Chapter 28 Ollie
ollie
I was in love. Endlessly, hopelessly, and madly in love with Nova Hart. She consumed every thought, every quiet moment, every space in my mind I hadn’t even realized she’d taken over. I didn’t want her to leave.
Did I fuck up and tell her I loved her too soon? Absolutely. I was only following Will’s advice—Just say it, mate. Women love that honest shit. So I did.
I paced outside her building, replaying every word, every reaction, wondering if I’d made the biggest mistake of my life or if she needed time to let it sink in. Time I was more than willing to give her if it meant she’d let me in.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Will’s number. He picked up on the third ring.
“What’s up?” Will’s voice was groggy. “Don’t ring me to tell me you’re sick. I’ll call bollocks.”
I laughed. “Not sick. After training, though, I’m going to need to call in a favor.”
“Anything, mate.”
“This is not what I had in mind when you rang for a favor.” Will held up a paintbrush like it was a foreign object he’d been forced to wield.
We were downstairs in the garden apartment. I was working on the main walls, rolling on a clean, crisp white, while Will tackled the accent wall with a deep, forest green. He looked comically out of place, holding a beer in one hand and a brush in the other.
“It’s for Luna.” I stepped back to survey my work.
“Dude.” Will dipped his brush into the green paint, shaking his head. “I cannot keep up with your life.”
“No. Not like that.” I paused, running a hand through my hair. “I told Nova I loved her.”
Will choked mid-sip, spluttering beer across the room. “What?”
“I blame you.”
“Ha,” he laughed, flicking his brush against the wall, green splattering in every direction. “No way. Don’t pin this one on me.”
I hesitated, gripping the handle of my roller tighter. “Okay, fine. I had sex with her.”
Will arched a brow, his grin widening. “Fucked her?”
“That’s not the word I’d use,” I muttered, heat creeping up my neck. “It was more than that. It made me realize how much I needed her. I love her, so I’m going to ask her to move in.”
“And the paint?”
“That’s for Luna. She’s the hard one to win over. I figure if I get this place ready, she won’t be able to say no. If I ask Nova to move in with me, Luna’s going to come, and I need a place for her.”
He stared at me for a long moment, then shrugged. “Cool.”
“Cool?”
“Yeah, cool.” He dipped his brush into the green paint again, slapping it against the wall with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. “But if this all goes tits up, I’m not painting over this green. It’s a bloody masterpiece.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I went back to rolling the white.
Will might complain, but he was here. I stepped back, surveying the garden annex.
It was cozy yet more modern than the main house.
The small kitchen had sleek white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances.
The main room was already furnished with a large gray sofa and a wooden coffee table that added warmth.
Off to the side, the bedroom now featured the dark green accent wall Will had begrudgingly painted, paired with crisp white walls that kept the space balanced. The bathroom was modern, with white tiles and a glass shower.
With its private entrance, accessible only through the garden, the apartment was completely secluded. No more awkward run-ins with Luna and her ball-gag adventures. She couldn’t say no.
Will leaned against the freshly painted green wall, wiping a streak of paint from his arm with the rag he’d been carrying around.
“You know, you’ve got to have a word with McTavish during training tomorrow.
His scrummaging technique is slipping, and if we don’t sort it, the pack’s going to fold like a cheap lawn chair. ”
I nodded, running the roller over the last corner of the wall. “He’s going too high in the bind. I’ll get him on the sled tomorrow, work on keeping his shoulders down and his grip solid before we throw him back into full scrums.”
Will snorted, dipping his brush into the green paint. “Good luck. That lad’s got about as much upper-body strength as a wet noodle. And Sinclair—don’t get me started. Keeps breaking off the mauls early like he’s trying out for the bloody wing.”
“I’ll have another word.” I shook my head. “He either sticks with the drive, or we’ll lose possession every time. The lad needs to learn discipline.”
“Right.” Will smirked.
“Already planning drills for him, but first, we’ve got to finish up here and head upstairs.”
Will shook his head, crossing his arms. “No fucking way. I promised a room, and this is it. I’m not lifting another finger up there.”
I gave him a pointed look. “One more room, Will.”
He paused, his expression softening as he looked at me. “Yeah, one more,” he said, pulling me into a quick hug.
He didn’t say it outright, but we both knew which room would be next. The nursery.