You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 633

Patricia laughed softly, gently pushing him away and sidestepping his playful nuzzle.

“Is your brother still at Cloud Peak today?” she asked.

Mr. Padilla looked up at her. “Why?”

“Oh, nothing. Just making conversation.”

“He might be, he might not. Who knows? He’s here for work this time anyway.”

“Okay,” she replied, sounding like she didn’t care much either way.

But Mr. Padilla could see she was holding something back. His eyes lingered on her, searching. “Did you have something planned?”

“Not really,” Patricia replied. “With All Souls’ Day coming up, I thought maybe I’d go visit my parents’ graves.”

“Then go,” he said, settling the matter without hesitation.

Patricia paused. With guests in the house, it felt wrong to just head out. “But your brother…”

“It’s fine. He’ll understand,” Oliver said. He leaned closer, bracing his hands on the kitchen island behind her. The collar of his robe fell open a little, and she noticed the beads of water still clinging to his skin.

“Pattie, the Padilla family might look fancy from the outside, but we’re close. Even if my brother’s home, if we tell him we’re going to visit my parents’ graves, he’ll get it. That’s something you do for the people you love who are gone. If we were visiting relatives who are still around, honestly, my brother would probably insist we bring gifts. You don’t have to tiptoe around everything. Not when I’m here. You don’t need to stress.”

“What if I mess up?” she asked, her voice small.

“Even if you did, no one would dare say a thing,” Mr. Padilla replied, his voice deep and sure. “As long as I think you’re wonderful, that’s all that matters.”

Mr. Padilla felt something twist inside him. His lips moved a few times before he finally managed, voice rough, “Okay.”

He pulled Patricia into his arms, holding her tight.

His chest trembled a little, the vulnerability there for her to feel. “Pattie, I don’t know what I did to deserve you. Really, I don’t.”

She was so much younger than him, and yet she was the one showing patience, the one who cared for him.

How did he get so lucky, to have a girl who should have been loved and protected, and instead she was the one loving and protecting him?

Thinking about his own jealousy and foolishness, he almost wanted to slap himself.

Patricia was wrapped up in his arms, pressed so close to his chest that, just for a moment, it was hard to breathe.