Page 49 of Dallas Rivals

“But your hands,” he interrupts softly, surprising even himself. “They don’t bother me as much. I don’t know why.”

He sounds like a man discovering something rare—something he doesn’t quite believe is real.

He shakes it off, grounding himself again.

“What about you? What’s your happiest memory?”

I cross my legs, lounging back against the straw, bracing my palms behind me.

“I’ve got a few,” I say, thinking. “But maybe… starting college. In school, being a good student was basically social suicide. So when I finally found a place where being smart was a good thing? I felt at home.”

The memories hit me like sunlight through a dusty window—bright, distant, a little painful.

“It’s unfair you’re here,” he mutters. “You shouldn’t be taking care of a ranch. You should be finishing your degree. I never should’ve promised your father anything.”

He sounds angry—at himself, at the universe.

“It’s not that bad,” I say gently. “I like taking care of the animals.”

Oliver mirrors my position, leaning back with that half-smile I’ve learned means he’s listening.

There’s pride there too, and curiosity—like he’s glad someone finally gets it.

“If it were up to me,” he says, “I’d stay outside all day.”

“Why?”

“There’s a freedom out here you can’t find under a roof.”

“Is that why you go out to the balcony to breathe?”

The words slip out before I can stop them.

And just like that—I ruin a perfectly normal conversation.

He turns his back to me, silent for a moment. Then, quietly:

“Yeah. Panic attacks. Being outside helps me breathe. Helps me sleep sometimes.”

“How long have you had them?”

“As long as I can remember.”

He exhales deeply and lies down beside me, the straw crackling under his weight.

“Think you can sleep here?”

“I can sleep anywhere,” I chuckle. “It’s kind of my superpower.”

He laughs—really laughs this time—and it’s like the air shifts.

His smile is devastating, warm and genuine, and for a second I forget to breathe.

A little joy.

A little love.

…Did I just say love? No. I meant fondness. Definitely fondness.