Suddenly, he was all serious, and his seriousness made her chest feel tight. This, right here, was why she had to be more vigilant.
“I have popcorn and Reese’s Pieces,” he said, quickly changing topics.
Her breath caught. Okay, maybe she could take him home. The last time she’d had chocolate-coated peanut butter candies and popcorn was in a movie theater with Roman.
Her salivary glands seemed to be working overtime.
He remembered.
Remembered how she’d liked her popcorn.
She prided herself on her ability to teach her brain to recall details and fine print. It came in extra handy when she had a divorcee bending their reality and twisting the truth. Sadie excelled at catching the little lies so she could bend them back in the favor of her client.
People didn’t usually remember much about her though. Not the little things.
“Like I said.” Gently, ever, ever so gently, he said, “Details are important.”
The moment hung between them like time hadn’t moved at all. They were still the same two people they’d been all those years ago. Sadie glanced away, but she couldn’t help it—she was a glutton for Roman—so she slid her gaze back to him.
Roman had not looked away.
Why did that make Sadie’s stomach tighten the knots she’d been living with since they saw each other last?
Roman lightly pressed his palm against the small of her back, drawing her back to reality. “I know you’re not ready right now, but when you are, I’ll be here.”
The touch wasn’t intrusive. It didn’t seem to be a claiming gesture. What it was? It seemed like Roman knew she was lost in her own mind and he was pulling her free.
“How many batches do we need to make?” His hand trailed along her shirt before he shoved it in his pocket.
She missed his touch immediately. She swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. “I think we should do two or three.”
He nodded and went back to measuring spirits.
The filter she’d gotten so used to in her life—the one that made everything seem foggy—started to drift down like the final curtain at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. It was normal for her to embrace the fog, but this time, she didn’t want that to happen.
Chapter Eighteen
Roman had just been one of the girls that night, hanging out with Anna, Heather, and Sadie—Marlee had headed home with Luke earlier in the night. Brek had made last call and Eli’d sent them all home so he could head home, too.
Sadie was now pulling into the parking lot of his apartment complex. From the passenger seat, he drank her in.
Roman understood true beauty.
It wasn’t the supermodel in front of a white wall with loads of cameras around her. No, true beauty was silence on a battlefield. True beauty was that thing film and Louise couldn’t capture but tried.
True beauty was emotion.
True beauty was Sadie.
“Thanks for the lift,” he said.
Sadie maneuvered into a parking spot. “No problem.”
“I had a good time tonight.” Roman turned in his seat to better face her. “Who knew girls’ night was so fun?”
She smiled. “You were an interesting addition to our evening.”
The glow of the streetlamp created a halo of light in Sadie’s sedan. He reached for her and trailed his fingertip across her cheek.
