Page 37

Roman

“ B ring it in, Gabs.”

Nolan opens his arms, and Gabby steps into them without hesitation.

Honestly, I’m surprised at how quickly they connected, how easily my brother fell for my girl.

Not that she’s officially my girlfriend.

We haven’t put a label on it, but let’s be real, when it comes to Gabby, what’s not to fall for?

Still, I expected some pushback. When I picked Nolan up at the airport last week, I was nervous.

Ready to defend her. Ready for a lecture about falling in love behind closed doors.

But instead, I got acceptance. Kindness.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. Nolan’s always been the guy with the big heart. He’s the kind of person who works for a non-profit not for the paycheck, but because he wants to leave the world a little better than he found it. Maybe I didn’t do so bad raising him after all.

They break apart, and Gabby turns to me. “I don’t mind driving.”

“Nah,” I say, “We’ll take an Uber. You’ve had a crazy week, and you fly out tomorrow. No need for more running around.”

She rises up on her toes and kisses me. It’s quick.

Hurried. Like she’s anxious for me to get on my way and it only intensifies the knot I’ve had in my stomach all week.

After our talk, I went straight to get Nolan, and the rest of the week disappeared in a blur.

Sightseeing, theater shows, late-night dinners, cinnamon rolls from The Nook.

Gabby was busy all week with Stella, but we all had dinner together most nights.

Afterward, she’d slip away into the den to work on her designs. The ones she still hasn’t shown me.

I wanted to peek. More than once. But I didn’t.

That’s her space. Her process. Her dream.

She’ll show me when she’s ready. If she took what I said to heart, then right now, she’s in there creating magic.

Sketching gowns, chasing something bigger.

Something hers. While I want that for her—God, I really do—there’s this gnawing fear in the back of my mind, whispering what it might mean for us.

“Have a safe trip tomorrow,” I murmur, my lips brushing hers, not quite ready to let go.

“I’ll see you next weekend when you get back.”

It’s meant to be a promise. But the way her brow lifts, I know she heard the question tucked inside it. Just like I did.

“You guys have fun. But not too much fun,” Gabby says with a playful grin.

“See you soon,” I murmur, kissing her quick, like I’m afraid I’ll linger if I let myself.

“Jesus, you’re only gone for three days. Give it a rest,” Nolan groans, shaking his head like I’m embarrassing him.

He’s not wrong, though. Iamonly gone for three days. Gabby’s the one taking the full week now that her nanny days with Tanner and Maeve are officially behind her.

“Go,” she laughs, nudging me toward the door.

I smile, but there’s a weight in my chest. I get why she’s not coming with us. I do. Walking into the Hart Hotel, dredging up old memories, would be horrible for her. It would take a miracle for her to set foot in the place.

I’m not that miracle.

God, I hate that thought. What a selfish, self-centered thing to think.

Not everything is about you, man.

Outside, we climb into the Uber. As the city blurs past the window, I try to shake the unease sitting heavy in my gut.

“Okay, out with it,” Nolan says, turning toward me.

“What?”

“You’re moping, bro. And it’s not a good look.”

“Fuck off. I’m not moping.”

I totally am.

“You’re in looove,” he sings in that obnoxious younger-brother voice. I shove his head and snort.

“You’ll see her in a week,” he adds, a little softer this time.

I drag my teeth over my bottom lip. “It’s not that,” I admit, voice low.

“Then what is it?”

I pause. “Did you see what she was working on in the den?”

“Nope. She kept the door locked up tight. Why?”

“She comes from the fashion world. Her dream was to design wedding dresses. Big, dreamy couture stuff.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that. And of course I had to check out the woman who stole my brother’s heart.” He goes serious, and adds, “There were a lot of posts about the wedding, and that it was still on. I haven’t seen much lately, as it seems to have died down, but what’s really going on?”

I look out my window, the city fading behind us. “I told her she should be chasing her dreams, but now I’m worried…” I swallow, unable to finish the sentence because it’s too fucking painful to think about.

“You wonder if you might be sending her back into the arms of her ex-fiancé?”

My gaze flies to his. “Yeah.”

“You think you might be pushing her away on purpose? Like maybe this has more to do with you than her, Roman. Your fears from our childhood?”

“I…I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Are there ghosts of my childhood past still lingering? Am I still haunted by them?

“Have you fully, one hundred percent committed?”

