Page 39 of Finally Home

Chapter 18

Hollie

“Did you grab the—”

“Flowers,” Ollie answers before I can finish. “Yes, while you were in the shower, I ran to What in Carnationand grabbed a bouquet of my mom’s favorite flowers. Just like you asked, babe.”

I walk out of the bathroom wearing my second outfit of the morning, a floral sundress that hits just above my knees, with a smart-ass remark on the tip of my tongue, but lose all thought when I find Ollie lounging on his bed.

He has his long, muscular legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Even in jeans and his signature T-shirt, the man could give any actor a run for their money to be named “Sexiest Man Alive.”

Ollie finally looks up and smiles. His eyes roam over me, staring at my bare legs. By the time our eyes meet again, I’m convinced someone turned up the thermostat in here.

“Thank you,” I manage, suddenly parched.

“You realize you don’t need to get my mom anything, right? No bribes are required. She’s going to love you.”

I roll my eyes at him. “It’s not a bribe, Ol. I was always taught never to arrive empty-handed.”

Of course, my parents instilled that in us to be more of a way to show off that you can show up with something that you can afford that your guests can’t. But that’s not why I’m doing it. This woman is inviting me into her home, and I want to show that I’m thankful for welcoming me into their lives.

I glance down at my outfit, frown, and shake my head.No, not this one either.

My suitcases sit along the wall on my side of the bed. I didn’t realize how many clothes I owned until they lay scattered everywhere. Oliver had offered me part of the closet and a few drawers in his dresser, but I declined. This way, it was easy for me to remember that all of this was temporary.

I huff as I search for something else to wear.

“What’s wrong with the dress? You look sexy, but hey, what does my opinion matter?”

Shooting a glare over my shoulder, I let out a huff. “Of course your opinion matters, but the problem is I’m not trying to looksexy.”Sexy is definitely something that I never would have used to describe myself. “I just want to make a good impression.”

Which I know is utterly ridiculous. This is the only time that I’ll spend with his family, and then I’ll be on my way. But this feels like a big moment. I’m meeting my boyfriend’s family.Fake! Fake boyfriend, I repeat to myself.

Maybe I’m overcompensating because I feel bad about lying.

“Ahh, here it is,” I say, finally finding the maroon top I had been searching for.

“Hey, come here.” There’s a sternness to his tone that I can’t resist.

Pressing my hands to my knees, I rise to my feet and walk over to where Ollie has moved to the edge of the bed. When I’m close enough, he tugs me down onto his lap.

“Relax, babe. I know you’re nervous, but you don’t need to be. My family isn’t like yours. They’re going to love you, I promise.” I don’t think he meant it the way it came out. I know my family wasn’t a fan of his—but it wasn’t him, per se. It was more so that he wasn’t one of them.“It doesn’t matter what you wear. I’m pretty sure you could wear a potato sack, and no one would even notice.”

Ollie threads his fingers into my hair and massages the base of my neck, causing me to relax against him.

“I want you to feel comfortable, okay?”

I nod and lean my head into the crook of his neck. We sit there and embrace the silence. Neither of us wanting to address the elephant in the room. After this dinner, this is it. Neither of us have mentioned our impending goodbye. I’m sure he will be happy to get his space back, but honestly, it hasn’t been all that bad sharing the space. In fact, I’ve loved it. I never realized how lonely I’ve been until I well—wasn’t.

“As much as I wouldn’t mind staying like this all day, we should probably get going soon,” he mumbles into my hair.

I nod, but it takes a few more minutes for either of us to move.

“Just let me change and then I’ll be ready to go.” He arches a brow, clearly having his doubts. “I promise, no more outfit changes after this.”

I hop up and quickly exchange my sundress for a pair of dark jeans and the maroon top. Slipping into my shoes, I quickly grab my purse and then head to meet Oliver in the kitchen. There’s aglass vase on the counter filled with the most stunning blue and white daisies, with the same flowers wrapped in brown paper and a bow beside them.

I frown, confused at the two bouquets. Ollie closes the distance between us. “I bought one for you to give my mom, but these were so beautiful, and the blue reminded me of the dress you wore last weekend, that I also wanted you to have them.”

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