Chapter 12 – Rosie #3
Stella lowers her glass and licks her lips. “He sounds amazing, Rosie. Really.”
“But?” I wait for it, lifting my brows and studying my best friend as she gives me a little forced smile. She’s clearly holding something back.
“But…” Daisy begins, and I swivel my attention at her. “Everything you’re saying sounds like this relationship is just…for Charlie.”
I can’t help it; I flinch. “It is for Charlie. And for me. I’m a single mom. I’m never not thinking about Charlie.” I don’t even bother trying to hide the defensiveness in my tone. What does Daisy know? Last I heard, she doesn’t have any kids of her own. How could she possibly understand?
“No one’s saying that. Of course what Charlie needs is important too,” Stella clarifies.
“Hey, girl. I’m not trying to pick apart your relationship—” And then she just stops talking. Maybe because she sees the annoyance taking up residence on my face.
Shoving my glass away, I whip my head over my shoulder to peer at the ocean. The angry waves thundering against the beach battles with the irritation pounding in my chest and out of nowhere, tears build in the corners of my eyes. “Are you sure? Because that’s how it feels.”
Two servers breeze up to our table, interrupting the thick tension in the air. They’re holding out wood boards displaying the best-looking flight of tacos I’ve ever seen. My mouth waters as I get a big whiff of spices and my eyes devour the sizzling meat and tortillas.
After they leave, Stella squeezes my arm. “Hey, if you love him and you want to spend the rest of your life with him, you know we’ll support you.”
If?
Deep down, I do know. But I also know there will always be loyalty to Beck first. He’s the one who stuck around after all.
“It’s true.” Daisy nods and my reservations slowly dissipate.
Maybe mostly because my stomach is already growling and my hunger is growing by the second with the spread sitting before us.
“If you’re happy, we’re happy. And it’s a bonus Charlie likes him.” Stella gives me her best genuine smile, her layers of pink lip gloss disappearing and staining her straw.
I give her a lopsided smile back. It should’ve been expected to have a few awkward moments, and hell, I guess a few disagreements too with how long it’s been since the three of us were together.
She picks up a taco from one of the wood boards, sprinkles a spoonful of pico de gallo across it, and gestures with her chin for me to grab one too.
When I do, she lifts hers and taps it to mine in a cheers.
Daisy joins in too. It’s unclear what kind of taco I’ve chosen, but when I take a bite and my eyes drift closed, it doesn’t matter because it’s delicious.
That will be a later problem. A million different spices call for my attention and my entire body sighs into the stool when I finally open my eyes and chew.
They both watch me before joining in a combined moan. We must be distracting the middle-aged men at the table next to us because they can’t take their eyes off us. One stares mid-sip with his glass bottle pressed to his lips as if he’s frozen in place. I giggle behind my taco, but we ignore them.
“They’re the best, right?” Stella asks.
“Oh my gahh…” I say around my bite. “I feel as if I’ve died and my soul is leaving my body.”
Stella laughs and nods in agreement. “Right.”
Daisy holds up her margarita like she’s about to give a big important speech. And she may be petite, but she knows how to command a room. Glossy blue eyes like ice and an affective presence. She’s got my attention. “Okay, now fess up, girl. Show us a pic of that Silver Fox of yours.”
A wave of humility washes over me, and I feel this strange protectiveness over West and our relationship.
He’s a good-looking man, there’s no denying it.
But that’s the problem. The last thing I want is them thinking I’m with him because he’s gorgeous.
“Oh, c’mon, you’ve seen him on Instagram, haven’t you? ”
“You’ve hardly posted anything except for Charlie in the last seven years. Now don’t get me wrong, Charlie is adorable. But I need to see this man because he must be doing something right to keep you in Seattle.”
“What’s wrong with Seattle?”
“Nothing. If you don’t mind rain and dark skies every day.”
“It’s not that bad. And despite what the rumors say, it doesn’t rain that much.
” I shake my head and glance over my shoulder at the beach.
A few kids play in the sand with colorful buckets and pails.
There a handful of surfers straddling boards waiting for the perfect wave.
It’s probably the same guys from the Jeep.
“Enough stalling,” Daisy presses. “Don’t make me beg.”
I whip my head in her direction and scan her expression. She’s not joking. She will beg. And one hundred percent cause a scene. “Fine,” I groan, picking up my phone and finding a good picture of West before reluctantly handing it over.
In this particular photo of him, he was sitting across from me while we were out to dinner at his preferred steakhouse restaurant to celebrate our engagement.
If I’d been given the option to choose the restaurant, it would’ve been this cute little Mediterranean place called Seatown Bowls.
So good. If I weren’t already devouring these delicious tacos, I would most definitely be craving Fattoush from there.
I love it for two reasons: one, it’s not overrun by tourists.
And two, they serve food that fits in with my anti-inflammatory diet, so my body isn’t freaking out more than usual.
West did look extra handsome that night though, dressed in my favorite blue suit and shiny blue tie.
They both bring out the blue in his eyes.
And while facial hair on men used to be my type, West prefers to be smoothly shaven.
He says it makes him appear more professional.
I’m not sure about that, but it does highlight his sharp jawline.
“Gahhhh,” Daisy moans and melts into her stool, facing the phone at Stella.
Her eyes bug out and now she’s swooning.
They look like two cartoon characters with gigantic hearts for eyes.
“Now I feel as if I’ve died and gone to heaven.
Forget Silver Fox, this man is a god. It’s like he’s been chiseled from stone. I’m going to call him Apollo.”
I give Daisy a shove and swipe my phone out of her grip before we all burst into laughter.