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Rosie purses her lips but looks at me with a serious face. “I won’t, don’t worry. I’m not a stupid teenager anymore. I know I get a little obsessed sometimes, but I can’t help feeling like this is different.”
“Okay, just don’t get your hopes up too high. I’m not trying to discourage you, but he does live in Boston,” I remind her.
“I know, and it’s nothing serious, but I’d like to see him again when he comes to visit Levi. We’ll see where things go,” she says, shrugging.
“Okay. I’m happy for you,” I say again, and squeeze her hand. She smiles and squeezes back.
“So, what happened that made you take a sick day? You never miss a shift,” she asks, watching me with curiosity.
I take a deep breath and dive into the whole story, starting with Brody invading my space and my boundaries and ending with cooking dinner at Levi’s because I…sort of live there now?
When I’m done, Rosie gapes at me. “Well, I’m happy he made you that offer. It sounds like—well, like everything you need right now. But…” She trails off, placing her empty plate on the side table. “Why didn’t you come here when you had nowhere else to go?”
The hurt look in her blue eyes makes me feel like shit, but the truth is, I didn’t want to bother her with this. She’s already taking the brunt of my emotional trauma; I don’t want to put her through more and risk losing her friendship.
“I didn’t want to intrude on your time with Ezra.”
“He’s just a guy, Haze. You’re my ride or die, you know that.”
“I know. And you’re mine too, but you already do so much for me. You don’t deserve having me crash into your life like this.”
“Could be fun,” she says, shrugging.
I smile. “It’s always fun being around you. I just—I’m a mess, and I need to figure my shit out.”
Rosie gives me a small smile and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back and we stay like that for a long time.
“That man totally wants to get in your pants, by the way,” she announces later when I’m ready to leave.
“Why would he? Mess, remember?” I say, pointing at myself.
“Hot mess.” She grins, giving me a wink.
I snort and turn to leave. “Promise me something?”
“Anything,” she says.
“No matter what, we won’t let these men come between us.”
Rosie’s nose scrunches in disgust. “Ew. Never.”
“Love you.”
“Love you more,” she says, kissing my cheek. “But if he tries to get in your pants?” Her eyes sparkle with her signature mischief. “Let him.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Levi
When I return home after playing with Ezra, I have to take a bunch of phone calls with my team, assuring them that no one is getting fired, even if I’m bringing another person to the mix. While I talk to them, I eat the casserole Hazel left for me. I’m touched that she made enough for me too. I don’t think I’ve had a home-cooked meal—well, besides Roxana’s borscht—since Thanksgiving at Ezra’s family house.
By the time I’m out of the shower and dressed in a soft pair of sweatpants and a white T-shirt, it’s nearly eight o’clock. I hear the garage door open as I make my way back downstairs.
Hazel’s note just said she’d be at Rosie’s, but I wasn’t sure when she’d return. Part of me was worried she might not. That she’d see how ridiculous this situation is and bail on the whole thing.
But…she came back. I make my way downstairs and greet her inside the garage. She has an extra backpack slung over her shoulder and I hold out a hand for it.
“Thanks,” she says, letting me take it.
