The Perfect Mistake (The Connovan Chronicles #2)

by Olivia Hayle

“What are you watching?” She sinks back on the couch. “Um, Gilmore Girls.”

Fave show👉🏻👈🏻

“Maybe I’m just in the mood for some terrible TV.” “Take that back.” The corners of lips lift. “No.” “I’m serious, Alec.”

“What are you going to do about it? Smother me with a pizza slice? Kill me with a pillow?” “Ballet is very similar to martial arts. I can kick you. Hard.” “I doubt the similar part in that sentence,”

he says. “But I’d rather not be kicked in my own home, so… the show is mediocre.” I pretend to wipe the sweat off my forehead...

It’s like my days both end and start when he arrives home.

Alec leans his head back against the couch and looks at the TV. For a long moment, I don’t think he’s going to answer me. “Are they… wait, is that group of people recreating The Last Supper?”

He doesn’t answer me. He turns his hand over instead, his long fingers wrapping around mine. Electricity shoots through me as we touch, and I can’t look away from our intertwined hands.

“Am I your chaperone, too, then?” “Oh, Isabel,” he says. “You’re my saving grace.”

Hehe

“Now, should I stay by your side or with your kids?” she asks. There’s a gentle teasing note in her voice. “Who needs chaperoning the most?”

“I’m imagining the worst now. What can it be? Horror? Or kinky stuff, like those smut books?” I ask. Isabel doesn’t respond.

“Kinda like that, yeah,” she whispers. “And maybe don’t say the word kink at a school event, Alec.”

lean my shoulder against hers, and this time I keep it there. “Sounds like a great hobby,” I say. “You’ll have to give me some book recommendations.” Her silence is so loud it makes me smile in the darkness. Yeah, I think. I’m screwed.

“Did you seal the deal, at least?” I ask. “Think you’re getting a second date?” He lifts an eyebrow. “If I want it, I always get a second date.” Oh. Something tightens in the pit of my stomach.

“So perfect, it hurts to look at. I’ve been in pain since you moved in, but I wouldn’t stop this ache for anything.”

“Trust me, I am in pain,” he says. “But I’m used to it by now.”

want to ruin her for all future men. I want to be the one she thinks about when she touches herself, while she fucks her boring future husband, and when she tells her girlfriends about the hottest fling of her life.

“I wanted you, too,” she murmurs, leaning her head back against my shoulder. “For months, before this.” I close my eyes against the softly spoken admission. My plan was to ruin her for all future partners, to be the best sex she’s ever had, even if I can’t be the man for her. I never anticipated that she’d ruin me too.

Things don’t have to end up the way you planned for them to be wonderful.

would kill me. You’ve become my happiness, Isabel.”

“I like her,” he tells me. I give him a crooked smile. “Of course you do.” He’s my kid. He’s got great taste.

Nate chuckles. “I think he’s worth it, though, if you stick it out. Not that I’ve ever dated him. I’m stuck with him for a very different reason.”

“Yes. Entirely wrong. I’ve been so caught up in the potential pitfalls, the ways we might not work, that I forgot to say the one thing that matters the most. The only thing that ever mattered.” He hands me the box, and I finally see what it is. It’s a Kindle. The latest model. “Open it. Turn it on.”

slide the device out of the box with trembling hands. “What is this?” “I wrote my own scene,” he murmurs. “My own fantasy. There’s a highlighted part, too.”

I press the button and watch as the screen flicks to life. There’s only one book in the library. It doesn’t have a cover, and when I select it, a page full of text appears. My eyes immediately find the...

I lov...

“I love you,” he says. “That’s what I forgot to mention the other night. What I should have said every night for weeks, because I’ve known it for just as long.”

If you’re going to ruin me, then, Isa, I’ll let you. There’s no one else I want to hurt for.”

My mouth parts on a soft sigh. “I’m not planning on ruining you.”

“I’m glad, sweetheart. But you can. Maybe that’s love, when it’s true and deep. It’s the ability to give someone absolute joy… and absolute misery....

“Try? I want to do it all. I want you with me every day. I want to spoil you. I want to take you out. And I want you in my bed every night. There’s no end of wants I crave with you.

“I want to give you everything.” “I don’t need everything. I just need you.”

“Go to business school and join the family business,” I say. She laughs. “God, can you imagine? Absolutely not. I’ll leave that to you and Connie and Nate. I love you, but we’re not working together again.” “Is that criticism?” I ask, but I’m smiling too.

“Hey, rich guy.”

“Hey, stand-up,” I say. “Evaded any taxes lately?” “Bombed on stage lately?”

Maybe love is hard. Maybe it’s destined to chafe, to hurt, to break. Maybe love comes with risks… but that shouldn’t stop any of us. And I won’t let it stop me any longer.