Page 25 of No Mane, No Gain
Olive shrugged, a hint of her earlier vulnerability creeping back in. “I don’t know. Someone safe, I guess. Predictable. Not a super-hot tech billionaire who turns into a lion and makes me laugh so hard I almost snort wine out my nose.”
“Super-hot, huh?” Chaos grinned, clearly latching onto that part of her statement.
“Oh, hush,” Olive said, rolling her eyes even as she smiled. “Don’t let it go to your head. Your ego’s big enough as it is.”
“Can you blame me?” Chaos asked, his expression softening as he gazed at her. “I’m sitting here with the most beautiful, intelligent, and funny woman I’ve ever met. A man’s allowed to feel a little proud of that.”
Olive felt her breath catch in her throat, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his eyes. “Chaos,” she said softly, “I... I’m not used to this. To feeling this way. It’s a lot.”
Chaos nodded, reaching across the table to take her hand. “I can definitely understand that. But I need you to know, I’m not going anywhere. A shifter knows when he meets the right woman.”
The weight of his words hung between them, heavy with promise and possibility. Olive looked down at their joined hands, then back up at Chaos’s face. She thought about all the romance novels she’d read, all the love stories she’d swooned over in her vlogs. None of them had prepared her for this – for the real thing sitting across from her with hazel eyes that seemed to see right into her soul.
“This is scary,” she said finally, a small, brave smile tugging at her lips. “I guess we can see where it goes. But fair warning – if you ever leave the toilet seat up, I reserve the right to sic my romance viewer fanbase on you. They’re surprisingly vicious when their favorite vlogger is wronged.”
Chaos laughed, the sound rich and warm. “Duly noted. I’ll be on my best behavior, Ms. Russo. Wouldn’t want to risk the wrath of the romance readers.”
As they continued their meal, trading stories and jokes, Olive felt something unfurling in her chest – something that felt a lot like hope, and just maybe, the beginnings of love.
THIRTEEN
Olive leaned back into her comfy armchair, adjusting the ring light to cast a flattering glow over her features. She took a deep breath, centering herself before pressing the record button on her camera. The familiar red light blinked to life, and Olive slipped into her vlogger persona with practiced ease.
“Hey, there, romance lovers!” she chirped, her trademark smile spreading across her face. “Olive here, and boy, do I have an update for you today!”
She looked around as if seeing if anyone else was eavesdropping. “Remember that gorgeous, mysterious guy I told you about from the charity gala? Well, we went on our first official date last night, and let me tell you, it was... magical.”
Olive’s cheeks flushed as she recalled the events of the previous night. “Let me set the scene: a cozy Italian restaurant, candlelight, the smell of garlic and herbs in the air... and sitting across from me, looking like he just stepped off the cover of GQ, ishim.”
She fanned herself dramatically, laughing a little at her own theatrics. “I know, I know, I probably sound like one ofthose swooning heroines I’m always gushing about in my book reviews. But I can’t help it! The man is... well, he’s incredible.”
Olive’s eyes sparkled as she continued, “We talked for hours. And I don’t mean that polite first-date small talk where you’re both trying not to say anything too weird. I mean real, deep conversation. About our dreams, our fears, our favorite books... did you know he’s a secret sci-fi nerd? Be still my heart.”
She paused, biting her lip as she considered her next words. “And the chemistry... oh my god, the chemistry. Every time our hands brushed, or he smiled at me... I swear, I could feel sparks flying. It was like... like every romance novel I’ve ever read come to life.”
Olive’s expression softened, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her voice. “And here’s the thing, romance lovers - I’m scared. Terrified, actually. Because this feels real in a way that nothing has in a long time. And part of me wants to run and hide to protect my heart.”
She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. “But you know what? I’m not going to. I’m going to be brave. I’m going to give this a chance. Because if there’s one thing all these romance novels have taught me, it’s that love is always worth the risk.”
Olive leaned in closer to the camera, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “So, what do you think? Should I go for it? Take a chance on this real-life romance novel hero? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.”
She laughed, shaking her head at herself. “Anyway, that’s all for now. I’ll keep you posted on how things go. Until next time, keep believing in love, and happy reading.”
Olive ended the recording, letting out a long breath as she slumped back in her chair. She quickly edited the video and uploaded it to her channel, her stomach fluttering with a mixture of excitement and nerves as she hit thepublishbutton.
Within minutes, comments started pouring in:
“OMG Olive! He sounds amazing! Go for it, girl!” “A billionaire shifter? Is this real life or did you fall into one of your books? Either way, I’m here for it!” “You deserve all the happiness, Olive! Don’t let your fears hold you back!” “I haven’t seen you this excited about a guy in ages. He must be something special!”
Olive smiled as she scrolled through the comments, her followers’ enthusiasm infectious. Maybe they were right. Maybe it was time to take a chance on love.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming message, and Olive’s heart leaped when she saw it was from Chaos.
“Good morning, beautiful. I can’t stop thinking about last night. Dinner again soon?”
Olive bit her lip, trying to contain her grin as she typed out a reply.
“I’d love to. How’s tonight?”