Chapter 30 Wesley
WESLEY
Ididn’t even last twelve hours. Not twelve. When I finally made my way back to my place, the words Rosie had spoken finally settled in. I’ve been in love with you for years.
I could not have handled that situation worse.
Lake told me I was in love with you. I sat on the end of my bed, staring at the wall after I got home for a few solid hours before I started to form a plan.
I knew she wanted space, but I just couldn’t give that to her.
I knew Rosie; she was always left alone by her parents, always forgotten, and I couldn’t—no, wouldn’t—let that happen again.
Since I officially got my head out of my ass, I’d be the most annoying gnat she’d ever encountered, buzzing around her.
I’d make her see it was all of the things that made me fall in love with her.
Sure, Lake might have given me a solid push, but I was on my way there all on my own.
Caitlin’s confession was the catalyst that started it all.
“You say her name in your sleep.” I was dreaming of her.
It was her. Rosie. I knew it now. I could see clearly now, like the rose-colored glasses—or, in this case, Caitlin-colored glasses—had come off.
It was like she settled into a part of me that had always been there.
A part that I’d pretended never existed for whatever reason.
Maybe being young and dumb? Maybe self-preservation.
I couldn’t dwell too much on it because I needed to put the plan I was forming into motion.
And realistically, it was just to be hers, in whatever capacity that might mean.
Sure, there were times in our lives where I caught myself looking at her ass, or doing a double-take at a low-cut shirt she was wearing.
Just because nothing had ever happened didn’t mean I was unaware of how attractive Rosie was.
And her personality only added to it. I always stopped myself before things got carried away, because why risk ruining the friendship?
I never let myself wander past the appreciative glance.
A life without Rosie? That wasn’t acceptable to me, not even a little.
I had felt out of sorts for months, and I suddenly understood why. It was Rosie.
So, not even twelve hours later, I found myself on the steps of the library, preparing myself for the frostiness of Rosie’s new friends. But it was a club, and clubs were open to the public. So the book club just had to get used to having a new member: me.
I walked in, trying my best to appear confident, but halfway ducking down the isles lined with shelves so no one could kick me out before I got there.
“What in the world are you doing, lurking in here?” Meredith—the severe one—appeared out of nowhere. I was ashamed to admit the high octave scream that left my mouth was mortifying.
“Where in the world did you come from?” I rushed out, while my hand still covered my pounding heart.
“I’m the librarian, It’s my duty to know when someone’s lurking.”
“I’m not lurking!”
“Then what are you doing?” she questioned.
“Checking this out.” I pulled the closest book out and handed it to her without bothering to look.
“Ah. How to Deal with Chronic Plantar Fasciitis. Riveting reading,” she told me as she looked over the book I handed her.
“Okay, fine. I’m lurking,” I admitted.
“Lurking or looking for someone?” she questioned me again.
“Why ask if you seem to know?” It was my turn to ask something, but she only kept her eyes on me, and it was unnerving. “I’m here to join the book club,” I told her lamely, answering a question she didn’t even need to say out loud. But somehow, her eyes did it for her.
“Book club has a new meeting spot.”
“A new spot?” I felt the color drain from my face. It was not at all going according to my plan.
“I need a ride anyway. Let’s go,” Meredith told me, and tutted after I stared after her as she went, still wildly unsure of where we were going, but I caught up to her in a few steps.
She gave a hasty goodbye to the young man who was behind the desk, giving him a look that meant business, and I had to admit that she terrified me.
They all did in their own way, but her especially.
I ushered her toward my car and she stood outside the passenger’s side door, clearly waiting for me to open it. I all but fell over myself to get it open for her. “Thank you.” Her tone was clipped, as if I had already displeased her by not doing it by default, and I was kicking myself for it.
I went to buckle her seat belt around her until her hand gripped mine mid-buckle. “That’s enough now,” she told me. I jumped from my skin at her words and banged my head on the roof.
“Fuck,” I cursed.
“Language,” she admonished.
“Shit, sorry!” I stammered. “Fuck! I mean…Oh my god.”
“Wesley, go get in the driver’s side seat. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I shut her door and rubbed my head as I jogged to get into the left side, taking a few deep breaths, trying to collect myself before facing Meredith again.
