Chapter 26
Ivy
Wesley and I walk up the pathway to Rose’s front door. I wring my hands in front of me, and chew on my lower lip. I’m so nervous, I feel like I could puke. I’m not sure if Rose knows that I lied to her, but for some reason, I just feel it in my gut she does.
If her nurse mentioned anything about Wesley’s visit to the apartment last night, I have no doubt she’s put the pieces together.
She’s like that. She has that mom or grandma sixth sense.
She knew when I got fired at the school before I even said a word.
She knows when I have a particularly difficult therapy appointment, just by the look on my face.
Even though I know I’m about to get in trouble, I can’t help but miss this familiarity I have with her. I just hope she can forgive me for lying straight to her face. It was all for her own good, and I couldn’t live with myself if I was the reason her health was neglected.
I stand there, staring at the salmon pink front door, gathering the courage to knock.
The birds are chirping and the sun is shining, but it does nothing to stop the dread from trickling in.
What if she wants nothing to do with me after this?
She’s probably one of the most prideful people I’ve ever met, and when she learns what I did, I’m afraid she’ll never look me in the eye again.
Her independence is so important to her, and she doesn’t react well when I mention helping her in any way. Getting her to agree to me cooking dinner was hard enough.
I distantly hear Wesley trying to get my attention, but continue to spiral. I might not be Rose’s family, but she’s the only one I’ve got. She helped me heal. She talked shit about Daniel with me.
“Ivy.”
She listened to any and every story I wanted to tell about my parents.
She calls them by their first names as if she knew them, and tells me how they would be proud of me.
She’s filled that parent-shaped hole in my heart, and I’m not sure I could handle it if she were to, for lack of a better word, disown me.
“Honey,” Wesley says gently, finally breaking through my runaway train of thought.
“Hm?” I look up at him, and see a soft expression on his face.
“Whatever happens in there, no matter how she reacts, you two will eventually figure it out. No one can stay mad at that face.” He pinches my cheek. “You did a kind thing, and even if she doesn’t see it that way, she will eventually.”
“And if she doesn’t?” I ask quietly, desperation lacing every word.
“You’ll always have me. Always have Delilah. Good luck getting rid of her. That girl is obsessed,” he counters playfully.
“Like father, like daughter,” I say with a smirk, trying to lift my spirits.
“Apples don’t make oranges,” he quips, then winks.
God, I love it when he winks. He continues.
“You have Sophie, my parents, Maverick. Hell, even Lincoln. Even if something happens between us,” he says.
“You’ll always have a place with me and my family, okay?
God forbid this,” He points at the door.
“Goes horribly wrong, you won’t be alone. No matter what. I swear to you.”
I nod and clear my throat while staring at the door, willing the lump to get lost. He better be careful saying stuff like that to me. If he keeps it up, I’ll have no choice but to fall very wildly, and very madly in love with him.
“Look at me,” Wesley says.
I crane my neck, and look into his piercing blue eyes. He grips my chin between his thumb and forefinger, and furrows his brow, morphing his soft expression from earlier into a serious one.
In a stern, no-nonsense tone, he says, “You can do this, baby. Knock.”
Yup. Wildly and madly.
He releases me, and I turn back to the door, and stand up straighter. He’s right. I can do this. I will apologize for lying, but I will not apologize for making her health and recovery a priority.
With a new found confidence, I raise my hand to knock firmly on the door. But before my fist gets a chance to connect with the wood, the door swings open to reveal a tiny but mighty Rose.
“You just gonna stand on my porch whisperin’?” she asks, her snarky attitude alive and well.
“Maybe,” I reply, crossing my arms, attempting to go toe to toe with her.
“Is this the guy?” She lifts her hand from her walker and points at Wesley, but keeps her eyes on mine, not bothering to acknowledge his existence.
“It is,” I reply, hardening my resolve.
“Well then, come on in, liar,” she spits out the last word with disgust as she leaves the door open for us, and turns her walker around to head toward her recliner.
So… she knows. Got it.
I look over at Wesley, letting my mask fall, and he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, then gently pushes my lower back, guiding me over the threshold, and into the house.
“Where is Tara?” I ask, looking around for her nurse.
“On lunch,” she grumbles.
Rose looks good today. Her hair and makeup are done like normal, and she’s in her clothes.
Not her nightgown. The blinds are open, letting in the natural light, and the scent of the lemon cleaner fills the air.
I’ll take that as a good sign. She looks to be on the up and up. A week ago, that was not the case.
Rose slowly limps over to her seat, and very cautiously lowers herself down. Wesley and I follow her in, and I follow suit, dropping myself down into my usual seat next to hers. Wesley takes up on the small love seat against the wall beside us, crossing his ankle over his knee.
The most uncomfortable silence I’ve ever felt blankets the room. I take my time adjusting myself in the recliner, brushing imaginary dust off of my pants, obviously procrastinating looking Rose in the eye.
“Well?” Rose questions.
I clear my throat, finally bite the bullet, and face Rose.
“Has… Tara talked to you lately?” I ask hesitantly.
“Do you mean, has Tara told me that your boss, the one you were supposed to be living with, came to the apartment looking for you?” she seethes.
“Y-yes. That’s what I mean.”
“Then yes, she mentioned it,” Rose hisses, shaking her head.
“Rose, I’m so sorry I lied.”
“Where were you?” she demands.
“Huh?” I know what she’s asking, I’m just being difficult.
