Page 42 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
“Knock-knock.” Roman appeared in the doorway with a plate balancing on one hand. “I come bearing bacon!”
“Oh my gosh, I think I love you.” Cassie clamped her mouth shut. Had she really just said that?
Roman’s lips twitched up. “Well, I think I can live with that.” He held the plate out for her to take a few strips.
She busied herself with eating as Roman hopped onto the end of the bed. Neither of them said a word, and each time their gazes connected, they looked away.
The silence stretched over them like an awkward weight. Only hours ago, they’d both sat on this bed and…
Cassie reached for another piece of bacon, jumping back when her hand brushed Roman’s.
He jerked away so violently he fell off the end of the bed.
A nervous laugh burst from Cassie.
Jesse reached for the plate of bacon. “This apparently isn’t safe here.” He set it on his lap, his eyes flicked from Cassie to Roman. “What is wrong with you two?”
“Nothing,” they both said too quickly.
His brow creased. “Then stop being weird.”
Roman scoffed. “We’re not weird, you’re weird.”
Cassie stifled a laugh as Jesse stared at him like he had two heads. Yeah, Jess was not the weird one in this scenario.
Jesse leveled Cassie with a stare. “My sister says she’s sick, but I think she’s just lovesick.”
Both Cassie and Roman’s eyes snapped to him. “What?” Cassie choked. “I’m not… no… that’s—”
“It’s those cheesy romance novels you get sucked into. It’s the weekend, and all you want to do is read. See? Lovesick. It’s gross, Cass. Read your romance novels all you want, that’s fine, but don’t close yourself up in here on a day like today.”
He pointed to the window where they could see the clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight.
Roman perched on the end of the bed again and held her gaze. “Hang out with us.”
His request seemed so sincere. It was on the tip of her tongue to say no, but Jesse cut in before she could. “Charlie and Hadley are meeting us at the beach in an hour. It’s February, and the waters freezing, so no one will be at Turtle Cove. Even the surfers will probably stay home since no one wants to get into the water this soon after a storm.”
She used to love the beach after storms when the waves were still kicked up. Sure, the water was polluted with run-off right afterward, but it was pretty to look at all the same.
That was before. Now, living in the after, she rarely went to the places she’d loved.
“Cass.” Roman’s low voice had her turning his way. “Come.”
“I don’t want to be a fifth wheel.” She’d seen the way Roman and Hadley were together. The wild blond was the kind of girl who probably didn’t have to ask him to kiss her.
“You’re never a fifth wheel.” His forehead creased.
Jesse, oblivious as ever, jumped in. “Of course, she’s not. Please, Cass. It’s just the beach with friends. You don’t even have to talk to Roman if you don’t want to. I mean, none of us really do.” He grinned at his own joke.
Roman kicked his foot out, catching Jesse’s chair. Jesse had to grab the bed frame to right himself again, but he laughed as he did it.
Cassie envied the ease at which her brother went through life, laughing, loving, feeling.
She wanted that too.
Nodding her head slowly, she found herself saying a slow, “okay.”
Both boys grinned, and she wondered what kind of day she was in for with Roman Sullivan, the boy she wanted to kiss again.
Maybe Jesse was right. Her romance novels turned her into a lovesick fool… or a hopeless romantic.
Either way, she was screwed.
