But then she pulls away, bats her eyelashes up at me, and takes my hand in hers.
I collect her bags, and we walk back to my car without another word.
Olive yawns, stretching her arms over her head. "I know you probably had plans, with this being the first night we’re together since the gala, but I’m beat."
We just finished watching New Girl reruns, her head resting on my lap while I ran my fingers through her freshly washed hair.
"I had the spare bedroom made up for you," I tell her, the words hanging freely in the air. I also had my sheets cleaned and changed, too, just in case she decided to stay in my bed, but with the relieved smile on her face, I won’t admit it to her.
"Have I ever told you how great you are?" She gets on her feet and kisses me on the cheek before heading in the direction of the spare room.
On the other side of my apartment.
All alone.
"No," I reply with a shake of my head, a laugh escaping. "Pretty sure you just think I’m a pain in your ass."
"Goodnight, Avery."
"Goodnight, Olivia."
Her laughter reverberates through the halls, piercing me straight through the heart.
The sound of the spare bedroom door closing behind her does more damage than I expected it to.
Not because I expected her to spend the night with me. I would never expect that of anybody. But it’s because that’s when the realization hits: I really am alone in this life, and the sooner I accept that, the better.
Chapter twenty-six
Olive
Thehangarsmellslikeoil and sunshine. Parked in the center is Avery’s sleek private jet,Jones Airspelled out in gold on the fuselage like it’s the damn Ritz.
We are flying to Vegas for our wedding.
And against all odds, there’s not a single butterfly in my stomach. Just a weird sort of calm, like my body already decided this is right before my brain had a chance to catch up.
Avery touches my elbow, pulling my attention back to the man waiting beside the jet. "Olive, this is Rhodes," he says. "He’s been my pilot since I bought this thing."
Rhodes tips his cap, the aging man smiling as we approach the awaiting jet. "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Herring."
I return his smile. "You too, Rhodes."
I actually slept like a dream last night.
Not enough to make up for a month of next to nothing, but just enough to survive today.
Or at least, that’s what I tell myself. I know my body well enough to say that with any confidence.
Avery touches my hand, and I thread my fingers through his without thinking. Protection, maybe. Or keeping up the act.
It’s hard to tell anymore.
It doesn’t feel wrong, but it is starting to feel easy and…comfortable.
More than I ever thought it would.
At the airport yesterday, I used the crowd as an excuse to kiss him. But last night, curled up on the couch after too many episodes ofNew Girl,I knew I had to call it.
