Chapter 42
Oliver
I was nervous when we left the bathroom, but I’d already come to terms with the inevitability of this Matteo situation.
There had been opportunities for me to tell Dean, and I wasn’t avoiding it.
I just didn’t want to add to any of the things going on with him and his family.
When he did find out, I was ready to face it, no matter how he felt.
Part of me was glad that the doctor was coming over. Maybe it’d come up organically, rather than me blurting it out like some dirty confession.
The thing was, I didn’t feel ashamed. I had my brief moment of panic, but now I was prepared to defend my decisions. Dean knew me—maybe not as well as someone like Remi, but he wasn’t an overly reactive person. If he was bothered by finding out what I’d done, we’d talk about it, and that was that.
More than anything, I was concerned about his brother. He didn’t need more reasons not to trust me. That one might take a little longer, but I was willing to put in the time. I’d do anything for Dean, even try to get to the bottom of this resentment Blake had for me.
There were already voices in the living room, including a new one that I clocked immediately. It sounded a little different than it had on the phone, but I recognized it.
We rounded the corner, and all eyes landed on me and Dean. I saw his cheeks darken slightly, like he was thinking about what we’d just been doing in the bathroom. Our definition of ‘quick’ may have gotten mixed up with ‘thorough.’
Dr. Matteo stood, and Dean immediately stepped forward to shake his hand.
The doctor was a tall man, though he looked smaller next to Dean.
There was kindness in his eyes, just as there had been in his voice when I first spoke to him.
It was what had given me faith that he was the right one after talking to a dozen other doctors.
“Dean, I’ve heard so much about you,” he said, sounding incredibly genuine. “Your mom loves to sing your praises.”
“That’s good to know,” Dean replied. “I’ll have to stop telling her things.”
“And you’ve got your dad’s humor. I imagine you kept your mom on her toes when she wasn’t at the hospital.”
“Nah, I was an angel.”
I snorted a laugh, which brought Matteo’s eyes to me.
A wave of confidence washed through me, driving me to stick out my hand.
If there was one thing I’d learned throughout my life, it was that a firm handshake could instill respect from the moment you met someone.
In a world where people were always looking for a reason to write you off, first impressions were everything.
“I’m Oli,” I said. “Oliver Bennett if you want my government name.”
His eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh, of course. Sorry, I didn’t realize you were—” His gaze darted to Dean, then back to me, assessing.
“They’re dating,” Teresa filled in for him, sounding a little giddy about it.
“That explains it.” He chuckled. “It’s very nice to finally meet you, Oli.”
I felt Dean’s gaze, so I offered him a smile.
“Sorry,” he said, looking between us. “Finally meet?”
“We’ve spoken on the phone,” Dr. Matteo explained. Silence fell over the room. I saw him analyzing the situation, probably feeling like he’d stepped into something he wasn’t prepared for.
Teresa and Lee were watching, both of them revealing very little of their emotions. Blake had the look of someone whose suspicions had been confirmed. There might as well have been smoke coming out of his ears and nose.
Dean looked at me with a furrowed brow. “But why?”
I took his hand, hoping he wouldn’t shake me off. “I sort of found this job for her.”
He sucked in a breath and stepped to the side, letting me go. “You . . . what?”
“I didn’t want you to know,” I admitted.
“Now we have secrets?”
My gut finally caught up to the conversation, clenching in response to that question.
“No, I just didn’t want it to be about me.”
“Oli,” he sighed. “What the hell?”
The timer in the kitchen went off, giving him the perfect excuse to leave me there. He met my eyes briefly before he turned and walked away, shoulders sagging.
Well, that wasn’t anger. Disappointment? I wasn’t exactly sure.
Looking at his parents, I swallowed. “If I overstepped, I’m sorry.”
“I already knew,” Teresa replied quietly. “I just figured Dean did too.”
Blake looked at her with wide eyes. After a second, he stood and left the room.
It felt like I’d divided the entire family.
“You knew?” I repeated.
“Dr. Matteo mentioned it during my first week.”
He smiled a little awkwardly. “If I knew it was such a topic of contention, I would’ve left it out entirely.”
“It’s alright. At first, I thought it was strange,” Teresa admitted, refocusing on me. “But then I met you. I see the way you look at Dean, and if my first impression of you is that you stepped over some boundaries to help his family, how can I have a problem with that?”
“You love too hard, don’t you?” Lee asked seriously.
I opened my mouth, then shut it again. Remi would probably agree, but then again, he was the one always searching for love in places he shouldn’t. His sort of desperation was separate from mine, stemming from wounds I couldn’t think about without having to take a steadying breath.
“I knew it might piss him off, but I did it anyway.” With a shrug, I looked over my shoulder toward the kitchen, wishing I could see inside.
“Just give him a minute to breathe.”
“I know. Actually, I’m not all that worried about him. It’s you guys. And Blake,” I added. “I can’t stand the idea of getting between your relationships.”
“Sit,” Teresa instructed gently.
“But—”
“I’m telling you to make yourself at home,” she interrupted, her voice firm.
“I don’t really know how.”
“Then you’ll learn because we’re not letting you get away that easily.”
I looked at Dr. Matteo. “This is hella awkward, isn’t it?”
He breathed a laugh. “You have no idea all the drama I hear in my office every day. But if you don’t mind, it might be better for us to do this dinner another night.”
Teresa seemed grateful for the suggestion. While they said some things to each other, I sat on the couch and went over what I’d say to Dean when we spoke.
Because we would speak. If I was lucky, we’d get through it without any yelling. But I wouldn’t stop him if he needed to do that too.
We’d weather anything together, even the things that made me afraid.