“I…think so. I just…maybe I didn’t want to sway her. But she must know how I feel.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “Listen, we had a fucked-up childhood. You protected me the whole time, big brother. I’ll never forget that. You’re the best big brother a guy could ever ask for.” My throat grows tight. “But no one was protecting you.”

I turn from him, and squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m okay, Nolan,” I murmur, barely above a whisper.

“Are you, though?” A moment of silence and then, “Have you told Gabby that you loved her?”

“Yes…I mean no. Not in words.”

“You guys are good, Roman. Solid. Even behind closed doors. I can see that, and you don’t have anything to be afraid of. I promise you that. You don’t have to push her away, and you don’t have to keep guarding your heart like you’re in survival mode.”

“I’m not trying to push her away. If I did, I didn’t mean to.

I just don’t want her giving up on her dreams. What if I was only ever her rebound with benefits, and she’s settling, pivoting her dreams in a world that she’s not meant to be in?

What if she comes to resent that? She hasn’t been broken up that long. ”

He nods slowly, reading between the lines like only a brother can. “You’re scared. Not just of losing her, but of repeating the past. Of being the reason someone sacrifices too much.”

I nod, silent.

“What if you, and your world, is everything she wants? What if pivoting is what she wants? What if she no longer fits in that old world?”

I snort out a laugh. “Here I thought you’d be telling me I was crazy, that marriage never works out, that I should run.” I shake my head. “I thought I did wrong by you.”

“You could never do wrong by me,” he says, his voice steady. “You’re my brother. My family, and I’m looking forward to watching our little family grow.”

My heart skips a beat—because, yeah, I’m right there with him. “When did you get so smart?”

He grins, that cheeky smile I’ve seen a million times. “When my big brother wrapped me in blankets, blasted music, and danced like a fool to protect me.”

This time, there’s no stopping the lump in my throat. The love I have for Nolan hits me like a freight train, and my voice cracks. “Fuck off, Nolan.”

He chuckles softly, but I can hear the affection in it. I swipe at my eyes quickly, not wanting to break. And then, because he’s so damn smart, I ask the question I’ve been afraid to face. “You don’t think I pushed her away, do you?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “No. I’ve seen you two together. But I do think you both need to talk.”

“Yeah, we will. When she gets home from visiting her parents, I’ll tell her how much I love her.” The thought settles in my mind, and with it comes a rush of new clarity, like I can finally breathe a little easier. For the first time all week, I feel a sense of peace.

We reach the airport, and after a tight hug, we part ways.

I make my way to the gate, and as I walk, I spot Avery sitting alone, waiting for her flight.

She’s good friends with Taylor, who’s already left for Vegas with Elias to prepare for the wedding.

I didn’t expect to see her here, let alone on the same flight.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Many friends and teammates along with their ‘plus ones’ have been invited.

I glance around, expecting to see a couple more friends, but we’ve all booked different flights, all arriving at different times because of our family schedules.

“Hey,” I say, dropping down next to her. She pulls her earbuds out and looks up, startled at first.

“Roman,” she says, her eyes scanning the room like she’s searching for someone.

“He’s on a different flight,” I tell her, and I can see the way her cheeks pinken. Yeah, there’s no mistaking it—she likes my brother. I don’t blame her. Nolan’s one of the good ones.

Her phone pings, and the blush deepens. I can’t help but grin, knowing exactly who that message is from. Nolan is already texting her.

As they trade messages, I send a quick one to Gabby.

I wait. And wait. But it takes her a while to respond, and I try not to let the anxiety gnaw at me.

When she’s working on her designs, she tends to turn off her phone.

I try not to let that gnawing unease send me spiraling, but there it is, lingering in the back of my mind.

Eventually, we board the plane, and Avery is sitting a few rows behind me. Hours later, we land in Vegas, and the heat of the desert hits me the moment we step off the plane. I wait for Avery to catch up, feeling the hum of excitement buzzing under my skin.

“Grab an Uber together?” I ask, already glancing toward the exit.

“Perfect,” she replies, and that’s when I realize we’re attracting some serious attention. I don’t have a hat to pull down low, which means one thing—photos, autographs, and the inevitable crowd.

A few eager fans approach, and I go into player mode. Avery, on the other hand, just grins, clearly enjoying the show. Finally, I manage to break free, and we hop into the Uber.