Page 3 of Romeo

The surprise on her face would’ve amused me under different circumstances. Tonight, it only confirmed what I already knew.

Some little asshole had hurt her.

She blew out a breath and answered, “Joseph Higgins. He said he wanted to take me to the dance. But when I waved to him, he ignored me, and then I saw him escort Amy into the dance. I couldn’t believe it. I thought he liked me.”

Joseph Higgins.

I committed the name to memory.

“Want me to beat him up?”

Fiona smirked. “No. What’s the use? It won’t make any difference. It just hurts, ya know. I thought we were friends. I wasn’t asking for anything special. Just to go to a dance with someone I thought liked me.”

The little bastard had asked her to go with him, left her sitting outside alone, then walked another girl through the doors where Fiona could see him.

I’d disliked people for considerably less.

“You deserve special, Fiona. Even from where I’m sitting, I can see that. Don’t let one boy’s mistake stop you from dreaming of your happily ever after.”

She sniffed.

“Do girls like me ever get a happily ever after, Rome?”

The question wiped away every smartass response that normally came so easily.

I didn’t know what she meant by girls like her. Josie had told me enough to know Fiona had survived things no child should have had to survive, but I didn’t know the details.

I knew one thing.

Whatever had convinced her she belonged in a different category from everyone else needed to be proven wrong.

“Oh yes, sweet girl. Somewhere out there is your happily ever after, and when you are ready, he will be waiting for you. I know it.”

Fiona nodded, then leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.

“Thank you for that. I needed to hear it.”

“Anytime.”

She wiped beneath her eyes as she stood and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.

I remained on the couch for a moment after the door closed.

Somewhere out there.

That had been a careful choice of words.

Telling a seventeen-year-old girl I’d met less than an hour ago that some ridiculous family instinct had me convinced I was her future seemed like an excellent way to frighten her and earn myself a conversation with every protective man in Rosewood.

Still, I’d meant what I told her.

Someone would be waiting when she was ready.

I already knew who.

I stood and crossed to the tall windows overlooking the dark Shenandoah Mountains. The glass reflected the room behind me, including the shadow near the hallway where my cousin had apparently been listening.

“Never in my life have I ever been so disgusted with my sex.”