Bloom [Completed]

Chapter Thirty

On the car ride to the restaurant, I skim read the statement Oliver had emailed me.

It looked like it covered everything, mentioning contracts that were terminating and a loose 'personal' statement about how Oliver felt about the whole thing but was still pretty formal.

Near the end, I caught my name and began reading out loud to Oliver who was driving.

"The partner of Mr Daley, Miss Billie Dalton, seen photographed here, is signing off on this statement as well. She works alongside Mr Daley at Daley Enterprises and is part of his loving support unit." I paused and looked sideways at Oliver who just smiled cheekily.
"For those claims of her involvement in the case, she has never been in contact with the parties involved."

"Sound okay?" He asked, eyes still on the road.

"Yeah," I replied scrolling over the rest. "Agreed. Very clear and to the point. While also very sweet." I smiled.

"Okay good," his shoulders seemed to visibly relax.

"Where are we having dinner with you Mum?"

"At Cattleman's Wharf. The care centre let her have trips out now, which is good!" His voice always cheered when he talked about his mother.

I smiled looking over longingly at him. What an incredibly sweet man, who just boned me so hard 15mins ago.

...

We entered the restaurant and we could see already seated at a table across the room his Mum waiting for us. She waved her two hands frantically at us and her two crutches leaning against a chair.

"Ollie! Billie!" She cried. "Oh, so good to see you both!" She reaches up to wrap her arms around Oliver's bent frame.

"Hey Mum, how are ya?" He hugged her back.

"Hello Tanya, good to see you looking better," I said politely.

"Oh please!" She touched her hair. "I do what I can without a mirror!"

The restaurant was right against the waterfront and we had a pristine view of the chilly ocean lapping up the docks. The meal was warming and so was the conversation with Tanya. She sure knew how to distract her son from his troubled thoughts. I needed to take note!

As the golden city lights twinkled off the surface of the water we paid and helped Tanya to her taxi.

"I can drive you, Mum," Oliver said for the hundredth time.

"No, no! You go spend the rest of your evening with this lovely girl of yours. So happy for you Ollie, I'm sure this thing will blow over. Don't worry too much. He worries too much!" She said as she climbed into the back of the taxi.

"Alright, Ma" I could hear the teenager in his tone of voice.

"Goodnight, Tanya!" I called as he closed the door for her.

Oliver wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked back to our car.
"Your Mum is the cutest." I murmured.
"She can be a pain in my butt. But you're right, she's the sweetest." He smiled down at me while the only other sound was the lapping of the waves. His grey eyes were black in the shadows but I could feel the love in them just the same. A cool wind swept up my exposed legs and I shivered despite myself.

"Let's go home." Oliver stated.
I just nodded and tucked my head into his chest as he snaked an arm around my shoulders hugging me close.

...

The next morning was a weekend and I purposely kept my eyes shut from the crisp white light streaming in through Oliver's open curtains. I searched the bed with my foot and found his own foot warm beneath the covers. I could hear someone in the kitchen, muted clangs and raps. As I slowly became more and more alter I could also hear the faint pitter-patter of Oliver's fingers touching the keypad on his phone. So he was up already, no doubt sending work emails. The man didn't seem to take a weekend in the time that if known him.