Chapter 22
SARAH
“I’ve missed you so much.” I hug Roxie tight as Ollie squeezes between us, looping his arms around her legs.
“Auntie Rox, c-c-come see my planes!” He grabs her hand and tugs her away from me.
“Just a second, little man.” Roxie ties her long blonde waves back, twisting her hair into a bun. “I need to see this little dame. She’s grown so much.” She takes Frankie from my arms, holding her in the air, and then brings her close to kiss her cheek.
“You go play. I’ll let Grover out and grab your things from the car.”
“Sounds good, Mama.” Rox sits on the floor next to Ollie with Frankie in her lap.
Grover trots to the back door. I open it, slipping on my shoes.
While Grover roams the backyard searching for the perfect spot, I throw Roxie’s bag over my shoulder and lift the box full of clothes and accessories my mom sent with her.
I push the door closed with my hip and movement across the street catches my eye. Slade’s garage door lifts slowly, and I watch as he rounds his truck but stops.
I lift my hand and wave. He gives a slight nod in return before climbing in.
We haven’t seen each other since we spent the weekend at his house, but we’ve texted a few times. I was surprised when he messaged me about Thanksgiving. I thought maybe he and Krissy would forget, but in typical Slade form, he told me we were coming.
I hear the rumble of his truck as I head inside.
“Hey.”
I twist at that low voice. Slade’s truck sits in the street at the end of my driveway with his window down.
“I’ll see you tomorrow around noon.”
I laugh and salute. “I’m bringing a pie.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?”
I glare at him. “Listen, it was one cookie snafu. You need to let that go.”
Those eyes linger from underneath the rim of his hat for only a moment, and it’s possible I see a hint of a smile. Then he nods once, rolls up his window, and drives off.
I smile, knowing my mom would be proud. It feels really nice to be making friends. Besides Rox, it’s been a long time, but I think that might be what’s happening—Slade and I are friends. After tomorrow, maybe I’ll have a few more.
I pull the door open, kicking off my shoes to the sound of giggles.
I set Roxie’s things in the hallway, and she’s lying on the floor with Frankie on top of her shins. She holds her little arms out and lifts her legs, as if Frankie is an airplane. She squeals, and a line of drool drips from her mouth onto Roxie’s shirt.
“Ok, that might be enough of that,” Roxie says, rolling up and sitting her on the floor.
“Rox, wook,” Ollie runs back into the room with his arms full of Hot Wheels. He drops them on the floor and spreads them out.
I join their little circle as he tells Roxie about each one, relaying the information Slade told him about the different cars and their “features.”
“D-dis one is a s-s-supercharger. It’s super f-fast.” Ollie pulls it back and pushes it across the floor .
We play and laugh through the afternoon, then bundle up to take the kids for a walk before throwing frozen pizzas into the oven for dinner.
While Roxie gives the kids a bath, I open my computer to finish up an assignment and email it to my instructor. With only a few weeks left of the semester, I’ve been staying up extra late to study for finals.
When the kids are in bed and sound asleep, we open a bottle of wine.
“Soooo, you never told me what happened with Declan or what your dad wanted.” I lift my glass and take a sip, savoring the treat Roxie brought as a housewarming gift.
She flops back on the bed with a groan and slaps a hand over her face. “Why does he still have to have that effect on me?”
“What effect?” I know exactly what she’s talking about, but I will make her say it.
She glowers at me. “The one that makes me want to pull him into a dark closet like we’re seventeen again. Only this time, I’m afraid I wouldn’t care about the consequences.”
I raise my eyebrows.
She sits up, careful not to spill her wine. She crosses her legs in the middle of my bed, facing me. “He’s still dangerous. He’s every mistake I want to make over and over again.”
I take another sip. “What if it wasn’t a mistake?”
She looks at me from under her eyelashes.
“I mean, he’s military. He’s clearly dedicated and has to have some level of maturity. He’s not the kid who ran around causing a ruckus just to see how many people he could piss off. Is he dating anyone?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I poured him a beer. We caught up for a few minutes. He smiled that devilishly handsome smile, and then I forced Micah to tend to the bar so I could wait tables.”
I’ve known Roxie almost my whole life, and I know she didn’t just run and hide. There’s more.
I squint my eyes at her. “That’s it. That’s all that happened. No exchange of phone numbers or keeping in touch. Nothing. ”
There’s silence, so I sip my wine until she’s ready to give up the goods.
Her lips push to the side, avoiding eye contact.
