Page 139 of See You Maybe
“I don’t think so. I think I must be dead. Are you—Ow! James! I’m driving, jackass.”
“Shut up, you moron,” James muttered. “You must be Olivia. Thank you for the muffins.”
Declan raised his brows at her. “I may have run into your sister and your brothers’ wives this morning.”
“Just one wife,” James piped up cheerfully. “Dahlia won’t let Luke propose yet.”
“Don’t be such a dick. That was just mean.” Luke huffed.
“Again?” Declan’s question was for Olivia.
“They were at the cafe again this morning when I was getting the Friday…” She trailed off. “They planned it.” Olivia shook her head. “I’m an idiot. I told them I usually go on Friday.” Her nose scrunched. “Why did they want to talk to me?”
“Um, I’m trying to think of a way to phrase this that won’t send you running screami—” Luke began.
“Because we’ve never seen Dec so obsess—” James interrupted his twin.
Declan pressed the button on the phone, cutting off their simultaneous voices.
The phone immediately buzzed again, but he powered it down.
“Obsessed, hmm?”
Declan covered her lips, and she forgot all about teasing him.
Now, on their way to have dinner with his family, her anxiety ratcheted up. Last time she got attached to a family, she’d been doubly hurt. Olivia already liked the women in his family that she’d met, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous about meeting his mother.
“You’ll love Anne, and she’ll love you.” Declan assured her.
“And your mom?”
Declan’s tense jaw hadn’t filled her with confidence. When he switched off the ignition in the underground parking garage of Luke’s high rise, Declan didn’t make a move to leave the car.
“My family…” He hesitated, and Olivia felt her throat tighten. “More than likely they’ll…”
Declan’s uncharacteristic discomfort had her own nerves stretched tight. He cleared his throat. “They have certain expectations of me… And you…”
Olivia swallowed, refusing to let her emotions color her words. “I’m not what they are expecting,” she finished for him.
A muscle in his cheek ticked. “No. You’re not.”
She hid the hurt behind an impassive expression. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t used to being a disappointment to people’s families. “They are expecting a Fiona?”
“My mother is,” he answered through gritted teeth.
She inhaled slowly as a sharp ache grabbed her chest, her face hot. “I won’t pretend to be someone I’m not,” she managed quietly, when Declan turned to look at her. “I’m never doing that again. Not even for you.” Olivia blamed the winter air, rapidly cooling the car without the engine running, for the ice seeping through her veins.
Declan’s face was inscrutable for a minute, then his brows furrowed. “It’s not you.”
“I’m here. Let’s make the best of it.” Olivia reached for the door handle, but Declan’s hand shot out to stop her. He cupped her jaw, forcing her to look at him.
“I’m a bastard, but I’m not the same kind of bastard as your ex-husband, or even your family are.” His voice was hard. “You’ve met the women my brothers have chosen to be with. Dahlia is a movie star, and Cami is the voice of one of the most popular podcasts in the country. And Cara… I don’t even know how to describe my sister anymore.
“They all hated the idea of Fiona. Someone who had no larger ambition in life than to wield social power over those she deemed lesser than.” His fingers softened, and his thumb stroked over her cheek, warm against her skin. “They are going to be as impressed with you as I am.” Declan’s gaze burned into her. “I’m proud of you. Of what you’ve accomplished, of what you’ve overcome… while still being kind and…” His hand fell away.
“They won’t expect someone as warm and loving as you to have chosen to be with me. My family loves me, but they don’t know me. Not the way you do.” Olivia stayed silent while he clearly struggled to find the words. “I love them and would do anything for them, but they wouldn’t understand or approve of many of the things I’ve done—choices I’ve made.”
Declan looked so sad, Olivia’s heart ached for him. “I don’t know your family well, but I think you’re wrong. From what you’ve told me about what has happened over the last year, it sounds like they are more like you than you realize.”