“Cassian March?”
Quickly scanning her face, I didn’t recognize this woman who seemed to know me. Giving her a brief smile, I nodded and made a move to escape, but she wasn’t having that.
“I hoped I’d get to see you here tonight.”
I stopped and studied her face. Beautiful, she had striking blue-green eyes and brown hair, but she was no one I knew. Why was she speaking to me like we’d met before? “Do we know each other?”
Offering her hand, she smiled. “Josie Tellow. We have a shared acquaintance. Olivia.”
“Oh. Are you a friend of Olivia’s?”
Josie took a sip of champagne and nodded. “I am. You know at first I thought she should kick you to the curb. I didn’t tell her this, but I knew what kind of player you’ve been for years. I’ve seen you at these events with a different woman on your arm each time. I figured you would only break her heart. Then you did, and I wanted to kick myself for not telling her to drop you. But then she told me what you do every night, even after weeks of her not giving you even the slightest bit of hope, you’re still there every night.”
“Then you know I have to leave now. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Tellow.”
I moved to leave, but she grabbed my arm to stop me. “Don’t give up on her. I know you’re probably just about to, but don’t. Don’t be like most men.”
“I’m not most men.”
“Then show her that. Be that man she thought you were when she told me she could find another job, but she couldn’t find another Cash.”
The way she said that gave me hope, so I made my goodbyes and raced over to Olivia’s apartment, arriving ten minutes late after practically having to beg the florist around the corner to stay open long enough to let me get flowers. Completely out of the roses I brought with me every night, all he could offer me was a bouquet of wildflowers.
Like every other night for weeks, I knocked on her door and waited, prepared to be ignored but hoping tonight would be different. Not a sound came from inside her apartment, so I knocked again and waited as the knowledge that tonight would be like most other nights with me standing there alone not getting the chance to say what was in my heart.
Discouraged, I leaned my body against the door and closed my eyes. “Olivia, please open the door. I can do this for the rest of my life, but I’d rather us do something together.”
She said nothing. I wasn’t even sure she was there. Pressing my ear to the door, I strained to hear anything that would tell me Olivia heard what I’d said. Nothing. Not a sound.
“Olivia, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I know that doesn’t make up for what I did, but give me another chance.”
Listening for any sound on the other side of the door, I heard nothing. Disappointed, I hung my head and knelt down to place the flowers on her doorstep, like I had every night before. As I stood to leave, I saw the door open. Olivia stood there in her black yoga pants, a pink T-shirt, and for the first time in so long, she had a smile on her face.
“Taking to wearing a tux for these nightly visits, Cash?”
I straightened my jacket and held the flowers up for her. “I thought maybe a suit wasn’t enough. Is the tux working?”
She took the bouquet and held them to her nose. “These are pretty. Thank you. As for the tux, I’m not sure what it’s supposed to do, but you do look nice. I’m afraid I’m a little underdressed, though, for whatever you had in mind.”
I smiled at her teasing and looked into her eyes. “You look beautiful, especially now that you’re smiling at me. I missed that.”
“Do you know why I opened the door, Cash?”
I shook my head. “No. I have no idea. I’m just happy you did.”
“It’s because of what you said. Tonight, for the first time, you said you were sorry.”
“I’ve been sorry since the moment I realized what I did. I am sorry, Olivia.”
“That’s what I’ve been waiting all these weeks to hear. It’s all I ever wanted you to say.”
“I guess I’ve been a bigger fool than I thought. All this time, I thought you knew I was sorry. I figured you wanted me to say something big or impressive and I just hadn’t thought of the right words yet.”
“So why did you say I’m sorry tonight?”
“I met your friend Josie at the museum gala, and something she said about me not giving up made me think there was a chance for us. I don’t know why I said I was sorry tonight and not before this. I just said what was in my heart.”
The smile she gave me made me happier than I’d been in weeks. Her hand slid down the door and then she stepped back. “Why don’t you come in instead of standing out in my hallway so all my neighbors can know my business?”
The sound of a door shutting behind me down the hallway made me chuckle. “I think it’s too late for that. I’m pretty sure all your neighbors know more than they ever wanted to about us.”
She flashed another sweet smile. “Then I better let you in before they insist on knowing how this all turns out. I think it’s time we talked.”
I followed her into her living room and sat down next to her. “I really am sorry, Olivia. I’ve been going crazy without you. I can’t think about anything but you, and work has been nearly impossible knowing you’re right there in the office next door but you won’t even talk to me, except for ice cold answers when I ask a question.”
“Why did you do it? I guess I can understand that you might think I could do something to you out of anger. I would never do that, but I can see why you might think that. But why did you shut me out like that? That hurt more than anything else.”
“As soon as the thought of you betraying me settled into my mind, I shut down. It felt the same as when I found out Rachel cheated on me with Stefan, and I didn’t want to feel that pain again, so the walls went up.”
Olivia took my hand in hers and squeezed it gently. “I’m not like her, Cash. I wouldn’t do that to you. I can’t be with someone who I’d always be worried would shut me out, though. That hurt too much.”
Pulling her close, I felt her meld to me and for the first time in weeks, I was truly happy. I didn’t want to risk losing her or feeling this way again. “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t want to be without you. I know that now. I love you, Olivia.”
I hadn’t said I love you to a woman since Rachel, but those three words had never felt more right coming out of my mouth.