“If you weren’t with him.” She hikes her thumb over her shoulder at Wesley, still not looking at him. “Which I see you are now, then where were you?”
I don’t reply for a moment, working up the courage, then say, “I had somewhere to stay short-term, while I was looking for something more long-term.”
She doesn’t even respond to me, and whips her head over to Wesley. “Where was she?”
Wesley looks slightly uncomfortable, but he sits up straighter, readying himself to answer for me, when I finally speak up.
“Ugh, fine you old wench. I was at the motel. Happy?”
Rose faces me again. “Happy? No, you little shit, I’m not happy. You lied to me, and were out there without a place to stay. I would’ve been fine without a goddamn nurse. We could have worked something out.” Her voice cracks at the end, and her eyes turn misty.
Shit, shit, shit.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Wesley lace his fingers together at the top of his head, and blow out an inaudible breath. I place my hand on top of Rose’s, and grip her fingers.
“I’m sorry that I lied. I am. But I am not sorry for forcing you to have the care you need.
You either had to move in with your daughter or have a nurse.
I know you’d rather croak here and now then be forced to move in with anyone.
So I made it easy for you,” I say, and she glances away wiping at her eyes.
“I took the hard decision away from you. I will not apologize for that, because your health is more important than where I live. I can’t lose you, Rose. ”
Rose blows her nose into a tissue that mysteriously appeared from her boobs.
“Well, I hate to break it to you kid, but you hitched your wagon to the wrong horse. I’m eighty-two for god’s sake.
Of course you’ll lose me. With the stress you’ve given me, my days are already numbered,” she says exasperated.
I hear a snort, then look over and glare at Wesley who’s pressing his lips together, stifling his laughter.
“Whatever. I need you for as long as I can get you,” I say, and toss her hand back at her.
“Yeah, yeah,” Rose grumbles back.
There is a momentary pause, before I tentatively ask, “Are we okay?”
“I don’t know yet.” She turns back to Wesley. “You. Why are you here? Did you get her out of that shithole?” she asks.
Wesley raises his eyebrows at me as if to say “See?”
“Yes ma’am. She’s with me now.”
Rose doesn’t say anything, but she must give Wesley a scary look, because he adds on, “For real this time. We just left the motel. All of her stuff is in the back of my truck.”
Rose hums. “What are your intentions with my Ivy?” she asks.
“Rose,” I growl, my face immediately flaming red.
“Hush.” She waves her hand at me, not bothering to turn her head in my direction.
A soft smile plays across Wesley’s lips, and he rubs his palm over the scruff of his jaw. “Only good intentions ma’am.”
“You’re together?” Rose asks.
Wesley’s eyes slice to mine. “Yes,” he replies.
My stomach drops out, and I have to hold back a nervous giggle.
“Just because I’m eighty-two doesn’t mean I can’t ruin a man’s life. You hear me? If you hurt her, I will off myself just to haunt you. Your DNA is already in this house. I will leave a note that says ‘Wes Cooper did it.’”
I widen my eyes in horror. “Rose,” I scold a little louder now.
“Yes ma’am,” Wesley replies, with a dimple inducing smile.
“Good.” Rose seems satisfied. I am not. That was so embarrassing I’d wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole, but strangely I’m not surprised by her behavior in the slightest.
“I like your daughter. You’re doing a great job with her,” Rose adds.
Now she likes him? I roll my eyes at how fast she switched gears.
“Thank you ma’am.”
“You are disgustingly handsome.”
Wesley throws his head back and barks out a laugh.
Rose continues, putting the final nail in the coffin of my embarrassment. “Ivy was right. You’re like a Greek god.”
“Alright, that’s enough,” I say, and stand. They both ignore me.
“She came home that day after you hired her, and would not shut her damn trap about how handsome her boss was. I knew your mama and daddy were lookers, but boy are you a sight.”
I cover my face with my hands and groan.
“Well, uh, thank you ma’am,” Wesley replies with a nervous chuckle.
I drop my hands and look at Wesley, and to my absolute mortification, he’s already grinning at me with the most mischievous gleam in his eye. It feels like he’s staring straight into my soul. It’s so intense it makes my stomach clench and a wave of arousal rip through me.
“Alright kids, get the hell out of here. I need to be horizontal,” Rose announces.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, worried.
“I’m fine. Tara will be here soon to give me my pain meds.”
We offer our goodbyes to Rose, and I make plans with her for when to come back.
She also told me not to come back if I don’t have Delilah with me.
I slid her Roberts number, and she eyed it skeptically, before snatching and shoving it into her bra.
God, I wonder what else is in there. Apparently she and Robert know each other well.
I make a mental note to inquire further about that.
The weight that left my shoulders when I realized Rose and I were going to be okay was astronomical. The knot in my chest I’ve felt since I moved out, finally loosened. We’re okay. She’s okay. She’s still here.
On top of all of that relief, was the amusement, and if I’m being honest, horror of watching Rose talk to Wesley.
When she asked him if we were together, and he said yes, I almost fainted right then and there.
We’ve come such a long way from his refusal to get close to me.
After all the distance, the hesitation, the walls, it finally feels like he’s letting me in.
Wesley opens the truck door for me, and I hop in. When he gets in himself, he grips my upper thigh with a calloused, tattooed hand, gently squeezing and massaging the muscle.
“Greek god, huh?” he asks, amusement in his eyes.
I bite down on my smile and shrug. “You know what you look like.”