Chapter 33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Oliver

Take a deep breath, Ollie.

I stand in front of Amelia's door, my heart pounding.

Saying I've been dreaming about this moment for the last two years is an understatement. And now that it's here, I'm more nervous than I've ever been.

I was ready an hour ago, too anxious to sit still, so I spent the time writing a letter to her, sorting through my feelings about Misha, and what I figured out surprised me.

The only real jealousy I feel, besides the fact that she made the first move on him, is over his ease with everything—sex, kissing, dating—I have no experience whatsoever with.

Misha has had some relationships over the years. The women he brought home were nice but never stayed long. The last one was so long ago that I can't even remember what she looked like. Grey, on the other hand, never dates and never talks about it. However, I know he has the occasional dalliance that he keeps to himself.

Which makes me the odd one out.

Not that that's new .

Misha kissed her.

And did a lot more than that.

I feel like I have to compete with him, but I know I could never keep up. I even left my hair wild today, trying to mimic Misha's effortless style, hoping she'll like me more for it.

I know I'm overthinking, but I can't help it. I need her to want me at least as much as she wants him.

"This is going to be fine," I reassure myself, ringing her doorbell. "Just be cool."

Sure, because being cool come s so effortlessly to me.

A few heartbeats later, Amelia opens the door, and she's stunning, wearing dark gray jeans and a light-gray knitted sweater. Her long brown hair falls down her back in waves, her lips tinted a little darker than usual.

She did this for me?

"Hey," she murmurs. Stepping closer, she places her hand on my shoulder and rises on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. "Happy Birthday."

I think my heart just flew out of my chest.

God, she smells amazing.

"Thank you, you look… b-beautiful," I manage to stutter when she steps back.

So much for being cool.

Amelia blushes, a lovely pink tint spreading across her cheeks. "You look pretty handsome yourself," she replies, and I glance down at my dark green shirt and beige pants, suddenly self-conscious. She leans back into her apartment to grab a green-wrapped gift with a white bow, holding it out to me. "It's just something small. I'll need a little more notice next year, please."

Next year.

The words echo in my mind, filling me with hope.

My hands are sweaty as I take the gift, but I manage to give her a small smile. "I told you I don't need anything else but your time today."

"True, but I wanted to. Open it?"

I carefully unwrap the present and laugh when I see what's inside.

Silly socks.

One black pair with coding and a blue pair with yellow rubber ducks on them.

My eyes meet hers, and she looks nervous. Leaning in, I kiss her cheek and notice how her breath hitches while my lips touch her skin. "I love them, thank you."

"What are you wearing today?"

I pull up my pant leg to show her my socks. They're blue with red hearts on them. She covers her mouth to laugh, then pulls up her pant leg to reveal yellow socks with smiley faces and heart-shaped eyes.

"Looks like we're matching," I say with a grin.

"Definitely," she agrees, her grin widening.

"Should we go?" I reach out a hand, and she takes it, making my heart almost beat out of my chest.

"Sure." She takes the socks from my other hand and puts them back inside. "You can get them when we come back."

We walk to the elevator, and just as we reach it, the door opens. Amelia's coworker steps out. "Hey, Stanley, you going out?"

"Yes, we're going to the bookstore downtown. It's Night of the Books," Amelia says while beaming at me as if she's genuinely excited.

I am too.

"Have fun," Hendricks says, walking to his apartment door.

"We will," Amelia replies but looks at me. We take the elevator down to the garage and walk up to the Tesla. "Is this your car? I've always wanted to ask but somehow forgot."

"No, we share it. Like everything else…" I say, trailing off.

Wait. A. Damn. Minute.

We share it like everything else.

Why can't we share her ?

Not like a thing, but as a solution to keep us all together? If she had all of us, not just one, she would have everything she'd ever need. It would reassure me, knowing that what I can't give her, Misha and Grey can. And it would help us, keeping us together because she doesn't have to choose between us, and we don't have to choose between her and our family.

I just debugged this issue.

Holy shit.

This is the fucking answer to all of our problems. But I can't talk to her about it yet. I'll need to talk to them first. Get them on the same page so we can propose it to her.

