23. Oliver
OLIVER
Ithrew my case in the back of the rental car, shutting the trunk and releasing a long breath of air. It felt as if I were in a dream. A nightmare, more like it.
I had barely seen Kassie in the past week. She was constantly gone. I told myself she was busy. Living her life. Exactly what I wanted her to do.
I ignored the part of me that felt hurt and wondered if she was avoiding me.
And now, I was leaving.
Her car was in the driveway, so I knew she was home. My feet felt heavy as I headed to her door, knocking and waiting for her to answer. It no longer felt right to simply walk in.
She came to the door, her hair brushed away from her face, no makeup.
She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and my breath caught as I drank in the sight of her.
She looked tired, but I knew I did as well.
Hers was the schedule she was keeping, whereas mine was because I couldn’t sleep without her.
I had spent one night with her since that shift began, and nothing had happened.
I’d held her close and pretended to sleep.
I suspected she’d done the same. After that, I didn’t ask again.
I knew it was over, and I would never again know her in that way.
And the knowledge that tomorrow I would wake in LA, thousands of miles apart, was tearing me up inside. But I couldn’t let her know that.
“Hey,” she greeted. “All set?”
“Yep.” I handed her the keys. “Thanks for everything.”
“No time for a coffee?” she asked.
I couldn’t. I couldn’t sit across from her knowing I had to say goodbye. Knowing after I left, she’d clean upstairs and rent the place to someone else. Stay busy and keep on going with her life. That the time we had spent together would be a fond memory for her.
For me, it would be so much more.
I shook my head. “I need to return the rental. And you never know the traffic on the 401.”
“Makes sense,” she murmured.
“Kassie,” I began.
“Yes?”
I ran my fingers down her cheek. “Thank you,” I repeated. “For your forgiveness. For being there for me. For what we shared while I was here.”
A glimmer of tears appeared in her eyes. “Olly,” she whispered.
“You helped me move past so much. Knowing how happy you are makes my life better. You’re surrounded by friends. People who love you.” I paused. “I will always love you too.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “I will always love you too, Olly. The boy, the man. All of you.”
She took my hand, holding it to her chest. “Be happy. You deserve that.”
“It’s all good,” I lied. “I’m looking forward to getting back to LA. Starting another movie.”
She sniffled and wiped away her tears. “Good. Back to your life.”
“Yep.”
Silence fell, our eyes meeting. Suddenly, she was in my arms, my mouth on hers. I kissed her, telling her without words what I couldn’t say. She gripped me tight, and I tasted her tears. Then I stepped back.
“Bye, lovely.”
She smiled. “See you later, Olly.”
And I walked away.
The highway cooperated, and I was at the car rental place sooner than I expected.
After, I headed to the terminal, pausing before I went up to the counter.
I knew, once I did, they would take over.
Escort me to the special security reserved for VIPs.
Take me to the first-class lounge. Annie would have arranged all that.
I stared at the counter and the people waiting, knowing it was time.
Yet my feet wouldn’t move. Instead, I spun on my heel and went over to a quiet spot by the window.
I stared outside, the bustle of the airport fading from behind me as I studied my reflection.
One question played on repeat in my head.
What was I doing? What the fuck was I doing?
I lifted my phone to my ear after pressing one icon. The one with the heart.
Kassie answered after two rings. Her voice sounded thick, as if she’d been crying.
“Oliver?”
I didn’t greet her back. “What are we doing?”
“What?” she asked, confused.
“Why am I leaving?”
“To get back to your life.”
I leaned my head on the cold glass. “I don’t have a life in LA, lovely. I exist.”
“But you said—”
I interrupted her. “I lied. The truth hurt too much to say.”
“Olly…” she whispered.
“You said you loved the boy. The man. Was that past tense?”
“Don’t do this,” she pleaded.
“Do I need to say it first? Is that what you need? I love you, Kassie Brennan. I’ve never stopped. You mean more to me than anything else on this earth, and I would change my entire life to be with you.”
Her inhale of air was sharp.
“Why didn’t you ask me to stay?”
“I didn’t think you’d say yes. I thought you wanted to go home.”
“I was home already. I was with you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” I admitted. “It was all planned. A film to redeem my career. Then back to doing what I do best—pretending. Pretend I had a good life. Pretend to be happy. Pretend to be someone else since I hate the Oliver I am.”
She let out a sob, but I kept going.
“Except, I liked the Oliver I was with you. I was me again. And I didn’t have to pretend all the time, so I was a better actor. I loved every moment with you. Everything about being there.”
