Page 15

“Rosie,” he says, “are you up?”

I think about lying, but if he heard me in the bedroom, he’d know I was up.

“Yeah, I’m awake, I think.”

I hear a light chuckle, and then the door opens slowly. He pokes his head in. He looks as handsome as I remember, and I offer him a warm smile. It’s hard to not smile when I’m around a man as handsome as him.

“Morning, Rosie.”

“Hey. Morning after a drunk night. Awkward,” I say, trying to laugh at my attempt at humor, but not able to, as the words are far too true.

He looks me up and down. “Sleep well?”

“As well as one would sleep in a too-tight red dress.” I run my fingers down the front of my dress to smooth it out.

“I’m glad.” He frowns as I run my fingers through my hair and adjust my boobs.

“Thank you for letting me spend the night here and for being a perfect gentleman.”

“I do try my best. Would you like some coffee? I have some fresh in the kitchen.”

“Yes, please.”

“And if you’d like to take a shower, there’s a towel on the sink, and I can⁠—”

“What? Are you offering to take a shower with me?” I tease him.

He shakes his head quickly as he steps back. “No. I mean, I have some shorts and a T-shirt that you can wear and …”

“Don’t worry; I was joking.” I can’t help but feel disappointed at how quickly he said no.

He isn’t even flirting back with me. He’s absolutely not interested in me, and I’m no longer going to even attempt to flirt with him. It’s too embarrassing, and frankly, it makes me feel rejected.

“So, this is awkward,” I say. “I feel like maybe last night, I was …”

“You did nothing inappropriate last night. Don’t worry, Rosie.” He smiles then and leans back against the wall. “There’s no need to apologize for anything. I was glad to take care of you so that no weird men took advantage of you.”

“I guess I’m grateful to you for that.” I frown slightly.

“I’m glad to be your friend,” he says. “Make sure you are safe and sound.”

“Glad to know you can be counted on.” I don’t tell him that I wish he were interested in more than that.

“So, would you like some breakfast? I have some eggs. I can make fried eggs or scrambled eggs or poached eggs or an omelet.”

“An omelet would be nice if it’s not too much.” I rub my stomach. “I think I drank way too much last night, and I’m feeling hungry, but you can also take me home and …”

“No worries. So, any special plans for the day?” he asks me as we head out of his bedroom.

I’m slightly sad that he didn’t attempt even one kiss.

“No, not really. I’m still planning Sage’s wedding.”

We walk into his living room, and once again, I’m pleasantly surprised at how nice it is, with the large windows, exposed red brick, and oversize paintings on the wall.

“You can have a seat if you want.” He gestures toward his couch, and I head over there and sit down.

“Any special plans today?”