20. Rose
ROSE
Walking on the busy sidewalks of the city, I used to feel like I could get lost in the crowd.
But ever since the hotel room incident, I feel like eyes are on me.
It is an almost tangible feeling of being watched, but as I look around, no one is paying me any attention.
I am just another person trying to get from one place to another in the bustle of the city.
I’m on my way to my last stop to discuss the final custom piece for Dante when I swear I see the man himself across the street.
I quickly do a double take, scanning the sidewalk, but he isn’t there.
I must really be losing it if I’m conjuring visions of Dante.
I almost deflate when I realize he wasn’t actually there.
And why would he be? What, did he also drive back to the city this morning for no reason?
That makes zero sense. That man was made for the isolation his new home offers.
And what would I have even done if it was him?
Wave awkwardly from across the street? Shout his name?
Ha! No. But I do get a strange sense of longing not being in his presence.
I shouldn’t miss a man I just met and barely even know, but against my instincts, I do.
He gives me a sense of security. I could fall apart, and he would be there to put my pieces back together.
Better yet, he’d be able to catch me before I break.
I need to focus on getting everything done in the city so I can drive upstate tomorrow.
I still need to figure out where I’m going to stay.
I guess I could stay in a different nearby town, but I’d rather not have to make the extra drive every day, and dealing with deliveries to a separate location will already be time-consuming.
I know Dante offered to have me stay with him, but that feels like crossing a line that can’t be undone.
But maybe he would be fine with me having deliveries sent directly to the house if it improves the timeline a bit.