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We grew apart because of what I believed was his lack of interest in me, passing me over for another, and not just any other. Dot. While I know now it was a lie, it still stings.
In fact, this hits a little too close to my father passing me over when Mom died. While he probably didn’t mean to, suddenly he treated me like an adult, not a grieving child, and all of my wants and needs were shoved aside.
Where Dot is concerned, I need to know how and why he stuck around so long if things were really over. I don’t want to be stepping into a relationship that isn’t truly over even if it’s with Oliver Winslow.
Oliver’s deep, gentle tone jerks me out of my doubts. “Tyler. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
He stretches his arm out to its full length, beckoning me to him. I’m rooted to the spot, and no matter how much I want to go to him, I don’t. I can’t or else all reason will leave me.
“Oliver, look, I’m a big girl. You were engaged to Dot. So if things were rocky during that time, but you weren’t over, or things weren’t clearly stated…I get it.”
“No. We had separate bedrooms. I didn’t go to any of her family events or holidays. We were done.” He studies me, a frown deeply etching his forehead. “You don’t believe me?”
“No. I do. It’s just…” I have to stop being wishy-washy. “I get you were trying to be the good guy and give her time to talk about the breakup in the way she wanted to.” I nibble on my bottom lip, trying to think how best to say the rest.
“I’m sensing there’s a but.”
“Yes. Why didn’t you leave when you realized she had no intention of telling anyone you were over? I don’t get it. It makes me wonder.”
“Wonder what?”
We’re now at the crux of things.
“Maybe you didn’t really want to break up with her?” The words are needles puncturing my chest.
“Fuck, no.” He bolts upright, now standing tall and taut. “I didn’t want things to get ugly. Dot wouldn’t even talk about dissolving our partnership at the Nest.” His jaw tightens and his lips thin. “Shit, it wasn’t even a partnership. I called it that to pacify her. I figured if I let her take the lead, things would go smoother.”
He told me about Dot’s entanglement in his business, and yet I sense there’s more. In the gym, he seemed willing to walk away from the Nest. And though he hasn’t said it, I doubt he wants to. I totally understand and don’t want that for him.
“Wren, I shouldn’t have let it go on as long as it did, but it’s over.”
I nod, not fully satisfied, though I now have a better understanding of why things are the way they are. There is more going on here, and in time, I’m sure Oliver will tell me. And if not, I’ll bring it up again.
He hauls me to him, eyes dipping to my mouth before he kisses me. It’s a kiss full of resolute assurance, restrained desire, and it’s all he couldn’t say with words. He’s with me, no one else.
We kiss and kiss like teenagers—for how long, I’m not sure—until I break away.
“I’m starving.”
He chuckles and leaves me to grab the insulated bag he dropped at the door. “I better feed you before you waste away.”
While he sets out the food on the kitchen table, Jordan, my Russian Blue cat saunters into the room.
“Oh, who’s this?” Oliver crouches to pet him and my boy hesitates, sizing him up.
“This is Jordan.” At his name, he strolls over to me and rubs against my calf.
We both watch the four-legged creature weave his way in and around my legs like a maze.
Oliver bends to pet him and in turn, he purrs. “So you finally got a cat.”
His statement causes me to smile, chest warming at how he remembered that I’d always wanted one.
“Yup. But of course, Pop uses Jordan as an excuse why I always have to go to his house.”
My father doesn’t like cats, and at one time, he even claimed to be allergic, only to be called out by my mom.
“Really?”
