Page 5 of Finally Home

“Great.” He steps back. “Here, give me your phone.” Oliver holds his hand between us with his palm facing upward. I retrieve my phone from my purse, and after unlocking the screen, I place it in his hand. With a few clicks of his fingers, he hands it back to me.

When I look down at the screen, I see a new text thread started. The name at the top of the screen says, “My favorite bartender boyfriend.”

A loud laugh escapes my lips in a volume I’ve never heard come out of me. I quickly cover my mouth with my palm and look around but realize the place is just about empty now.

Oliver leans over the bar and retrieves his phone. He messes with the screen for a moment. “Now I have your number.” He holds up the phone, revealing the name he put my number under:My beautiful girlfriend, Hollie<3.

The air between us becomes charged again, and I have to avert my gaze.

“I should probably go,” I mutter.

“You don’t have to,” he says with a smile.

And that is even more reason for me to leave. I’ve already stepped out of my comfort zone enough tonight. Who knows what he may just convince me to do if I stay?

An awkward laugh slips from my lips. “No, I should…” I reach for my wallet. “Do I owe you anything else?” I eye the pile of cash I had already left, but Oliver stops me before I can get my wallet. With his free hand, he grabs the cash and hands it back to me.

“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t treat you? And before you argue with me, you should know it’s my photo in the dictionary next to stubborn, so I won’t accept your money.”

I accept defeat instantly, surprising us both as I put the cash back in my wallet.

Gathering up my things, I head toward the exit and pause. “Hey, Oliver,” I call out, and he jerks his head up, clearly having been looking at my ass. He just shrugs with a smirk. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Hollie.” He walks backward. “You know, I typically only hear my full name when I’m being scolded by my mother. But coming from your lips…” He runs his hand over his beard, and gives me an appraising look that has my heart beating faster once again. “I approve.”

Somehow, I walk out of the bar without melting into a puddle of goo. On the way back to the bed-and-breakfast, I pull my phone back out and decide to text my mother. I know texting instead of calling will piss her off, but she should at least be happy that she’s getting her way.

Me:Sorry for the delay. Life has been a little crazy. My boyfriend and I will be in attendance. See you on Friday.

Chapter 3

Ollie

Every time I close my eyes, I see her—Holland Armstrong.

Those deep, rich brown eyes that I can see myself getting lost in. They were warm, gentle, and alluring. Those freckles that I wouldn’t mind tracing with the tip of my finger or tongue, causing goose bumps in their wake. I swear I could hear her giggles washing over me. And how far does that blush that kept painting her cheeks go down? Hollie has that “sexy girl next door” look, the type who doesn’t even realize how beautiful she really is.

She’s consumed my thoughts from the moment she walked into my bar. It’s the only reason I can think of why I so easily volunteered to be her fake boyfriend for her brother’s engagement party. Listening to her talk about her family like that just sort of broke me. I couldn’t imagine life without my family and me being as close as we are. Hollie needed someonein her corner, and even if it’s just for a brief time, I want that person to be me. And don’t even get me started on that ex.

“Hey, are you even listening to me, dipshit?” my best friend, Rhyland, says, dropping a bag of mulch to the ground. He and I agreed to spend the morning helping my mom freshen up her landscaping before heading into Tilley’s.

“What?”

Rhy uses the bottom of his shirt to wipe his brow. “I said, this is the last bag of mulch. So, we just need to spread these three bags out, and then we’re done.”

“Right, cool.” I glance over at Rhyland and find him staring at me. He opens his mouth to say something, but he’s interrupted by Mom walking out to the backyard.

“Oh, it’s looking wonderful out here. Thank you so much, boys.”

“Of course, Mom. You know you can always count on us to help with anything you need.”

Rhyland chuckles at my not-so-subtle dig at my older brother, Archer, not being here. At least Payton, our younger sister, has a good excuse with being away at college.

“I know that, dear. And you always know that I will continue to thank you. I just wanted to give the yard a facelift before your sister comes home for fall break.”

“Pay’s coming home?” That little shit didn’t tell me.

“Yep, she called the other day to let me know she wasn’t coming home alone.”No, no, no. Please don’t say it, Mom.“She’s bringing Joel.”

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