Of course I did. I’d have to be an idiot not to. She was smart, beautiful, kind. I think I’d fallen for her before I’d ever met her. And spending the past week with her had only cemented those feelings. Feelings I shouldn’t be having. Because as much as she seemed to trust me, I wasn’t sure I trusted myself to be the man I wanted to be for her. The man I needed to be for her.
“All it takes is a moment,” Mark said. He stared ahead as if looking to the past. “I knew the moment I saw Charlie.”
Just as I’d known with Olivia. But I didn’t say that. Instead, I blurted the last thing I expected. “She deserves more.”
Even if my circumstances changed where I was somehow in LA, she deserved someone different, someone better. Someone without the baggage of my past. Someone who could love and protect her. Someone who wasn’t impulsive at times. Who would always put her needs first. She was beauty and light and goodness, and I refused to poison her with my darkness.
“Let me give you a piece of advice,” Quinn said, looping his arm around my neck. “For a long time, I thought I wasn’t good enough for Ash. But then I realized that she was smart enough to know what she needed. And what she needed was me.”
“Just like that, huh?” Liam teased.
Mark tipped his beer to Liam, and I glanced over to where Olivia was talking with Catherine and Ashton. She’d immediately fit in, like I knew she would. She was friendly and warm, and she knew about a range of topics thanks to her extensive reading.
“Whatever, asshole,” Quinn said.
“Yeah. I think you forget that it took you nearly getting blown to pieces and a few come-to-Jesus talks with me and the guys.”
“That girl likes you,” Quinn said, ignoring them. “And she seems smart. So, pull your head out of your ass.”
“Cheers to that,” Mark said, lifting his beer to Quinn now. “Call me when you’re engaged. I know a good minister.”
Minister, my ass. I’d heard about what he’d done at Liam and Natalie’s wedding.
Quinn shook his head, and so did I. “Yeah. Not happening,” I said.
But they made a good point. I could easily imagine a life with Olivia. Maybe not marriage, not yet. But this past week had shown me how good we were together. How nice it was to have a home, a partner. And I didn’t want it to end just because I was leaving. Being with Olivia motivated me to become the man she thought I was. A man worthy of her.
“Mark!” Dean called from across the backyard.
Mark waved to him but kept his attention on me. “Did you and Decker get things sorted out?”
I nodded. “We’re cool.”
We’d had a conversation before I’d left for California. He’d apologized for his outburst, and I’d apologized for pursuing Katie. But in all honesty, I hadn’t realized he was that serious about her. He was rarely serious about anyone, though had I really been any different? Not until Olivia.
“Good. See you Monday,” Mark said, reminding me that I’d be headed back to Virginia soon.
I nodded. “I’ll be there.”
He gave me a thumbs-up before walking off in Dean’s direction.
I stood there, watching Olivia for a long time before finally joining her. The way she smiled. The way she gestured with her hands, clearly passionate about whatever topic they were discussing. She was mesmerizing.
“Hey.” I slid my arm around her waist, pressing my lips to her forehead. She smelled like sugar and vanilla, and I wanted to soak in everything about her while I still could.
“Hey.” She turned, smiling up at me. “Everything okay?”
I nodded, my body relaxing now that she was in my arms. “It is now.”
And in that moment, I knew it was true. Everything was so much better with her in my arms, in my life. And I wasn’t ready to let her go.
“You ready to head out?” I asked, craving some alone time with her. We needed to talk.
She nodded, and we said our goodbyes before climbing into her SUV. Olivia was quiet on the drive home from Jackson’s, and so was I. I followed her into the bedroom, trying to ignore my duffel bag. Trying to ignore the fact that I’d be heading home in less than twelve hours. These past eight days had flown by.
“I can see why you like those guys.” She stepped out of her shoes, removing the tie from her hair and shaking it out. “They’re a lot of fun.”
I nodded, stepping closer to place my hands on her hips. “This whole week has been fun.”
