Lavinia
You got me a credit card?!
Roman
Of course. I’m going to take care of my wife’s financial needs.
Lavinia
How very trad husband of you.
Roman
That reminds me, I’ve been experimenting with my sauce. Do you want to come over tonight and taste it?
Lavinia
Is that an innuendo?
Roman
I’m always open to you trying my sauce
I snort at my phone and tell him I’ll see him tonight.
“What do we want to do with that?” Jules points at the cake.
As I stare at the pink icing, an idea flickers to life in my mind. It’s not something I’d ever do as a good girl who's trying to keep the mess in a corner and from overflowing into her life. If Josh wants to play, though, I’m game.
I grin at Jules. “I have an idea.”
When I getto Roman’s building, I stop by Ford’s apartment first. He lives two floors below Roman, in the same apartment, even though his family owns the whole building. This is Boston. Everyone knows the Everett family and the son who didn’t follow in the family’s footsteps.
Ford opens the door a second after I knock, like he’s been waiting for me. Honestly, if there was one Titan I’d have broken the ‘no dating my brother’s teammates’ rule for—other than Roman—it would have been Ford.
Roman and Ford look so alike they can be brothers. They have the same dark hair and wry twists to their mouths.
“Peppermint schnapps.” I hold up the bottle, offering it to him.
“You’re my favorite person,” he says, gratefully accepting the bottle. “Want to come in?”
“No, thanks. I’ve been scarred enough for a lifetime.”
“It’s just me in here,” Ford says with a laugh.
“Roman’s waiting for me.”
Ford leans against the doorframe, watching me with inquisitive pale grey eyes. “Is he treating you well?”
“He treats me like a princess.”
Ford’s not impressed by that. “A lot of men treat you like a princess at first before showing you their true colors.”
“I like to think I’ve learned from my past mistakes.”
I wave goodbye and make my way to the stairs, climbing the two floors up to Roman’s floor. His door is open, as always. I step into the apartment and breathe in the scent of tomatoes, butter, and spices.
“I have asked you thrice now not to do that.” Roman’s in the living room, and I watch with amusement as Sabrina kicks a pillow off the chair she’s sitting on, while holding eye contact with Roman. “Seriously? Can I get a little respect in my own home?” Sabrina yawns, stretching out on the chair and resting her head on her front paws.
