Page 49 of Roman & Olivia
Therewasno woman. She didn’t exist. He’d merely invented her because he needed Olivia to feel okay with the way things had worked out. He could practically feel her resolve quaking—like she wasn’t sure she had done the right thing. That was the way she was—thinking about other people before herself. Well, he wasn’t going to let her sabotage herself.
This was what she wanted. Mason had been her end game.
It didn’t matter how sick to his stomach he was. He’d power through and accept the pain because he cared about Olivia enough to make sure she was happy.
His body slid down the door and he spread out his legs as he forced his aching heart to settle through sheer will. If hewas lucky, then in time, he wouldn’t see her as the woman of his dreams but as the best friend he’d had since childhood. His infatuation would fizzle out, and he could be happy for her.
For her and Mason.
He closed his eyes and pushed out the thought of another man kissing the woman he loved. At some point, Olivia would show up at his place to hang out and update him about her budding relationship with Mason.
And he had to be ready.
“You okay?”
The heart-shaped cream in his coffee seemed to mock him. The sip he’d taken had only served to make it look broken and misshapen.
Like his own heart.
“Earth to Roman.Hello?”
Roman lifted his eyes from the coffee and the hum of the conversation in this little coffee shop seemed to sharpen. He stared at Olivia blankly, unseeing for a moment before he realized that he’d been in such a daze he’d lost track of what they’d been talking about.
Olivia frowned, the concern in her gaze like nothing he had ever seen. She reached forward and took his hand in hers, tracing the back of his hand with her thumb. “You don’t look well. Are you okay?”
No.He was most definitelynotokay. But he’d die before he told her that.
Roman dragged a hand down his face and pulled the other free from her grasp. He offered her a tired smile as he leaned back against his chair. “Just tired.”
Her frown deepened. “What’s going on? Is it work?”
Not even close.
“Yeah. Mateo is really riding me. He’s delegating certain projects he usually oversees. I stayed up late writing up a proposal for a new contract to supply a ranch over in Montana with a couple dogs to help with their cattle.”
Her brows lifted. She was impressed. And he was totally going to get in trouble if she found out he was lying to her.
The fact was, he hadn’t been sleeping well. Olivia was dating Mason.
Sort of.
“What about you? Have you and Mason become official?”
Olivia stilled, her mug partway to her lips as she met his eyes over the rim. “In a way.”
He arched a brow. “What does that mean?”
She rolled her eyes. “I told you. He wants to take it slow. He said he didn’t want to be the rebound guy.”
“Did you tell him since you were the one to break things off, that doesn’t apply?”
Her snicker made him smile. “What would you say if the girl you wanted to date said that to you after she just broke up with someone else?”
I wouldn’t give you a chance to change your mind and go running back to him. I’d tell you that you’re my light in the dark and the only woman I want to be with. I’d tell you that no one comes close to you, and when you realized how serious I was, you’d be all in, too.
Roman cleared his throat and pushed aside the thoughts that still plagued him. His lips quirked upward, but he didn’t feel the smile in his soul like he used to. “That’s nice of him—not pressuring you.”
She nodded. Her eyes dipped to the napkin on the table before her, and she turned it around and around. The awkwardsilence returned. While they’d gotten back to a degree of what felt normal, Roman could tell that they were anything but.
