All I've Never Wanted(36)

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m dating him, not you. Besides, why do you care if I get my heart broken or not? You’ll probably throw a party if that happens!”

“Not if, when.” Roman’s jaw tensed. “And I don’t care. You can date a million Parkers if you want, it doesn’t mean a thing to me.”


“Oh, really?” I taunted. “It sure doesn’t seem that way.”

I only said it to get on his nerves, but for some reason, his face turned bright red at my observation and he quickly looked away.

Huh. Weird.

“Let’s just get back on topic,” he finally said, still avoiding my gaze. “Look. Just consider this gift basket an olive branch, of sorts. Like I said, it’d be best if we could get along just for Parker’s sake. Though I don’t necessarily agree with your relationship.”

I rolled my eyes. “How generous of you.”

Nevertheless, I grudgingly nodded in agreement. For once, Roman had said something that made sense. Parker and I weren’t really a couple, but we had to act like one, which meant I was going to be around Roman a lot.

The thought kind of made me want to poke my eyes out, but that’s my life for you. Besides, hating someone and showing it so openly was actually kind of exhausting.

"And...uh." Roman now looked uncomfortable. "I guess I just wanted to say that... I'msorryaboutyesterday," he mumbled.

I blinked. "Huh?"

He let out a huge sigh. "I said..." His voice lowered. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

My jaw almost grazed the floor. Did he just...apologize?

"Obviously," he said grumpily.

Oh. I didn't know I'd voiced my thoughts aloud. "I can't believe you're apologizing to me." I was amazed.

"Trust me, it's not out of my own free will," he sneered. "Just so you know, I only did it so Adri would stop yapping in my ear. Tell me, was all of female kind born this annoying or do your moms teach you this kind of stuff?"

I glared at him. "And you tell me, did your childishness come free with the shirt or did you buy it on its own?"

"Your wit astounds me,” he said sarcastically. "Well, now that everything's cleared up, I'm glad we can go back to existing in silent mutual hatred."

"Wow, how can I resist such a sincere and heartfelt apology?" This time, I was the sarcastic one. I tapped my foot on the floor and stared at him pointedly. "Since, as you say, everything's cleared up, can you leave now?"

Roman shot me a dirty look, and I just gazed innocently back at him.

However, before he had a chance to take even a step toward the exit, the front door opened, and my mom and grandmother walked in. They stopped when they saw Roman in the living room.

Roman straightened up a bit, a polite expression suddenly taking over his features.

It seriously weirded me out. I was so not used to seeing him act…human.

“Good morning,” he said politely, not sounding at all like the boorish, egomaniacal brute he really was.

My grandmother, though, was having none of it. “Why you in my living room?” she demanded, planting her hands on her hips and drawing herself up to her full four feet, nine inches. “I never see you before!”

Then she turned her glare onto me. I gulped. Uh-oh.

“Maya! What going on here? He no Peewee!” Her horrified gaze swept over my tousled hair and pajamas. “Why you dress like that? Your hair look like rat’s nest! Not presentable!” She pointed accusingly at me and Roman. “You cheat on Peewee?”

Peewee? Who was Peewee? I snuck a peek at Roman, who just looked stunned that this tiny little Asian woman was yelling at him.

“Peewee?” I croaked weakly.

It was the wrong thing to say.

“Yes, Peewee!” Now my grandmother looked really mad. “You throw peas at him Thursday night. Very bad manners. And now you look like…” She paused and shook her head, obviously unable to think of a word bad enough to describe what I looked like. “I very ashamed!”

Ohhh. She was talking about Parker. In a bout of completely inappropriate timing, I smirked a bit as I thought about what Parker would say if he heard himself being referred to as “Peewee.” He would probably die.

I silently vowed to tell him this interesting little tidbit the next time I saw him.

While I silently and gleefully contemplated on how to shrink Parker’s ego even more, my grandmother started on Roman.

“You!” She wagged a wrinkled finger at him. “You try to steal Maya from boyfriend?”

“No.” Roman looked utterly baffled. “Uh…I just came by to drop off some fruit.” He pointed lamely at the basket.

Apparently, my grandmother had the ability to turn even him into a stuttering idiot. Oh wait, he already was one.

“Fruit?” My grandmother walked over and picked through the basket. “Aha!” She triumphantly pulled out the lollipops and jabbed them accusingly at his chest. “I knew it! You think cuz I old lady, I stupid, huh? But I know what you try to do!”


“You do?” Roman and I asked at the same time.

We glared at each other before turning back to my grandmother.

“What am I trying to do?” Roman asked cluelessly.