But God, my chest feels like ten times lighter already.

There is a way to have it all.

I open the passenger door for her, and a few moments later, we're off to the bookstore. The silence between us feels heavy, so I ask, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm nervous. Like just as nervous as I always was when we had our little coffee meetups before we knew each other, with those stupid little one-word conversations."

"Our stupid little one-word conversations meant more to me than you know," I say, reaching out to grab her hand and pull it toward me, kissing the back of it before resting her palm on my leg.

I have no idea how I'm so bold lately. Probably because I know she wants this, and now I know this could have a future for all of us. So, I allow myself to do what I want and not overthink it too much.

This is our first real date, and I want to enjoy it to the fullest.

Fuck my insecurities.

We all saw where they've brought us.

The silence is back, and I squeeze her hand, hoping to reassure her. The warmth of her touch is a comforting reminder that she's here with me and chose to be here tonight.

"I'm sorry, I'm not good with words," she whispers, her voice barely audible.

The fact that she's back to being shy with me, that she's as nervous as I am, gives me a push. I can take the lead tonight if she needs me to. "That's fine. I'm good at reading your eyes. I've had a lot of practice with it," I reply, trying to lighten the mood.

She smiles faintly, and I can see a hint of relief in her expression. "You're wearing your hair differently today," she says, reaching out to push it out of my forehead. Her touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I glance over at her.

"Do you like it?"

She shrugs. "I like my Oliver more, but it looks good."

She likes me for me.

We arrive at the bookstore, and the event is in full swing. A few people are standing around, chatting and mingling. The place is cozy, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the shelves packed with books. Small reading nooks are scattered around, each with plush chairs, warm lamps, and snacks invitingly laid out.

As we step inside, I squeeze Amelia's hand, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. She looks around, her eyes wide with wonder. "I've never been here in the evening. It looks so different. "

We wander through the aisles, her hand still in mine. The electricity between us is a constant hum that makes my heart race. She stops occasionally to pull out a book and show it to me, her excitement contagious.

"Have you read this one?" she asks, holding up a copy of a classic novel.

"Not yet," I admit.

But I will, now that I know you like it.

A little bit farther down the aisle, I see a special edition of Pride and Prejudice and pull it out. It's dark blue with gold lettering and edges.

"Oh my God, this is so beautiful," she whispers, reaching out to touch the pages .

"Do you like Jane Austen?" I ask, knowing very well she does, but, as Misha suggested, I'm going to earn my knowledge.

"This is my favorite, and honestly, I know it's yours too. I may have asked Jamie some questions about you," she mumbles, and I have to laugh.

You're my favorite.

"The first time I saw you, you were reading this," I whisper. "You were in the cafeteria all by yourself."

Am I really going to do this?

She furrows her brow, a small smile playing on her lips. "That must have been years ago, just when I started. I took a book with me to lunch the first few weeks not to look too pathetic while eating alone."

I put the book back on the shelf and glance up and down the row. There's nobody else here, just us. Stepping closer, I press her against the bookshelf with my body, cupping her cheek, my thumb brushing across her freckles. "I saw you then, and my world tilted and was never the same again. "

"What?" she breathes out, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I never believed in love at first sight before I saw you. I never craved anyone's attention before I had yours. And I will never be the man I was before I got to know you." I trace a line across her cheekbone with my thumb and whisper, "You're my favorite."

Her eyes widen, and her breath is warm against my lips. "Oliver…"

My heart is pounding, and my hands shake. "I'm going to kiss you now, Amelia. But this is… my first kiss ever, so bear with me, okay? I swear I'm good at learning new things."

She chuckles quietly and is about to say something, but I can't hold back anymore. I lean in, capturing her lips while my chest tingles like crazy. The initial touch is a little awkward. But she responds gently, her lips moving against mine, guiding me. The insecurity begins to melt away as I focus on the warmth and softness of her kiss, taking her face in both my hands.

I could die from happiness right now.

