Page 65 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
“Whatever she needs.”
Jesse tapped his fingers against the edge of the desk. “I have to stay a bit longer. She thinks I’m up here yelling at you.”
Roman laughed. “Couldn’t have her think anything else now, could we?”
One of Jesse’s shoulders rose in a half-shrug. “I have an image to keep up.”
Roman sank back against the pillows, exhaustion weighing him down. But he couldn’t stay in bed all day. He reached up a hand. “Help me up.”
Jesse hopped from the desk and clasped his hand, helping him out of bed. Roman stood, wobbling on unsteady legs. The greasy scent of bacon wafted into his room, curdling in his stomach. Any other day, he’d crush more strips than he should.
“I should warn you.” Jesse kept his grip on his arm as they made it to the door. “My dad knows about last night too.”
Roman closed his eyes. “Just perfect.” He didn’t know how he could face Mr. Carrigan, but the guy rarely came out of his office. Hopefully, Roman could find Cassie without running into her dad.
At the bottom of the stairs, he gripped Jesse’s arm. “I need to find her on my own.” Pain pounded through his head, and nausea curled in his gut, but he had to talk to her.
He’d come so close to telling her how he felt last night, but confessions in the dark weren’t enough.
He just didn’t know what she’d say in return.
Jesse left him in the hall with a bro-nod. Voices came from the partially open door of Mr. Carrigan’s office.
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Defeat coated her words.
“Cass, this is for the best.” Mr. Carrigan had the decency to sound contrite.
“I already told you, I just fell asleep. Roman and I are just becoming friends again. I can’t handle anything more than that.”
“I know. I just—”
“I promise I don’t have feelings for Roman.”
That sinking feeling in his gut? No, that wasn’t his nausea. He’d been heading down a path he thought led to Cassandra Carrigan, the girl he’d always needed in his life, the one who’d already hurt him too many times.
But what was once more?
He sank back away from the door, not listening to the rest of the conversation. He couldn’t. If he stayed there, he’d barge in, wanting her to repair the cracks her words caused.
But if he’d learned anything from Cassie, it was that the only person you could count on was yourself.
