best life over there and tell me all of the nasty details when you get back.”

Tears threaten to shed, but I tuck those bad boys back in. I’m about to go get me some Roman, and hopefully do some of those very nasty things with him.

“Thanks, Vic. Love you.” We hang up and I toss my phone on the bed before I run around the boat like a mad woman looking for him.

---