Page 19 of Your Second Chance
I swallowed audibly. One more breath. One more heartbeat.
“No.” I pulled away, shaking my head as an unbidden, and unrealized, tear slid down my cheek. I wiped it quickly and took a deep breath to steady myself.
Ollie tilted his head, watching me carefully. “Tell me something you’d never say on a first date.”
“This isn’t a date,” I shot back, though my voice lacked its usual bite.
“You know what I meant.”
It had become a thing between us—sharing truths that felt too hard or too strange for anyone else to hear.
“H-he was an alcoholic. I watched as he did coke off a woman’s tits before throwing a glass in my direction.”
The weight of it hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
Ollie didn’t flinch. His jaw tightened, his fists curling slightly, but his eyes stayed steady on mine, keeping me in the moment.
“He’s in rehab.” The words felt both heavy and hollow at the same time.
There were so many things left unsaid. As much as I never wanted him to be part of my life again, the peach growing inside me begged me to feel differently.
“I’m not sad about the divorce,” I added, my voice wavering a little. “But I am sad about what could have been there.”
The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable—it was thick with unspoken thoughts.
After a long pause, Ollie broke it. “Come with me. Spend a day off with me.”
I nodded, begrudgingly. Something about him made me cave, even when I didn’t want to.
“I’m not drinking. Just to let you know. New year, new me?”
His brows furrowed for a moment, his lips twitching like he was trying to make sense of me. He chuckled warmly. “Okay.”
Ollie glanced down at me. “I’ll be right back. Open your door.”
Before I could even ask what he meant, he plucked the key out of my hand and jogged back toward my flat, disappearing inside. I stood there, confused.
A few minutes later, he came back out with one of my bags in his hand and a bounce in his step.
“Get in.” He pointed to his car.
“What?” I blinked, completely baffled. “Where are we going?”
“Get in, Nova.” He smirked as he opened the passenger door for me like some kind of gentleman.
Against my better judgment, I slid into the seat, watching as he rounded the car and climbed in beside me.
It wasn’t a long drive, but every turn he made felt more confusing. Finally, we stopped outside a row of charming townhouses, the kind with ivy climbing up the brickwork and tidy little gardens out front.
Ollie hopped out, leaving me in the car, and a minute later, he reappeared, a backpack slung over his shoulder.
I crossed my arms as he slid back into the driver’s seat. “Where the hell are we going?”
“You’ll see.” His grin widened as he shifted the car into gear.
“Ollie.” I narrowed my eyes.
“Trust me, love.” His voice was warm but teasing. “You’re gonna like this.”
