Page 77 of Roman & Olivia
He hadn’t heard from Mason.
Why was she here?
Roman tensed before disentangling himself from Olivia’s arms. He held her out at arm’s length and peered into her beautiful, crystalline eyes. She didn’t look upset.
As much as he hated himself for the realization, he couldn’t deny how his heart sank. Mason hadn’t talked to her yet. She would be upset otherwise.
Which begged the question, why was she here?
“Liv…” He breathed out her name like it was fragile, breakable. “What are you doing here?”
Her nervous laugh would have normally brought a smile to his face, but right now, all he could think about was the possibility that Mason had figured out a way to turn her against him, and this was it.
She’d come here to tell him to leave her alone. That he’d crossed the line. It was the final straw, and he needed to stop meddling in her life or risk a restraining order.
Olivia glanced toward the house, and that was the first moment he realized that they likely had an audience. His siblings didn’t use to be so nosy. The only one who might not know the full story was his younger sister, Isabelle.
Roman glanced over his shoulder, and sure enough, his whole family, except Mateo, was milling around on the porch. He let out a groan and shook his head. “Don’t worry about them. They’re… curious.”
A flicker of a smile tugged at her lips, which brought one to his own. “I know about your family, Roman. They’re sorta like my family, too…”
Yes, they were. Based on the way his sisters had insisted he help Olivia when all he wanted to do was burrow into his bed and sleep away the pain of losing her, they cared for her more than he’d ever realized.
“So?” he said. “Is everything okay? I haven’t heard from you in what feels like forever.”
She winced. “Sorry.”
“Hey,” he crooned, hooking his finger beneath her chin. “None of that.”
Her eyes lifted to meet his and tears brimmed over her lashes. “I have to, Roman. I need to apologize for pushing you away. For choosing Mason over the lifelong friendship we had. I can’t believe I did that.”
“I can.”
Olivia froze. “What?”
He let his eyes trail over her, drank in every detail he’d been missing since the last time he’d seen her in the flesh. Then his focus returned to her eyes. “True love is special. And if youthought there was a chance you could find it, you needed to take it. I was in the way.”
She shook her head, dislodging a tear from her lashes when she blinked. “It wasn’t true love, Roman. Mason?” The word escaped her lips with a bitterness he couldn’t have predicted. “He wasn’t who I thought he was.” Her focus seemed to grow distant. She was staring at him and nothing at the same time.
There was a pain in her expression that he wished he could erase. Maybe Mason had messaged her, and he was stringing Roman along to toy with him. Roman reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from Olivia’s face. “Why are you here, Olivia?” He repeated the question, praying she’d understand what he was asking.
Was she here to rekindle their friendship?
Or was it something more?
The way she looked at him then sent a jolt of electricity skittering along every nerve ending in his body. “Roman,” she whispered. “I think we need to talk.”
His throat cleared up and his voice took on a husky quality. “I think you’re right.”
They stared at each other for a moment, and he couldn’t help but think back to the day she’d come over to ask for his help. He’d been such a fool not to realize how much she could mean to him. But now that the fog had lifted, he could see a future for them.
Now wasn’t the time to tattle on Mason. If this was his only shot, he’d tell her how he felt. He’d make sure she understood that he wasn’t going to fall in love with anyone else.
She was it for him.
He opened his mouth to say just that, but then her words left him breathless.
“I think I’m in love with you.” They were timid, and so sweet. They were spoken with a sheen of uncertainty, but he knew herbetter than she knew herself. He could hear the truthfulness of her statement, even if she was having a hard time seeing it for herself.
