Page 61 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
“Don’t.”
“What?”
His eyes met hers. “I like having you here.”
With those words, her heart stopped beating, blood stopped flowing to her limbs, and her entire body stilled. “Why?”
“Does there have to be a reason? Cass, two years ago you were my best friend in the entire world.”
“Even more so than Jesse?” She poked his stomach.
“Just don’t tell him. I’m serious, though. Every day I wake up terrified you’re going to cut me off again. I don’t think I can go through another two years like that.”
A sigh worked out of her.Honesty, Cass. Honesty.“Rome… I didn’t cut you off.”
“But—”
She put a finger to his lips. “I cut myself off. You say you wake up every day terrified of losing me again, but I have opened my eyes every morning since that day thinking parts of me were slipping away.”
“But you’re right here. All of you. I see it.”
“I know. It’s taken me a long time to see it too. I didn’t lose myself, I only covered everything in the thick black sludge of anxiety. But I feel like I’m on the other side now. Like there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel—and a bunch more clichés. I’m a walking meme.” She laughed.
“Cass, I think I’m…”
She peered up at him, her heart pounding at her confessions. “What are you?”
He shook his head and rested his chin on her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter.”
It did. Anything he had to say mattered to her, but she wouldn’t push. A question sat on the tip of her tongue. Why did he give her the chocolates? The words didn’t come as she relaxed into him, wrapping her arms around his back.
He returned the hug, tilting his cheek against the top of her head. She’d never quite realized how important Roman Sullivan was to her until she went without his friendship. She’d been blind to how much her issues hurt the people around her.
Not anymore.
Roman’s breath ruffled her hair as he rubbed circles on her back. He pressed a kiss to her temple as he drifted off to sleep.
* * *
The next time Cassie woke,sunlight streamed into the room. A heavy weight held her down. Roman’s arm. A smile curved her lips as she looked into his sleeping face. His blond hair sat messy on his head, and a bit of drool crusted at the corner of his mouth.
A clearing throat had her jerking her head up.
Both Jesse and her father stood in the doorway. Her father’s face was calm, but Jesse looked ready to murder someone. Kicking the blankets off her legs, Cassie scrambled out from underneath Roman’s arm.
He still didn’t wake.
Her dad turned and left the room, but Jesse continued to stare, his gaze burning into Cassie.
“I can explain.” As soon as the words left her mouth, anger welled up in her. “You know what? Actually, I don’t have to explain anything to my brother, so stop looking like such a disappointed parent.” She stormed past him, hoping he wouldn’t follow.
But it was probably better for him to take his frustrations out on her instead of Roman.
She kicked her bedroom door shut, but Jesse’s foot stopped it from closing.
“Did you spend the night with him?” His eyes narrowed as he prowled into her room.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s sick.” She scowled. “I was taking care of him because I’m his friend.”
