Page 100 of The Temporary Fiancée
She lets out a shaky sigh. “It’s hard—going through this. I know that it’s harder for her than it is for us, but… it’s hard for us, too.”
I nod, listening. I’ve never heard Olivia talk about this before. I wonder if she ever gets the chance to talk about this. It’s certainly not something she can bring up with her mother; she’s probably just been holding it inside this entire time.
“Before this, she was totally independent,” Olivia says. “She made a point of doing things on her own, and she was so…vital,you know? She was always active. She loved to take me for walks. She tended the garden. She was so proud of that garden.”
As Olivia talks, I cup my hands to pour water over her hair. Her already-dark locks seem almost black when they’re wet.
“Watching her go from that person… that person who handles everything so easily… to someone who needs help just getting out of bed…” Olivia shakes her head. “It’s so stressful, and painful. It’s hard for her, and the fact that it’s hard for her makes it even harder for everyone else.”
“You’ve been so supportive of your mother,” I say softly. “She’s lucky to have you—you and your dad.”
“I know.” Olivia sniffles. “I love her so much. I want to be there for her. It’s just… after her bad days… she’s always so upset.”
“And you’ll be there for her.” As I speak, I reach for the shampoo bottle on the edge of the tub. I run my fingers through Olivia’s damp hair, and she leans into my touch. “I know you will. I just wanted to make sure that someone was here for you.”
“Thanks,” she says softly. Her hand comes to rest on my knee as I massage the shampoo into her scalp, then rinse the suds from her silken hair. After a moment of silence, she says, “I feel bad about feeling bad, you know?”
“There’s no need for that.”
“Yeah, I guess. But… I’m not the one going through this. She is.”
“You’re all going through it together,” I say. “That’s what family means, right?” This, for the most part, is a guess based on what I’ve seen ofherfamily.Myfamily would never go through anything together.
I know that if I ever faced a challenge like Maura’s, my parents would hang me out to dry. Shane… well, I don’t know about Shane. Maybe Shane would be more supportive.
“Yeah.” Olivia turns to me, wreathed in bubbles. Her eyes are still red-rimmed, but she seems a little calmer. Her sadness has abated a little. “You’re right.”
I finish rinsing Olivia’s hair, then climb out of the bath to bring her a warm, cotton towel. She wraps herself in it, still sniffling slightly, and I guide her out into my room.
While we were in the bathroom, the storm that has been gathering at the edges of the city for hours has finally broken. Rain pours down the windows, and as I root through my dresser for a fresh, clean pair of sweats and another hoodie, a flash of lightning illuminates the street.
“Here. Put these on,” I say gently, turning to hand her the clothes. “Let’s get you to bed.”
Olivia dries herself off, then puts on the sweats. Once she’s dressed, she wraps her arms around herself, the oversizedsleeves of my sweatpants hanging well past her hands. The sight of my clothes hanging off of her tiny frame does something strange to my chest.
She wipes at her red eyes with my hoodie’s sleeves. “Thank you, Reed,” she sniffles. She starts to leave the room, but before she can step into the hallway, I run forward and lightly place my hand on her shoulder.
She stops, turning toward me. There’s an unspoken question in my eyes; she nods, reaching for me, and I scoop her up into my arms. She barely seems to weigh anything at all.
She loops her arms around my neck, and I carry her over to my own bed, settling her in on the soft pillows. She curls up, and I tuck her in, pulling the duvet over her shoulders.
I shrug off my clothes and pull on a sleep shirt and a fresh pair of boxers. I turn off the lights, close the door, then slide into bed beside her, wrapping her in my arms.
For a few minutes, I can hear the sound of her breathing, a little too fast for her to be asleep. Then she relaxes in my embrace, calming down until she finally drifts off to sleep. She’s a deep sleeper; she doesn’t stir, not even at the low rumbles of thunder that are occasionally audible, even through the soundproof walls of The Luxe.
I lie awake, wrapped around her, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, for a long time. As I watch the raindrops chasing each other down the glass, I try to think of the last time I slept next to a woman without having sex first.
It’s hard. I cast my mind back years, and can’t think of a single time. This might be the first.
The thought is jarring, and it sticks with me as I start to drift off. Olivia’s hair, still damp, smells like my shampoo—like sage and cedar, but still with her scent underneath.
The reason you can sleep with Olivia without having sex first is because you’re friends,I remind myself.You actually know each other, and you’re close.
In fact, now that I’m thinking about it, Olivia and I areveryclose. While she’s lived in my apartment, without me even realizing it, she’s become one of my best friends.
Chapter 22
Olivia