“Rooooox,” I say, definitely knowing this will be good.
She cups her glass with her hands. “He waited until closing and walked me to my car.” Her eyes flick to mine.
“Annnndddd.”
“He hugged me. And good Lord, he smelled amazing. His arms came around me, strong and firm. We stayed like that for too long, like we were lost in a moment of the past.” She rubs her forehead.
A quick flash of Slade’s intoxicating spicy scent and the feel of his arms around me sends a shiver up my spine. I shake it off, forcing my attention back to Rox.
“When I realized I couldn’t hold onto him, I pulled away. He pushed my hair behind my ear and just. . .kissed me.” She squeezes her eyes shut tight, her face scrunching. “And I kissed him back.” It comes out in a rush.
I smile.
“And it was so much better than I remember. That man can kiss like there’s no tomorrow.”
“So, you made out in the parking lot?”
She grins. “Yep, and it was fantastic. But.” She holds one finger up. “I was smart enough not to take him home because I knew there would be no going back from that. I’d for sure be sentencing my heart to Declan jail forever.”
She chugs her wine and stares into her glass. “He’s always seen me for me, you know. Not the rich girl, or Eve and Reggie’s daughter, or the wild screw-up who won’t get her life together.”
“You’re not a screw-up,” I say, knowing Roxie is like the rest of us. She’s looking for someone to love her in a way she never has been. Someone she can be her whole self with. “So, what happened?”
She shrugs. “I told him it was nice to see him, then climbed in my car.”
“That’s it?! ”
She nods. “Yep. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could. One more second of that, and I would’ve made choices that wouldn’t have been good for either of us.”
“So, that’s really it?”
She smiles. “Yes, and now I have to let that man go. That kiss had to be sayonara for good.”
She has been in love with him since she was sixteen.
I let my head fall to the side. “Just like that. After all these years, you’re just shutting it off.”
“Yep,” she says, popping the P.
“And how are you going to do that?”
“Funny, you should ask?” She sits up a little taller. “I’m getting married.”
My mouth falls open as I stare at her. “Uh. . .what now?”
“That’s what my dad wanted to talk about. Apparently, he’s sick and will be retiring. He’s getting things in order, and if I want any part of the family name and assets, I have to demonstrate that I will take managing them seriously. I’ve been informed I can begin to prove that by getting married.”
I frown. “I don’t understand. What does getting married have to do with anything?”
She picks at her nail. “I cannot be trusted to make good decisions.” She lowers her voice. “They need proof I understand the obligation and duty I have to my family before they will entrust any portion of the Steinbeck legacy into my care. ”
“Rox.” It’s my turn to guzzle my wine. “And who exactly are you marrying?”
She extends her glass, and I grab the bottle from my nightstand to refill it. “Do you remember Leo?”
I meet her gaze. “Leonard, your brother’s best friend?”
Leonard Roland had a massive crush on Roxie when they were kids.
He’s been her brother RJ’s assigned best friend since birth.
Their parents are cut from the same couture cloth.
Although Leonard was the quietest nerdle out there.
He was short and scrawny, with wire-rimmed glasses, but the brains of a mathematician.
When she started dating Declan, he transferred to a private high school out of state. Was it a coincidence? Maybe. After, he attended Yale with RJ. Last I heard, the whiz kid was climbing Wall Street and spending his summers in the Hamptons.
“Have you lost your mind?” I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming, or this wine has made me delusional.
“Nope. We both know it’s only been a matter of time before I was sucked into their plans for me.” She sips as if this is resolute.
“Rox, you can’t marry Leonard. You don’t. . .love him. You don’t even know him. When was the last time you even saw him?”
Her eyes roll to the ceiling, thinking.
“See. If you have to think about it . . .”
She shrugs. “It could be worse. He was at least a decent guy. Sometimes, even kind of. . .sweet in an innocent, fragile bird-like kind of way.”
“Oh, somebody help me.” I run a hand over my face. “Was, Roxie. He was a decent guy. Who knows what he’s like now? Roxie, you cannot marry him.”
“Ooooohh, but I can. I emailed him and explained my situation. After a few rounds of questions, he said yes. Turns out he’s been contemplating returning to take over his family’s investment firm.”
I stare at her. “You’re serious about this?”
She waves a hand. “It’ll be a long engagement to give me time to warm up to the idea of life with Leo.”
“What about love and happiness? Don’t you want to spend your life with someone like Declan. Someone who kisses you breathless and drives you crazy in all the best ways? What about kids and family?”