Page 58 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
“Always.”
They made their way back to the table where three other guys from the team stood talking to Charlotte.
Roman zeroed in on Cassie, noting the panic on her face.
“Missed you out there,” Damien said.
Charlotte grinned. “Yeah, but you did great on the first line.”
Roman shouldered his way past them and slid in beside Cassie. Their food sat in front of them, but Cassie hadn’t taken a bite.
The smell of the bacon burger turned Roman’s stomach, and he swallowed back a bout of nausea.
The guys and Charlotte kept talking hockey and Roman felt a pressure on his thigh. Looking down, he saw Cassie digging her fingers into his leg and refusing to look anyone in the eye.
Damien leaned down to get a better look at her. “Do I know you? You look familiar.”
“This is Jesse’s sister, Cassie,” Charlotte said.
Roman could have scalded both Damien and Charlotte for drawing attention to Cassie. She tensed at the sound of her name.
He brought his lips to her ear. “Cass, I’m not feeling so well.”
Her face lit up. “Would you like to leave?” The hope in her voice gutted him.
He would have wanted to leave regardless as his head started to pound. “Let’s go.” When he stood, a wave of dizziness hit him, and he gripped the back of the booth.
“You okay, Rome?” Damien eyed him.
“Yup. Cass and I are going to head out.” He gave Jesse a knowing look.
“I’ll take care of her burger.” Jesse watched them, concern in his eyes, but he didn’t get up.
Roman held out a hand to Cassie who took it. He released the booth and wobbled before managing to walk toward the door.
Once outside, the noise faded, and all he could hear was the pounding in his head. The dark parking lot turned blurry. He stumbled, but Cassie caught him around the waist.
“What’s wrong?” She used her strength to keep him walking.
“I feel like crap.” He rubbed his eyes to try to clear his vision. It didn’t work. “I don’t think I can drive.”
“What? But how are we supposed to get home? Should I go get Jesse?”
He shook his head. “You…” He sucked in a breath. “Drive.”
Her steps froze. “I can’t drive.” She hadn’t gotten behind the wheel in over a month since being stranded with a flat tire.
He fumbled his keys out of his pocket, dropping them on the ground. Cassie reached to pick them up.
“You can do this.” They reached his car, and he gripped the hood to try to stop the world from spinning. “I know you can.”
“I can try.” She unlocked the car and helped him into the passenger’s seat before crossing around to the driver’s side.
That’s my girl, he thought. She can do anything.
