Page 147 of Catch Me
“Hey, pretty girl. I missed you.”
She put her paws on my knees and sniffed my face. When she licked my chin, I laughed.
“You’ve been taking care of your dad, right? I know you are. You’re his little monster.”
I dipped my forehead and rested it against hers. She let me, as if she knew exactly what I needed. She always had, even when she’d barely known me.
“She remembers you.”
If I thought everything would be fine, the way my heart sped up just at hearing that voice told me I was wrong.
When I lifted my head, he was leaning his hip against the island with a glass of champagne in his hand. His light blue sweater and dark jeans were the universe’s way of saying ‘fuck you.’
His eyes were another.
Cold. Indifferent. Still just as fucking beautiful.
Chapter 48
Travis
Roman stared up at me, and I stared back. He was still petting Tessa, and she was keeping her paws on his legs. When she saw something more exciting, she’d run off again.
I took a long drink of my champagne. Something about it snapped him out of whatever was in his head. He got to his feet and grabbed his own glass from the counter.
“Hey,” he said.
I clenched my teeth, then forced myself to stop. “Hi.”
His eyes fell to the floor only briefly. When they returned to me, he was closed off, similar to how he’d looked the whole first week he’d stayed here in December. Some things didn’t change, I guess.
It would’ve been nice if Sen told me he was coming, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. I wouldn’t have done anything different.
With him standing in front of me, I felt conflicted. I had no desire to converse with him or reminisce about the past—what little we had. He could stay or he could go, but I hated that both felt wrong. I didn’t know what emotions I’d expected to surface. I’d hoped none would, but I wasn’t so lucky. He brought out the one I hatedmost: anger. It wasn’t even directed at him or what had happened. It was just there, simmering with no purpose.
I’d never known what to expect with Roman, so when he offered me a tight-lipped smile and walked away, I wasn’t all that surprised.
“I’m so sorry,” Sen said from behind me. “I didn’t know he was coming until this morning.”
I drained my glass and turned around. “Don’t be sorry, man. I told you I don’t care if he comes.”
The way he looked at me was annoying, mainly because it wasn’t the first time. He’d asked about the situation a couple of times, and he never seemed to believe me when I said I’d moved past it.
Grabbing two glasses, I offered one to him. “Don’t start this again.”
“Not starting anything.”
“Good. Let’s go outside and party like it’s 1999.”
“We weren’t born yet.”
I laughed and put a hand on his back to guide him outside. Having this many people at my house wasn’t something I’d ever done, and honestly, I probably wouldn’t do it again. It was a special occasion, though, and it deserved a celebration. Once we started the games, there’d be no more champagne or late nights. The only option was to be on our shit.
“How’s the fiancé?” I asked.
“Both insane and loveable, as always.”
“I assumed as much. I’ve never heard you complain about him in any serious way. That’s true love for you, I guess.”
