Page 17 of Roman & Olivia
He could already tell what she wanted to know.
Is he looking?
Roman gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head, and her smile grew. “You look delectable today,” he said.Delectable? While it wasn’t wrong, it was definitely something he never would have said to his date.
Olivia was dressed in a pair of fitted jeans and a pair of brand-new sneakers. She knew better than to wear them riding, and he’d given her a hard time about it when she’d arrived. But she’d brushed him off like she always did.
Roman couldn’t help himself. With all the warring feelings he had been experiencing with helping Olivia catch the eye of this undeserving man, Roman needed to rub it in.
His eyes met Mason’s over Olivia’s shoulder as he nuzzled her neck.
He stifled a groan as the scent of her perfume inundated his senses. Since when did she smell this good?
Mason’s eyes narrowed, and a crease formed between his brows. He wasn’t pleased.
Good.
“So, Mason, what’s it like to be the son of the mayor?” Cammi broke the heated silence between them.
Olivia shifted to move off Roman, but he held her hips firmly in place, only allowing her to turn so she could face the others more easily. She hissed something unintelligible, and he chuckled.
“It’s like being the son of any ranking member of society, I guess,” Mason said in a haughty voice, his attention on his date—though his eyes flicked to Olivia a couple times as he talked about the events and the expectations he had while under public scrutiny.
It was all so…boring.
And yet the two women seated on the blanket listening couldn’t have been more interested if they’d tried.
Irritation blossomed in his chest. This guy was nothing more than a vessel for his father. He had zero character or personality. Mason could be described in fewer words than it took a toddler to ask for their favorite stuffed animal.
Without much thought, Roman wrapped his arms around Olivia’s waist and rested his chin atop her shoulder. It felt as natural to be here like this as it was when they were sitting on that porch swing back home.
She leaned into him, and his hold on her tightened—especially when the jealous look Mason sent in his direction added to Roman’s irritation.
But why? Wasn’t this the plan all along?
Eventually, his legs started losing feeling and Olivia wanted to get situated on the blanket so she could eat easier.
Roman remained quietly watchful as he observed the group. Mason sat between the girls. It was subtle, but he inched closer to Olivia than his own date. Well, that wasn’t going to fly if it continued.
“You said that you two grew up together?” Mason asked around a bite of his sandwich.
Olivia nodded and sent Roman a heart-melting smile. “We were in the same class a few times in grade school and… hit it off. Then that friendship got stronger and stronger until…” Her eyes got a far-off quality to them. “My parents decided to sell the house where I grew up. I was terrified of what I was going to do with my life. I didn’t know if I wanted to go to college or if I wanted to jump right into a job. And since my parents wanted to see the world, I felt lost.”
She reached out and grasped Roman’s hand. It wasn’t romantic by any means. Not to them. They’d always been able to be affectionate without turning it into something serious. This was a way they showed they were there for each other.He squeezed her hand, knowing exactly where her story was headed.
“Honestly, I was beside myself. Then Roman said he was moving, and it about broke my heart.”
He stilled. He hadn’t known that. Searching his mind for the memories, he tried to make sense of the missing pieces she was telling them. She’d been nervous, sure, when her parents decided to move. But the Olivia he knew had rolled with the punches. She’d come over to his place and told him that she planned on sticking close to him. His parents had offered to let her stay with them until she decided what she was going to do. And when Mateo mentioned the move to Copper Creek, there hadn’t been a question in his mind as to what Olivia would decide.
Roman stared at her as she continued.
“I’d already overstepped so much those years following graduation. And honestly, I didn’t think his brothers and sisters would want me to tag along. So, I did what I had to.” She heaved a breath as if needing to expel some pent-up energy from the memory itself. “I researched the city so I could follow him here.” Her eyes shone with adoration when she met his.
And for the first time in his life, he realized what it had meant for her to move all the way to Colorado to have him in her life. She’d followed him here, and it wasn’t only because her parents had moved. He’d become her safe haven.
“You can’t fake a connection like that,” Cammi said softly, drawing his attention. Her eyes were on Olivia, but there was something there that Roman couldn’t place. She almost looked disappointed. But no, that didn’t make sense. There was understanding there, as well, and resignation.
The quiet that surrounded them was tranquil as they ruminated on Cammi’s statement. Then Mason had to go and ruin the whole thing.
