Anger. Defensiveness.All emotions Ashley would exhibit if I ever went near her phone. If I ever happened to glance at her phone when an incoming call came through she would start yelling and screaming at me. If she’d had a really bad day it wasn’t out of the realms of possibility for her to start slapping me. I would stand there and just wait for her to get it out of her system. All my attempts to de-escalate the situation were met with tears and a cry that I didn’t trust her. I just put it down to wanting privacy, not thinking anything more of it. It’s only now that I realise why she never wanted me near her messages.
The banging on the door increased, until George emerged from the bathroom down the hall and flung it open.
‘What in the everliving—’ His words died in his throat. ‘You,’he said in disbelief.
Fallon and I both turned our heads to peer at the front door. My brother stood in a red flannel shirt and faded blue jeans, his 6 foot four frame taking up almost the entire doorway.
‘You,’ Rosie breathed.
39
FALLON
Iwinced when I heard the volume at which Rosie voiced her displeasure at being held up by George. I peered around the corner to see his mountain-like frame blocking the front door. A frown creased Oliver’s forehead as he peered over the sofa with me to watch everything unfold.
All the happiness from a moment ago seemed to have evaporated. I still wasn’t sure why Oliver had made a big deal about answering my phone for me. I was constantly leaving things open or lying about in random spots. It should probably bother me given Charlie had taken advantage of this to screw me over, but I trusted Oliver. So him answering a call from my best friend didn’t bother me in the slightest. But I was deeply curious about why it seemed to worry him so much. I’d never seen Oliver nervous before, but he’d watched me like a hawk. Surveying every expression I made, almost like he was preparing for me to get mad.
That’s why I’d reached out to grab his hand—to calm whatever racing thoughts were causing him to stress. Although, my motives weren’tentirelyselfless. I wasdesperate to feel Oliver, touch him in some way. The two of us had been dancing around each other, always pulling back before we tumbled over the edge.
I knew I was the reason for all the hesitation. Iaskedhim to pretend that night never happened. I was the one who wanted to focus solely on the book and not let sex get in the way.
But the longer I spent around Oliver, the more that sinking feeling started to creep up my spine.
Every time he got close, the heat from his body turning my brain to mush; I wanted to fuck every reason for holding back and leap of that ledge with him. But a small voice in the back of my head stopped me.
It was the same voice that sat on my shoulder in the morning, commenting on the outfit I wore. The same cruel sneer that berated me for having so much sugar in my coffee. Only this time I couldn’t bat away those thoughts as easily as I used to. The unwelcome words came every time Oliver glanced at me, every time he put his hands on me.
This man is stunning, from head to toe. You’re nothing more than a blob of flesh. Why would he even want to be with you? It won’t last forever, you’re the girl guys have fun with. The one they joke about with their mates.
I had become an expert at ignoring those voices, but it was getting harder and harder… because a large part of mebelievedthem.
So, we needed to keep things professional.
And that would start with getting the hell out of this house. Oliver calling Rosie would be my saving grace. I’d grab my stuff, waltz out the door, and we could go back to focusing on work.
‘I have a crazy mother and a hoard of ageing witches at my disposal, so if you don’t let me in right now, I’ll cast everycurse imaginable at you. And trust me… you don’t want to get haunted by a hundred-pound hamster.’
Oliver’s face scrunched up and he turned his head to look at me.
‘Hundred-pound hamster?’ he whispered.
My shoulders shook from my suppressed laughter. ‘It’s a long story.’ I breathed. When Oliver only continued to look at me expectantly, I relented. ‘When we were at university, Rosie’s mum was convinced she was being haunted by the ghost of Rosie’s pet hamster she had when she was ten. The thing lived for two weeks, and ever since, Louise has been convinced it was her fault it died. For the first few weeks at Uni, Rosie would get frantic calls from her mum saying that there was something in the attic. Something that sounded like a hamster running on a wheel. She was so convinced it was the ghost of Midge that she performed several weird rituals to get it to leave.’
Oliver’s lips twitched in amusement. ‘Was it really the ghost of Midge?’
‘The ghost of Midge turned out to be a family of squirrels who had made a home in her insulation.’
Oliver’s head tipped back on a laugh. I smiled, warmth swirling in my veins at hearing his laugh that was like melted chocolate.
‘How’d you even get this address?’ George snapped. He was completely immovable. Apparently not worried in the slightest about being haunted by rodents.
‘Oliver-motherfucking-Blake, get out here and call off your damn guard dog.’ Came a holler, unrepentantly revealing her nickname for him.
I clambered off the sofa. ‘I should probably go and rescue him.’
Oliver heaved a sigh, ‘You’re probably right. I’d hate for Rosie’s mum to turn him into a toad.’
We reached Rosie just in time because I could see my friend getting red-faced, eyes brimming with angry tears as she stared down George, both hands on her hips. George stared back at her, completely unaffected.