“Any time now, Wesley. We are going to be late.”
I hurried to get in and get the car in park. “Don’t drive stupid because you’re flustered, Wesley.”
“I would never, ma’am. Do you mind telling me where we are going?”
“Rosie’s hosting today.”
Her words had a lump forming in my throat.
Yup. This was absolutely not a part of my plan.
I was unsure how Rosie would feel. Just showing up at her place for a very public book club with flyers advertising it around town was one thing.
Somehow weaseling my way into her house was another. I hesitated.
“Now is the time to be punctual, on time, and steady, if you catch my drift.” Meredith broke me away from my internal debate.
“I don’t,” I told her, because I didn’t. She sighed in my direction.
“Honestly, men these days. Drive to Rosie’s, Wesley. Stop dilly-dallying,” she chided and I did exactly what she said, driving us both to book club, that just so happened to be at Rosie’s.
Pulling up to the driveway, I noticed a new car taking up pace, and felt a green monster on my back before rational thought kicked in, reminding me it was probably a vehicle that belonged to one of the other club members.
“Best not delay the inevitable.” Meredith patted my leg before she exited the car on her own, this time not waiting for me to get it together and let her out.
Bits and pieces of the night before started to filter through, and I was shaking my head at just how terrible it all went.
I articulated everything horribly. No wonder Rosie wanted me to go away.
I didn’t blame her. I was sure she was going to be less than thrilled at my sudden reappearance at her place.
I finally exited my vehicle and made my way to the door next to where Meredith was in the process of knocking, and I swore I smelled a skunk.
“Finally!” Rosie said as she threw open the door, not expecting me to be there. I saw her smile falter, and my chest tightened at the sight of it.
“Uh…hi?” Her eyes toggled between us.
“We have a new eager book club member.” Meredith enlightened her as to why I was there, and her glower was evident as she took me in.
“Joy,” she said. I suddenly wasn’t sure it was the best idea, so I turned to leave.
“Are you coming in or not?” Rosie asked, holding the door open.
I couldn’t resist the temptation to spend whatever time I could with her, so I stuck to my original plan of joining the book club and followed Meredith.
I also couldn’t resist leaning in as I passed Rosie to try to get a whiff of her smell. While there were hints of the vanilla and coconut I couldn’t get out of my brain, even if I tried to scrape it out. There was a hint of something else. Is that…pot?
I shot her wolfish grin as she gave me a look like a cat that got caught eating the canary.
“Are you high, Rosie Posie?” She grinned at the nickname before she pursed her lips together and squinted one eye at me while holding up her thumb and index finger while mouthing, “Little bit.” I remembered that time in college I got her stoned for the first time, and called her Rosie Posie because her cheeks turned so pink—that’s exactly what she reminded me of.
She shook her head like she was suddenly reminding herself that she didn’t want me there, all joking pushed aside, and I sighed, knowing I deserved it, but hating it all the same.
Noise from the kitchen filtered through the hallway before we made it there, and the sight before my eyes had my spirits lifting and Meredith’s eyes twinkling in delight.
“Well, it’s about time—oh, Wesley.” Maggie stated while giving me a once-over, not at all surprised that I was there.
“Ladies,” I said, and looked around me at the food and laughter and immediately felt terrible that I was intruding. “Look, I didn’t mean to intrude. I just thought that—”
“That he would join the book club,” Meredith piped up from beside me.
“We really need to come up with a name instead of calling it the book club, no?” the larger-than-life-one, Jeanie, said.
“Stoned & Boned Book & Matchmakers Club,” Evelyn said. “We could come up with a really nice tag line. Stroking the spines comes to mind.”
“You’re in literally no position to talk after what you set our girl up with last night. He fed her a grass smoothie,” the girl who I never caught her name said. But I knew she was Lionel’s pet sitter. Speaking of, where is he?
“You never told us how the date actually went!” Jeanie complained. “And Orla messaged the group chat, saying she wasn’t going to be able to make it today, something about someone calling in sick again.”
“I could go in to help her,” Rosie said.
They all shouted “No,” at the same time.
“What we mean, dear”—Maggie reframed her words—“is that Orla’s pocketbook can’t handle more than one shift a week of broken plates.”