Page 68 of Finally Home

“Woah, woah, woah.” Payton’s voice gets closer and closer as she chases after me. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Willow Creek to get my girl.”Isn’t it obvious?

Payton shakes off her deer-in-headlights look. “Okay.” She holds her hands up, trying to slow me down. “One thing at a time, Ollie. I’m glad you figured your shit out and in record timing, actually. But what are you planning to do, exactly? Drive up there, kick the damn door down in the middle of her job, and throw her over your shoulder like a caveman?”

My smirk earns me a smack to the back of my head. “What?”

“You were seriously considering that, weren’t you?”

“No.” Even though we both know I was.

“I know this is going to be hard to hear, but let her finish this job and call her when she’s on her way to the next one. Just trust me, okay?”

“Are you sure I can’t do the whole caveman thing?”

She gives me a glare that resembles her threatening one from earlier and has my balls running to hide. “Yeah, Ol, I’m sure. You’ve waited this long to get your girl. You can wait just a little bit longer. She’s not going anywhere.”

Aborting my bag on the bed, I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around Pay’s shoulders, holding her to me. “I know I may not have shown it much, but thank you for being here.”

She sinks into my hug and squeezes tighter. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, big brother. All I want is for you to be happy.”

That’s all I want, too, and the only person who I want that happily ever after with is Hollie.I hope you’re ready, baby, because I’m coming for you, and this time, I’m not letting you go.

Chapter 29

Ollie

Waiting for this week to end was like watching paint dry. Every day, I had to keep busy to keep myself from hopping in my car and, as my sister said, “going all caveman.” The main thing I did to keep myself busy was rearrange the spare bedroom currently being used as a home gym with a weight bench and a treadmill and make it a home office for Hollie.

Am I being a little presumptuous that she will want what I want? Maybe, but my sister reminded me I always go after what I want—and that’s Hollie. There’s now a desk with two monitors that Hollie can hook her laptop up to and have editing open on one screen and her schedule open on the other.

If she hates it, that’s okay. I’ll redo the entire room to have it exactly to her liking. Hell, if she wants more room, we can put the house on the market and find something new together. That word is all that matters—together.

Nerves replace all the positive thoughts I’ve had all week as I’ve tried calling Hollie now three times today, to no avail. I’m sure it’s possible she’s just busy with finishing up, or maybe she was already on the road. But what if everything I’ve thought and planned is all for nothing? I’m second-guessing everything. Maybe she’s done with me? Maybe I fucked up beyond repair by letting her go in the first place? Why did I listen to Payton and wait? Did I miss the opportunity already?

My head has been a mess all shift. After my second dropped glass, Logan sent me to get some air. But what the fuck is fresh air going to do? I lean my head back against the brick and take a few deep inhales and exhales.Everything is going to be okay. It has to be.

My phone buzzes from my pocket, and I quickly retrieve it. While it’s not a call, Hollie’s name pops up with a text.

Hollie:Sorry I missed your calls. This week has been so crazy and amazing. I’ll call you once I get settled. Hope everything is okay. Miss you.

“Hey, you good?” Archer calls from the doorway as I type out a response.

Me:I’m so happy it was amazing. The photos, no doubt, are fantastic. Can’t wait to hear all about it. I miss you too.

As I press Send, I wish it was appropriate to just confess everything via text message, but that’s about as fucked-up as it is to break up with someone via a Post-it note. Hollie deserves so much more than that. She deserves the world.

“Ollie,” my brother calls again.

“What?” I bark, mad that he was interrupting my time with Hollie, even if it’s just through text message. The three dots appear and disappear, but no new message comes through.

“I asked if you were all good. You’re off your game.”

I scoff. That’s a fucking understatement. “Yeah, all fine here.”

He nods, not wanting to push me further. “Logan’s got the front covered for a bit. Regroup, maybe get a quick bite in the kitchen, and then get back out there.”

“Yeah, sure.” With that, he disappears back into the restaurant. I take a few more minutes to myself and hope that another text comes through, but it doesn’t. She said she would call when she’s settled, so that’s something.

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