“But—but you hate Richton.”
“No, like you, the stupid kid in me thought the world was better outside, but that is only true if you’re there. I liked Richton. I liked being Oliver there. No expectations except to be part of the community. To be yours.”
“You’d get bored.”
“Not a chance. I finally heard what everyone has been trying to say. I can have both lives. Be with you and live. Travel for work. Lots of people do it. If you want me, we can figure it all out.”
“What are you saying?”
I looked over at the sign pointing to Limousines, and I grabbed my bag, heading toward it.
“Do you want me, Kassie?” I swallowed. “Do you love me?”
“Yes,” she sobbed.
“I’m saying I love you, and I’m not letting that go again. Brace yourself, my lovely. I’m coming for you.”
I hung up and broke into a run.
I needed to get to Kassie.
Home.
Kassie
I stared at the phone in my hand.
He was coming for me?
As in, coming back?
Right now? Or once he went to LA, he’d be back?
I stood, wiping at my eyes. I had been crying since he left. I felt empty inside. Even more than I expected to feel.
Our goodbyes had been painful. Awkward. I had so much to say, and I couldn’t say it. I wanted to beg him to stay with me. To tell him how much I loved him and we could work it out. I would even go with him to LA. The strange city suddenly seemed easier to get used to than life without him again.
I had wandered the house, both upstairs and down, the rooms as empty and hollow as my heart. I couldn’t figure out exactly when I had fallen for him again. Or if I had ever stopped. All I knew was that Oliver Hart held my heart in his hands as tightly now as he had when we were teenagers.
I found a shirt of his on the floor, somehow missed when he packed. It was under the corner of the bed, and I put it on, his scent still clinging to the fabric. It made me cry harder.
I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My skin was blotchy, my eyes red-rimmed. I looked terrible—as if I’d been crying for weeks.
Which, in some ways, I had been. Somehow, the past while, knowing he was leaving, we had evolved back into old friends.
Still close, laughing, and sharing, but without the deep intimacy we had rediscovered.
There were no more passionate kisses, late-night fucking, or early-morning lovemaking.
In fact, except for one night, he never stayed.
And that night, we had shared my bed without any sex.
We both felt the shift, and instead of talking it through, we just let it go—because it was easier than facing the pain.
I wiped my face and splashed cold water on it. I brushed my hair, gathered my courage, and I sent him a text.
Are you getting on that plane?
His reply was fast.
No. I’m coming home. To you.
My fingers shook as I replied.
Hurry, I’m waiting.
I started to cry all over again.
Oliver
I bribed the limo driver. It was amazing how cooperative someone became when you waved cash in their face.
“Get me there as fast as you can. Every minute under an hour gets you a hundred bucks.”
“On top of the fare?” he asked.
“Yep.”
He hit the gas so hard, I flew back in the seat as if pinned there by g-forces.
I didn’t care. I needed to get to Kassie.
To keep busy, I called Annie.
“Change of plans,” I said when she answered. “I need a few more days.”
“For?”
“Sorting through my life. I’m leaving LA.”
“Small-town hero now?” she asked dryly. “You finally figured it out?”
“You could have taken the direct Annie approach instead of all the innuendos and mumbo jumbo you threw at me.”
“I enjoyed watching you chase your own tail.”
“Well, enjoy the long-distance relationship we’re about to have.”
There was silence for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was gentle. “I couldn’t be happier, Oliver. Go get your girl.”
Then she reverted to her usual self.
“I’m still taking twenty percent of everything. And you owe me.”
And she hung up.
Chuckling, I texted Davis, asking if we could meet in the next couple days. He responded a moment later.
You’re still in town? I thought you left.
On my way back.
I forgot something.
***
I grinned as I typed.
My heart.
I got a thumbs-up and a celebration emoji, along with: I’ll call.
Then I counted the minutes. At the rate we were going, I was going to be broke.
And I was good with that.
A short time later, we pulled up in front of Kassie’s place. I handed the driver his money.
“Fifty-three minutes,” I said with a grin. “Nice job.”
He handed me his card. “Anytime, man.”
I climbed from the back seat and headed to the house. Kassie’s door burst open, and she ran toward me. Her hair was a mess, her face blotchy, and she was weeping.
She was fucking perfect.
I dropped my bag and caught her in my arms. She wrapped her legs around me, surrounding me with her warmth. Her scent. Her love. I could feel it everywhere.
I was home.
Finally home.