Page 41 of Forbidden Romeo

I look up into his eyes, now covered with a sheen of moisture. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I told you your nickname should be Oldy.”

“I love you, too. From the moment I saw your sweaty butt.” He gives my hair a gentle, playful tug. Then with a self-deprecating chuckle, he scrubs his hand over his face. “After everything I’ve put you through, you still manage to be one of the most amazing partners to me I could ever imagine. But… I have one more bomb to drop.”

Oh God. What now?

“I don’t want a paternity test. My dad’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with Megan or Jamie. And it doesn’t make a difference to me. Like you said, one way or another, he’s family. I don’t want him to feel unwanted or unloved by the Dorseys.”

I nod slowly, realization washing over me. “Good thing you’re no longer a Dorsey, Holden James.” I smile up at him, using his stage name that he had made his legal name a year ago.

Up until now, there had been a chance our lives wouldn’t change too much with this. There was a chance Jamie would only be Holden’s brother. But this way? Holden and I would be thrust into parental roles immediately, regardless of biology.

“Are you ready for this?” Holden whispers.

“Does it matter?”

Holden’s pause is fraught with tension. “Yeah,” he says. “It does. I can’t walk away from this… but you can.”

Slowly, I shake my head. “No, I can’t,” I whisper. “I can’t walk away from you again. So I guess we’re doing this. You and me… together.”

Holden’s smile flickers brighter and for the first time all night, I notice a bit of tension melt from his shoulders. Relief. He’s relieved I’m staying by his side. And that realization makes a butterfly take flight in my chest.

He drops his forehead to mine, eyes fluttering closed. “Lights and Rose. Romeo and Juliet. Skyler and Zach.”

I shake my head against him. “Not this time. This time, we’re just Holden and Kate.”

CHAPTER 17

Holden

Five years ago…

Ross and I were on the couch playing Call of Duty when I vaguely registered the sound of the front door opening. It was seven o’clock on a Tuesday and impressively, I had made it to class today.

Sure, I was in my gray sweatpants that I had slept in, but I made it.

Football practice, however, was a different story. It had been over a week since I’d been. And what was more notable, I didn’t miss going. I didn’t miss going to practice or games or being the star on the field.

Acting, on the other hand, I have missed like I was lacking a leg ever since we finished our performance last Saturday. McCay’s class had since been consumed by scene studies from various plays. And it seemed like she was purposefully keeping Katherine and I away from each other.

“Die fucker!” Ross shouted as he jumped out from behind a wall to shoot my character in the game.

“Goddammit,” I hissed, jamming my thumb into the button to try to defend myself.

With a victorious grin, he kicked his feet up on the coffee table, causing the eight empty bottles of beer to topple over with a loud clank.

As I leaned back on the plush, camel couch, the leather groaned in protest. Despite my efforts to keep a steady hand, my character continued to stumble across the screen.

“I’m officially drunk if you’re beating me at Call of Duty,” I admitted.

The pungent smell of marijuana filled the air as Ross took that moment to light a joint. The glowing cherry end of the rolled paper illuminated his face as he took a long, steady inhale. Holding it in his lungs for a beat, he closed his eyes and let the calming effects wash over him. When he finally exhaled, he held the joint out toward me. “Want a hit?”

I hesitated, considering the offer. Weed had never really been my thing, but seeing the way Ross drifted off into a state of tranquility when he smoked made me curious. I craved that sense of inner peace and detachment. I craved that sense of calm, that distant look in his eyes when he was high. But a part of me resisted, knowing that relying on drugs to numb my pain was a slippery slope and a line I wasn’t sure I was ready to cross. I already had an addictive personality and I was itching to smoke something ever since I gave up cigarettes for Kate.

Despite the temptation, I resisted with a shake of my head. “No thanks.”

“Have you two seriously not moved since I left for class at noon?” Duncan’s voice materialized behind me along with the slam of the front door.

It wasn’t until I looked over my shoulder that I realized Duncan was asking me, not Ross. I merely shrugged as Ross groaned and slid down further onto the couch, his eyes slowly blinking like he might fall asleep any minute. “Chill out dude. You’re not the guy’s dad. And you’re harshing our buzz.”