Her Lucky Charm - Cassie Cole Page 0,58

still up for it.

Me: I definitely am! Pick me up at seven?

Vic: Right on

Time dragged on while I waited. At nine o’clock, I started worrying that maybe I had missed them. Or maybe I had the wrong flight, and they were at another terminal. If I didn’t get to see Roman before he left…

Finally their group came through the exterior doors, pushing suitcases and big golf bags. Larry led the way, and I looked at each face that followed him.

But none of them were Roman.

Larry did a double-take when he saw me. “Rose?”

“Hey!” I said. “I came to see you guys off. Where’s Roman?”

Brian stepped up next to Larry. “Surprised he’s not with you.”

“With me? Why, was he thinking I would give him a ride here?”

Larry shook his head. “Roman decided to stay in town a little longer. He didn’t tell you?”

My heart swelled with happiness. I had been ready to say goodbye to Roman, but I didn’t want to say goodbye. Not yet. Turns out I didn’t have to.

“That’s amazing!” I said. “I’ll call him. Congrats on the wedding, Larry. Good to see you again.”

I hugged Larry, but he didn’t really hug me back. When I pulled back and looked at him, he had a serious expression on his face.

“Remember what I told you,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to see Roman get hurt.”

“I wouldn’t—” I began, but he cut me off.

“I don’t know what Roman thinks is going to happen. But I know him well enough to know when something has changed. Don’t toy with him, Rose.”

Without saying goodbye, Larry grabbed his bags and began walking away. The rest of the party smiled and nodded at me as they followed.

Larry’s comments stuck with me on the drive back to the strip. He really cared about his friend. What was going to happen if Roman stayed a little longer? Were we just delaying the pain of parting, and maybe even making it tougher for him when he eventually did leave?

I stopped thinking about it as I pulled into the Wynn’s parking loop. I gave the valet my keys, went inside, and called Roman.

“Rose. I was just about to call you.”

“Are you still in the Wynn? I’m in the lobby.”

“Be right down.”

His sexy face emerged from one of the elevators and he wrapped me in a big hug. “Hi, Rose.”

“I was waiting for you at the airport!” I said. “But Larry told me you’re staying a little longer.”

“There’s a big tech conference in town the week after next,” he explained. “I just decided to go to it. And it seemed silly to fly home today, then turn around and fly back in a week, so…”

He spread his hands and grinned. “Hope you didn’t want Friday night to be a one-time thing.”

I practically leaped into his arms to hug and kiss him. “I really, really wanted to see you again.”

“Have you eaten yet? Let’s get brunch.”

We got a table at one of the restaurants in the Wynn and ordered coffee and food. Roman smiled at me from across the rim of his coffee mug.

“I’m relieved you’re glad I’m staying. I was wondering if I was making a mistake. Or being presumptuous.”

“Definitely not. Did you already extend your hotel room? You’re welcome to crash at my place.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll just stay here,” he replied. “I don’t want to cramp your style. And this isn’t a vacation for me—I’ll be working remotely the whole time.”

I held up my palms. “Alright, I see how it is. My place isn’t good enough for you.”

“Do you have room service?” he asked.

“No.”

“There you go.”

“My place has something better than room service,” I pointed out. “It has me.”

“Hmm, you make a strong argument.”

“Hey!” I said. “You’re here two more weeks. When do you leave? Sunday?”

“Sunday, exactly two weeks from now,” he confirmed. “I haven’t booked it yet, but that was my plan.”

“You should stay an extra day!” I said. “That Sunday is the Superbowl. This town is crazy on Superbowl Sunday. It’s like Christmas and New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July all rolled into one.”

“I’m not really into football,” Roman said, “but I’d love to be here for that. I’ll book my flight for the Monday after.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “You’re not into football? You were the quarterback in high school.”

“That was five years ago,” Roman replied with a grin. “I’ve matured since then.”

I rolled my eyes. “Ha ha. Whatever. Even if you don’t care about football anymore, it will