Ilivedto keep her safe through it instead of controlling it.
Seeing those photos, as innocent as her gullible little heart thought they were, made me see that she’s not thinking straight.
She’s on some road that I can’t follow. A road I might not have a place for down the line.
And that’s the part that scares me.
My phone dings with a message, and I hope it’s one from Wes. I’ve been trying him all day, yesterday and Sunday.
I swipe the screen.
Rose:Can we please talk tonight?
Rose:I know I didn’t say much the other day. It just all happened so quickly.
Rose:I know I can fix this.
That last one makes my heart ache for her. I’m going to have to talk to her eventually. But I just need one more day.
One day to make sense of my doubts. It’s been hard.
Because every time I try to explain it to myself, I hear her in my mind. Telling me how ridiculous I am for not seeing she’s crazy about me too.
It’s mid-afternoon when I get another one from her.
Rose:Can I leave early today?
I type out a response that basically says to ask Ginger, since I’ve left her in charge of Rose. But it’s a dick response. One she doesn’t deserve.
Wilder:Yes.
I’m tempted to follow it with a question asking why, but I think better of it.
I spend the rest of the afternoon making a few calls and feel somewhat productive.
The door to the Saddle Room swings open without a knock. Dallas stalks over to me, hands shuffling through some cards. “Pink, purple, or rose?”
I blink. “What?”
“I mean the color.”
I shake my head. “This for Ellie’s room?”
“Well, it’s not for mine.”
I sigh. “Why don’t you ask Ellie?”
“And look like I’m clueless?”
I glare at him, hoping it answers his rhetorical question.
Then I sigh. “Pink.”
He nods then tosses the swatches to the side. “Figured I’d find you in here, sulking.”
“What do you mean?” I haven’t told him about Rose.
“Got a pretty angry call from Wes the other day, asking me if I knew what was going on with you and his sister.”
