Page 71 of Saved By the Billionaire

“Why?”

“Because…it’s Kate.”

“So?”

“She’s…different.”

Roman rolled his lips, not particularly wanting to think about all the ways in which Kate was ‘different’. In the week since she’d left, he’d been unpleasantly surprised to realise the effect her departure had had on him, despite his best efforts. He’d resorted to removing any evidence of her from his apartment. The playbill she’d got from the musical and had forgotten to take, he briefly contemplated posting to her, but decided in the end to destroy—she wouldn’t want the memories any more than he did. He’d had Eleanor his housekeeper change all the bedlinen and give the penthouse a deep clean, to remove any last lingering trace of her. But by far the most unsettling discovery had been on the second day after her departure, when he’d gone to grab something from his ensuite drawer and had found her earrings, stashed away there. Like she wanted them to be discovered well after she’d left, when it was too late to argue with her.

Stubborn, perfect, Kate.

“What’s your point?”

“You were good together.”

He snorted.

“Don’t do that. Not with me.”

“Do what?”

Tia rolled her eyes, strolling towards his fridge and removing a champagne.

“Are we celebrating?” he asked, glad to change the subject.

Her eyes raked over his face. “I think we might be commiserating.”

“Scotch is better for that.”

“Have it your way, I don’t care.” She replaced the bottle then reached above the fridge, to where he kept his best selection of whisky, opening a bottle and pouring out two generous measures.

“So?” She fixed him with a level stare. “What gives?”

He shifted uncomfortably, picking up the drink and cradling it, staring at the amber liquid. “It was always going to end.”

Tia lifted a brow sceptically. “Says who?”

“Kate and me. We agreed on a date.”

Her snort was somehow echoed in his soul. “When?”

“A week ago.”

“I mean, when did you agree on the date?”

“A while before that.”

“Before you’d slept together?”

“What does that matter?”

“Whatever you thought she was, it changed. You and Kate had something special, Roh.”

“When did you become such an expert in relationships?”

“I’m an expert in you,” she contradicted. “I’ve known you all my life, and I’ve never seen you like you were with her. I’ve never seen you open up, hold someone close, like you couldn’t bear to let them go. I’ve never seen you stare at a person as though your whole future was bound up in theirs.”

“Stop it,” he said, sharply, throwing back the scotch and putting the glass down roughly. “That’s not what it was.”