Chapter 33 – Rosie
ROSIE
“How long is West staying?” Charlie asks from the backseat.
Good question.
“I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. But if I have it my way, he’ll be back in Seattle by tonight.
“Mama said we would go to the beach today. Do you want to go with us?”
“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” West replies.
Charlie giggles. “You don’t need a suit. You can just wear shorts, silly.”
“I’ll have to check if I packed any.”
I’m not sure West even owns shorts.
“I don’t think West will be here long enough to go with us to the beach, baby girl,” I chime in, hopeful he’ll get the hint.
But he does not.
For Charlie’s sake, I hold everything in while we go to the beach and tell myself this last day with West is for her. For once, he is actually trying. He’s spending real time with her. Playing in the sand, holding her hand, and jumping in the waves. I sit on a towel spread out on the sand.
Deep down, there’s a gnawing at me like a throbbing reminder that this isn’t normal. Whatever is happening here, with Charlie and West—it’s not normal. This is his last-ditch effort to make things work between us, to convince me to come back to Seattle.
West calls my name out from the waves. I glance up and find him with his hands cupped around his mouth when he calls me again. “Rosie! Get out here!”
I shake my head. I want this moment for Charlie to be a positive one. Something she can look back on as a nice memory.
“C’mon,” West tries again. “Get that fine ass of yours out here.”
“C’mon, Mama!” Charlie shouts.
My phone sits inside my bag with the unanswered texts from Beck. I debate responding but I don’t want to do this over text. I need to see him.
I meant everything I said to him today on the ferry. I love him. But whether it’s enough for us to be together or not, I don’t know. I can only hope it is.
Right now, I’m conflicted. Not with who to choose, but how to let this man down easy who welcomed me and my daughter into his life.
He was open with me from the beginning, informing me that he worked a stupid amount of hours, that he’d never cared enough about a woman to ask her to move in—until me.
“Rosie!” West calls again. “Don’t make me come get you,” he teases.
I hop up and jog to the water to join West and Charlie in the waves. Because maybe he needs this last happy memory just as much as Charlie does before I tell him goodbye.
Back at Dottie’s house, I give Charlie a quick bath while West showers in my bathroom. We drain the tub, and I wrap a towel around her, dropping a kiss to the top of her damp head. I scroll on my phone, giving her some privacy while she dries off and gets dressed in a pair of pajamas.
My heart stalls in my chest as I reread the lasts texts from Beck.
Beck
I signed your papers
You’re no longer my wife
Tears spring to my eyes while I stare at it, reading it over and over.
“You okay, Mama?” Charlie asks.
I glance up and find her dressed in her pajamas. “I’m fine, baby girl. Why don’t you go in your room and pick out your favorite book. I need to talk to West for a minute.”
She races down the hall and when she’s out of sight, I give in to the anguish that’s wracking me. Sobs break free from my chest, tearing out of my mouth even as I try to cover them with a clamped hand.
I knock on the door to the bathroom and West opens it, bare chest and a towel tied around his waist.
“You should’ve knocked a few minutes earlier. You could’ve joined me,” he teases, waggling his brows.
I stare at him blankly.
He bends and tilts his head. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“I need you to go,” I say flatly.
Straightening, he barks out a laugh and struts past me, stopping at his suitcase that’s open-faced on my bed.
I follow him, crossing my arms and leaning my hip against the mattress. “I’m serious, West. I meant what I said earlier. And I meant what I said back in Seattle before I left.”
He tugs a T-shirt over his head. “Yeah, but that was before.”
“Nothing has changed.”
“I’m here, aren’t I? That’s what’s changed.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” he sneers. “Give me a break, Rosie. I dropped everything and came here to see you and Charlie.” He lets the towel at his waist fall to the floor, but I look away while he puts on his briefs and pants.
“I didn’t ask you to do that. In fact, I’m certain I asked you not to.”
“Let’s just make the best of the evening.” He takes my hand in his, tugging me toward the bedroom door. “If you still want me to go, I’ll leave tomorrow.”
“West, no. Weston.” I raise my voice and freeze, my feet halting. “You’re not listening to me. You never listen to me.” I yank free from his grasp, and he furrows his brow.
“You’re serious?”
I swallow the lump in my throat and dip my chin.
He stares at me for a long moment. “Oh shit.” A low audible exhale releases from his mouth as his chest deflates. “This is really over.” He presses his thumb and fingers into his temples.
My heart balloons in my chest before splitting completely while I study the expression marring his face. Agony overtakes my body, and my legs fill with lead. “I’m so sorry.”
“Is it him? Charlie’s father?”
My head swims. It’s as if he didn’t hear anything I said to him back in Seattle. “What? No.”
“C’mon, Rosie. That’s bullshit. You at least owe me the truth.” He moves his hands to his hips.
“I didn’t break off things with you because of Beck.” I don’t even believe the words that just escaped me. “But I do still love him. The truth is, I never stopped loving him.”
“Wow.” He releases a whistle and shoots his attention to the wood flooring before glancing back up. “What was all this?” He gestures in the air. “Between us? Some kind of game to you? See if the rich guy would actually fall for the poor single mom?”
“What? No. You know I’m not like that. I loved you.”
“Ha,” he barks. “Loved. So quickly you’ve resorted to past tense. So easily.”
“This is anything but easy. I planned a life with you. With us. And now, I have to start over. So ‘easy’ isn’t in the vicinity.”
“But this is your choice. I don’t get a say here. Do you realize how unfair this is?”
The tears build in my chest. “I do. I’m so sorry.”
“You’re sorry,” he huffs out. “You just fucked up my life and you’re sorry. Whatever.” He folds the top of his suitcase and zips it closed. Lifting his gaze, he locks eyes with me. “Was any of it real?”
“It was. All of it.”
His lips pull up to one corner. “For whatever it’s worth, I would’ve taken care of you. And Charlie.”
“I know.”
“I’ll have Piper pack your shit. Just the thought of seeing it at my place makes me sick.”
I deserve that. I probably deserve him tossing it all out. But he’s a good guy. That’s not in his nature.
“I’m going to say goodbye to Charlie. Then that’s it, Rosie. Don’t ever call me.”
Shuffling past me with his suitcase, he doesn’t look back. It’s just as well. He’s right. I blew up his life. Beck’s life. And mine in the process.