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“No, Brandon. I’m like his family,” I respond firmly. I don’t care what he thinks about Roman and I, but there’s no way I’ll let him diminish my relationship with Leo just because I used to be his nanny.
“And you don’t think you’re moving too quickly with all this?”
“No. I don’t.” I tilt my chin stubbornly. “Do you, Roman?”
Roman shakes his head. “It feels right to me. I wouldn’t expect Madison to do all the heavy lifting, but she and Leo have a bond I never expected, and I’m certainly not brave enough to come between that. Are you?”
Brandon surrenders with raised hands. “Okay. I don’t get it, but fine.”
“I think it’s sweet.” Chloe smiles at me. “Madison was always so caring and maternal, even back in college with our friends. She was always the first to check in on us, make sure we weren’t falling behind with any work. Make sure we were stocked up on grilled cheese. And it’s obvious that Leo adores her.”
Roman lies on his side and takes my hand, kissing the knuckles softly. “I can believe that. We’re both lucky to have her.”
My stomach swoops, heart melting. “Oh, you guys are making me blush.” And then I catch Leo struggling to pick up a gigantic rock, a second away from dropping it on his toes, and I hop up before the compliments can really set in. “Wait, Leo!”
They chuckle as I dash off.
CHAPTER31
Roman
o o o
Anew wave of bliss washes over me as I watch Madison and Chloe build sandcastles with Leo by the water. This is all I ever wanted for him: a family, a life. But I was always so afraid before. I can’t even remember why now. I find myself wanting the whole world to know how blessed I am to have both a son and a girlfriend who have turned my life around.
I must be grinning like an idiot because the weight of Brandon’s watchful gaze presses down on me. He continues to scrutinize me as he grabs a pretzel from Madison’s carefully thought-out snack mix and then claps the salt from his fingers. “You’re, like, seriously whipped, aren’t you? I didn’t see it before… but yikes, man. You’re in trouble.”
A chuckle bubbles from me as I sip warm coffee from our shared flask. “Yup.”
I follow his softened gaze to Chloe. Leo has already warmed to her, almost as much as with Madison, and now they hold hands as they search for pebbles and shells to decorate the sandcastle with.
“Hate to break it to you, but so are you.”
“That’s my fiancée, man.” His eyes sparkle, and for once, I know exactly how he feels. Love always seemed so out of reach before, like it was made for everyone but me. I supported Brandon and his gross, gooey feelings for Madison’s best friend, but I didn’t truly understand them — until now.
Now, I am gross and gooey… and I like it. Get a grip, Roman.
I still feel like I’m walking on eggshells in talking about Madison, but I try anyway. “We both got lucky.”
Immediately, he shoots me deadly daggers and I almost shrink back. “Do not talk about getting lucky with my sister. That’s where I draw the line.”
I elbow him roughly. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to even think about you two…” He shudders. “Just no. Ease me into this slowly, okay?”
With a wry smirk, I return my attention to the girls. They’ve taken to swinging Leo up and down as they walk back to the sandcastle, leaving footprints in the sand that I hope will last a lifetime. Even when the tide washes them away, I know they’ll still be there somewhere beyond the surface. For me, at least.
“Does that mean I have your blessing?” I ask.
He huffs. “I’m working on it.” Fidgeting, he continues, “She was so different after Italy, and I didn’t know why. None of us did. I thought something was really wrong, and I guess it was. Chloe filled me in about Elio — thank you for taking care of that, by the way. I almost hunted the idiot down myself. But she’s back now. Happy. I know I have you to thank for that, whether I like it or not.”
The kind words surprise me. My jaw quivers as I look at him, overcome with gratitude. I know it can’t be easy for him, watching me with his sister. I know I betrayed his trust, and it will take time to fix that. I sure as hell know that if I had a sister, I wouldn’t want her to end up with a man like me.
But he’s trying. He sees beyond the veil of hurt I left. He has no idea what that means to me. One day, I’ll deserve his blessing. One day, I’ll deserve Madison. I make that vow to myself.
For once, I take the modest route, feeling suddenly and uncharacteristically timid. I’m not worthy of taking credit for Madison’s strength. “She would’ve bounced back with or without me. She has you, too, and she knows that. And even if she didn’t, she’s strong. Brave.”
“But you were there for her when I couldn’t be, with that Elio asswipe. I saw even then, by the fountain, that she trusted you in a way she can’t trust me. Just… please, Ro, don’t break that trust. She needs someone good for her. Someone who won’t hurt her. Someone to rely on.” When he swallows, it seems to get stuck in his throat. “She always wanted a family like this. With Dad checked out, we both always felt a little incomplete as kids. If you’re going to do this, I need you to promise that you’ll give her that, and permanently. If you break her heart, I won’t be able to forgive you again. We’ll be done for good.”
