Page 49 of If You Love Me

“That’s the truth. She has a real soft heart though. You just hope the person you fall for will give back what they get. It’s a real taint punch when you realize you were the only one in it for love.” He shakes his head. “Jeez. I need to stop watching reality dating shows with Dred.”

I smile, but from the sound of it, someone hurt him. Badly.

“I miss Dred! You’re so lucky you get to live next door to her,” Callie says.

Flip smiles. “She’s a good friend to have. Honest, loyal, and good at board games.”

“I feel the same way. She’s a rare gem. She’s doesn’t place expectations on people.”

“She feels seen with you,” Flip confides and motions to the table. “These girls have been good for her.”

“She’s been good for me and the girls, too,” I reply.

“We all need a friend like her in our lives.” I could try to use this as a segue to dig into his history with Grace, but I don’t want to make it about that. Not when he’s being real and honest and making me and the girls feel like part of their family.

“Ugh. I’m so full.” Callie pushes Roman’s sundae toward him and wilts against his side.

“You want me to finish my sundae for you?” Roman asks cheekily.

“Please.” She slides her arm through his and hugs it, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

I’d be worried about her eating all this sugar so late in the evening, but they’re off school for the holidays, so she can sleep in tomorrow morning.

Roman and I exchange a smile, and he digs into his dessert, finishing what she couldn’t. Twenty minutes later, we’re ready to go, but Callie is completely passed out.

“I’ll carry her to the car. It’s my fault she crashed so hard with all the sugar I let her eat,” Roman offers.

“I could have stopped her,” I argue.

“I’ll own this one.”

I quickly hug the girls goodbye before Roman scoops Callie up and carries her to the waiting car. Our fingers brush as I help secure her seat belt, and it’s everything I can do not to huff his cologne. The memory of that kiss, of his hands on my skin and tongue sweeping my mouth still feels fresh.

“Thank you. You were really sweet with her tonight,” I whisper as I carefully close the door.

“Honestly, it was my pleasure. Drive safe, Lexi.” He holds my door open while I climb into the driver’s seat. “’Night, Fee. I’ll see you again soon.”

She waves and smiles. “Bye, Roman.”

He steps back and waves as we exit the lot.

“Roman’s a really good guy, isn’t he?” Fee muses.

“Yeah, he is.” He’s the complete package.

She glances over her shoulder, checking on her sister in the back seat. “Callie loves him.”

“Yeah, she basically ate his sundae tonight, and he let her.”

“Sounds like Callie.” She leans her head against the rest. “This team feels like a family.”

“It is.” I give her a soft, sad smile. “I know no one can replace Mom and your dad, but it’s nice to have people in our lives who fill some of those empty spaces.”

“Yeah. I’m glad we moved here, Lex.”

“Me, too.”

And that’s the reminder I need to watch myself with Roman. Fee and Callie have already lost too much. They can’t lose this new family, too.

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