“Honestly, I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “She’s been so stressed and overwhelmed. Her moods are unpredictable.”
“So no.” I rub the back of my neck.
Nick starts massaging me, and I turn to kiss his hand in thanks. Matthew looks between us and shrugs. “I’ll try, but you have to do the asking. Whichever one of you wants to tackle her.”
“I’ll do it.” Roman offers.
Heads turn to face him. He shrugs. “We had the worst … end. If she says yes to me, it means it’s really okay. I won’t lose sight of the focus.”
I blink at him. Gunner shakes his head. “No, Roman. You know she’ll say no.”
“It’s the only time he’s raised his voice at a woman,” Nick whispers in my ear. “She didn’t tell him. She told all of us. Not him. She tried to ghost him until Roman happened to see her and Matthew out together.”
I look back at Nick, then to Roman. Always carefully composed, emotionally stable Roman. I can’t imagine him yelling. I can’t imagine him crying. Not because heartbreak avoids the handsome and wealthy, but because of who Roman is.
He swallows hard. “I can and will do it.”
Matthew stands and shakes Roman’s hand. “Deal.”
Matthew looks at me again, shakes his head, then hesitates. “No hookers at the bachelor party. It should go without saying. Strippers, fine. No hookers.”
With that, he walks out. Gunner clears his throat, then walks away, just leaves. Nick makes some excuse about work, and Holden just disappears. I walk to Roman as he sits down, then I sit on his lap, holding his palm in my hand.
“There’s a lot I don’t know.”
“You don’t need to know, Bambina.” His voice is hollow.
“But I know I love you. I know that I’m staying and if anything changes, at all in the world. If anything apocalyptic happens, and my feelings change.” I tighten my hold on his hand. “I will still love you and respect you.”
He swallows the lump in his throat and presses his forehead to mine. “I don’t want to imagine your feelings towards us changing. Any of us.”
“I know.” I smile. “And it would take a lot for that to happen. None of you have killed people out of combat, right? No giant skeletons in the closet?”
“No.” He shakes his head.
“No baby mommas or evil twins or crazy soap opera shenanigans that are going to rear up?” I ask, my nose brushing his.
He shakes his head again. “No, Bambina.”
“I love you all. Each of you separately and together.” I kiss him softly. “But I understand that this may be asking too much.”
“You’re not asking. I’m insisting. And I’m going to do this. Hard or not, you’re worth it.”
“Not to brag, but your grandma said I’m wifey material.”
He laughs and kisses me again, softly. “You are. And maybe we can talk about that in the future … as a group.”
“As a group.” I agree.
Roman kisses my shoulder, and then he has to surrender me for lunch with my parents. The guys promise not to forget about me for the few hours I’m gone, and I drive over to my parents’ house.
I sit outside for a second, just staring at the steering wheel. Is it possible that everything is coming together for me? In a relationship, that’s against the norm but works so well for me. I’m in love. I have a good job. My parents are possibly getting back together, and I’m talking to both of them without yelling or hanging up the phone.
Chewing my bottom lip, I hesitate to leave the car. At this moment, everything is perfect, and I don’t want to think, not for even a moment, that it’s going to change.
After taking a deep breath, I head up and find my parents with a full meal prepared. My mom laughs and pats my dad’s chest before kissing him softly. He gives her his thousand-watt smile, and I lean against the door frame, not wanting to interrupt for the moment.
This is everything I wanted growing up. Being loved on and respected as a partner and my parents having a happy and healthy marriage. Dad looks over at me and blushes. “Sophie! I didn’t hear you come in.”