Page 17 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
Suddenly, it wasn’t so much fun making Roman uncomfortable. Suddenly, it seemed cruel.
Just tell me why.He wasn’t just acting like he cared, he really did.
She sat down on the bed next to Jesse and leaned into him. “I’m going to try harder.”
“I think you’re hurting him, Cass, and Rome isn’t easily hurt. He acts like nothing matters. His parents have abandoned him for years, but I don’t think that affected him as much as losing you.”
She’d lost him too. It may have seemed like her fault, but she couldn’t control the emotions raging inside her. For two years, anxiety controlled her every move.
Jesse hugged her to his side as her door burst open and the twins ran in. Will jumped onto the bed, talking a mile a minute, while Eli hung back.
“Calm down, kiddo.” Cassie laughed as she pulled Will onto her lap. The boys always put a smile on her face. She rested her cheek against his curls. “What are you two so excited about?”
Eli climbed up. “We get to sleep over at our friend’s all weekend.”
“All weekend?” Cassie looked to Jesse in question.
Will nodded. “Dad is going on a plane.”
As if on cue, their dad appeared in the doorway and gave them a small smile. “Hey, kids.”
“You’re going out of town, Dad?” Cassie met his tired gaze.
“Last minute client emergency.” He sighed. “I wish I didn’t have to go. Pittsburgh is not what I’d call a vacation. Will and Eli are staying at the Jensen’s. Mary arranged it. Will you three be okay here alone for a few nights?”
Jesse and Cassie shared a look before nodding.
“Rome,” Jesse hollered. “Get in here.”
Roman stepped around their dad on his way in. “What’s going on?”
“Dad’s leaving for the weekend. Think you can behave while he’s away?”
Roman’s lips twitched as he nodded. “Oh yes. Don’t you worry, Mr. C. I’ll keep them all in line.”
Their dad shook his head and turned to the door, muttering something about mistakes.
Without being invited, Roman plopped down on the bed next to Cassie, sandwiching her between him and Jesse. Will shifted from her lap to Roman’s, which wasn’t a surprise. The little monster was obsessed with the big monster.
Remembering her conversation with Jesse, Cassie didn’t kick him out like instinct told her to. Instead, she leaned forward, hugging Eli.
“I’ll miss you this weekend,” he whispered. He’d always been the sweetest of her brothers. “Who will read to us at night?”
Cassie smiled. “We’ll read extra chapters when you get home.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah.” She kissed the side of his head. “I promise.”
When she sat back up, she found Roman watching her. Giving him a smile as a peace offering, she looked sideways where Jesse eyed Roman.
“All right.” She clapped her hands. “As much as I like stinky boys curled up on my bed—” she poked Eli with her toe. “I want to get some sleep, so it’s time to do our reading.”
Will hopped off the bed, running from the room. He returned a moment later withHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsclutched in his hands. Every night she read a few chapters with the twins, but neither Jesse nor Roman seemed inclined to leave.
With a hidden smile, she opened the book to the place they’d left off the night before. She could do this, she told herself. She wasn’t speaking to Roman, only near him.
Swallowing back the nerves, she began reading, doing the voices just as the twins always demanded.
Before long, Will and Eli were asleep. She didn’t notice at first and kept reading to Jesse and Roman, neither of them stopping her.
When Will started snoring, she shut the book.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a long moment before Roman got up and scooped Will into his arms. Jesse did the same with Eli, leaving her alone with only her thoughts to keep her company.
