Page 67 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
“That’s very admirable of you. This is hard because I see how far you’ve come, and I never want to take anything from you. You’ve lost so much already.”
“Dad—”
“But I am your father. For the time being, I’m also Roman’s guardian. I cannot allow you to date while you’re living under the same roof. I’m disappointed you would even entertain such a thought.”
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Defeat coated her words.
“This is for the best.” He put a hand on her shoulder.
“I already told you, I just fell asleep. Roman and I are only now becoming friends again. I can’t handle anything more than that.” The lie tasted sour on her tongue. There was nothing she wanted more than to kiss Roman again. For real this time.
“I know. I just—”
“I promise.” She stood and paced the length of the room, hoping he couldn’t hear the false note in her tone. “I don’t have feelings for Roman.”
“Sit back down. We aren’t done.” He said it kindly, but she wanted to get out of the office, to find Roman and talk to him. They could keep it a secret. If Roman felt the same way about her, the consequences didn’t matter.
Until they did.
“Cassandra.” Her dad’s terse tone made her sit once more. “If I know my daughter at all, the wheels are already turning in that brilliant mind of yours. So, let me make something clear. Roman cannot live under this roof and date my daughter who happens to live in the room next to his. I love that boy like my own son, but he is still a boy.”
“What are you saying?” She sucked in a breath.
“If I find out a relationship continues behind my back, I will have no choice but to send him to his parents.”
“In Estonia?” She jumped to her feet. “You can’t.”
“I don’t want to do it. But Cassie, I am your father. I will always do what I think is best for you.”
“If you think this is what’s best for me, then you don’t know me at all.” She scowled down at him. “Roman has been there for me the past few weeks. Roman, not you.” He flinched, and she wasn’t sorry for her words. “He is the best guy I know. I spent two years unable to speak to him or anyone not in this family. Everything changed for me when he moved in. Did you know he took me to the diner last night? Or that I drove us home?”
She turned her back on him. “I’m finally feeling like me again. And it’s because of him.”
“No, honey. You’ve come this far because of you, your strength.”
Whether that was true or not, she couldn’t have done it alone. “Needing other people doesn’t make me weak.” The words were for herself as much as him. She yanked open the door.
Her dad’s final words followed her out. “Guess we answered the question about your feelings.”
He was right. Her outburst told him everything he needed to know about what she wanted from Roman. A tear escaped, rolling down her cheek as she ran up the stairs and into the solitude of her room. She couldn’t tell Roman how she felt now, not without risking losing him.
Throwing herself down on her bed, she reached under her pillow until her fingers grasped the smooth surface of her e-reader.
The real world sucked. She’d rather live in her romance novels for a while.
