Chapter 8 Rosa
Monday December 3, 7:16 p.m.
“You did WHAT? Rosa, turn around and go back.” Lucia’s agitated voice sounded through Rosa’s car as she drove down the highway away from Front Street.
Rosa held the steering wheel with a deathgrip. “No way. I can’t. How could I?”
“Easy. You turn your car around, go back to him, and say, Mr. Mountain Man, I’m sorry I had a meltdown. Can I hug you now ?”
Rosa rolled her eyes. “You don’t understand.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Lucia said. “I don’t know what you’re feeling exactly. But I do know that love can be complicated.”
Rosa swallowed. “Love? I don’t love him.” She didn’t, right? Especially so fast. “I’m not going to be here forever. So this is just a–I don’t know what it is.”
Her aunt blurted, “Then what’s the big deal? Just have fun with this mountain man. Does he even have a name?”
“Hunter.” His smiling face, holding her hand, flashed in her mind. “How can I have fun when things just got serious? The whole dating-your-dead-cancer-friend’s-husband thing.”
Her aunt grunted through the phone. “You’re reading too much into it. Just take a deep breath.”
Rosa tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs wouldn’t let her. Her emotions wouldn’t let her. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“None of us do, Rosa.”
She wiped her eyes, noticing the bracelet on her wrist that Emily had given her. “I did have a meltdown, didn’t I?” she said, half serious, half joking.
“Totally understandable. Just don’t run away from the ones who can help you through it.”
Her aunt was right. She always was, even when Rosa didn’t want to listen. “Granted, Hunter had his own meltdown the day before. In the boot shop.”
“Oh, yeah? Tell me. I want details.”
Rosa told her everything the rest of the way home.
After getting back to her rental and snacking on a few things in the kitchen, Rosa finally ended her call with Lucia. She took a hot shower and got into a comfy pair of pajamas and fell into bed. It was only about 8:00 p.m., but she was bone-tired and ready for sleep.
Rosa held up her phone. If only she could text Hunter right now. Tell h im she was sorry. But they had never exchanged numbers. A fleeting thought of giving up this temporary life in Leavenworth crossed her mind.
Rosa shook her head immediately. Okay now she was being dramatic. Of course she would keep subbing. As hard as it was, she found it satisfying. Rosa wanted to go back tomorrow.
For her sake. For Emily’s sake. Maybe Rosa and Hunter could still be friends. He had been so animated talking about building a set piece for the upcoming holiday play, plus he could help her find a hiking spot. Rosa still needed to sign up for a group hike.
She wanted to hike regularly, but that probably wasn’t realistic with her new job. She could hike on the weekends. Okay, it was settled. Next time she saw Hunter, she’d set something up. And she could explain her outburst.
Knowing him, he’d understand.
The notification on her voicemail stared back at her. Oh! She forgot, her boss Brad had called earlier. Or yesterday. What did he want?
She clicked on the message and listened.
“Rosa. I know this is crappy timing, but since you've been gone I am a mess . I’m not sure how to tell you this. I’ve meant to tell you for the past several years. But I always chicken out. I’m more than just your boss. I’m in love with you. Please, come back to Seattle. I’ll do anything . ”