Between kisses, I mumble against her lips, "You're my favorite laugh… my favorite scent… my favorite face… my favorite person… my favorite everything…" I kiss her once more. "My Fave."

She sighs, her hands finding their way to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. When she deepens the kiss, my mind goes blank as I try to follow her lead.

Nothing has ever felt this good.

We break the kiss, our noses touching as we look into each other's eyes. My hands wander to her hips, running my fingers up and down her sides, savoring the feel of her beneath my touch .

"I've loved you from the moment I saw you, and I'll love you until my heart gives out."

Her eyes widen, and she takes a deep breath. "Oliver…"

"I know about your feelings for them," I add quickly. "And I don't care. I just want to be honest with you. I want to be with you in whatever way works for us."

Tears glisten in her eyes, and she reaches out to cup my cheek. "I lo—" she starts, but I stop her with another soft peck on her lips.

"I waited two years to tell you that I love you. I let you wait for way too long. Let me wait, Amelia. I deserve it," I tell her, my hand coming to rest on her neck, stroking her pulse point, feeling how fast her heart beats.

Maybe even a little faster than mine.

Grabbing the special edition, I take her hand. "I think we both know this by heart now, but I'd love to hear you read it to me."

She smiles, looking relieved, and my heart melts a little more. "The Birthday Boy gets what he wants. Let's find a spot," she says, leading me to a cozy nook in the back of the store.

I settle into a big bean bag, but instead of sitting in the one next to mine, she sits halfway on my lap, resting the back of her head on my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her waist, feeling the comforting warmth of her body against mine. She opens the book and begins to read aloud, her voice low, just for me.

As she reads, I rest my chin on her shoulder, following along with the text and breathing in her scent. My hand moves up and down her side, feeling the rise and fall of her breaths. I close my eyes for a moment, just savoring the feeling of being this close, of sharing this moment with her.

We spend the next couple of hours wrapped up in each other and the story. We eat snacks, laugh, and talk about the book between chapters. Each shared smile and gentle touch eases my nerves.

This is perfect.

More than perfect.

It's everything I've ever wanted.

I notice Amelia's eyes growing heavy, her head resting more firmly against my shoulder. Gently, I stroke her hair, my heart swelling with affection. "This was the best birthday ever," I whisper, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Let's get you home."

She smiles sleepily and nods. We stand, and I take the special edition. On the way to the cashier, I grab another copy of it.

At the counter, I pay for both books, and as we leave, I hand her one. "Happy birthday," I say with a grin.

She looks at me, puzzled. "It's not my birthday today."

"I know, but I owe you a birthday present. And, well, it's not really my birthday today either."

She laughs, shaking her head.

We walk to the car, the night air cool and crisp. On the drive home, more than once, I reach for her hand, bringing it to my lips to kiss the back of it. I'm already addicted to the feel of her on my lips, the taste of her skin.

When we arrive at our building, we take the elevator up to her floor with me holding her hand the entire way. We come to a stop in front of her door, and my nerves pick up again.

This night has been everything I hoped for and more.

I don't want it to end already.

"Thank you… for tonight."

She looks up at me, her eyes shining with happiness and something deeper, something that mirrors the longing in my own heart. "I had a lot of fun."

We don't make a move to part, both of us lingering .

I can't bear to let this end without one last kiss.

Leaning in slowly, I almost grin when our lips meet, the kiss soft. Her lips respond to mine with a sweetness that makes my heart race. I can feel the warmth of her breath, the slight tremble in her touch as she holds onto me.

When we part, I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against my chest. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I breathe in the scent of her hair.

"Goodnight, my Fave," I whisper, letting all the affection and promise I feel flow through my words.

She snuggles into my embrace for a moment, then turns her head to look up at me with a sweet smile, her chin resting on my chest. "Goodnight."

Reluctantly, she steps back and slips inside her apartment, giving me one last look before the door closes behind her. I wait, listening to the quiet click of the lock, ensuring she's safely inside.

As I turn and head back to the elevator, I feel like I'm flying, my feet barely touching the ground. This night has been more than I ever dreamed of.

I know we still have a lot to figure out, but for now, this is enough.

This is everything.