"Morning," she called back, peering past him toward the passenger door of the Cullinan.
He made a face at her, and she shot him a mischievous smile."I didn't know if you'd be by yourself this morning."
"I'm not," he said, looking down at Peanut and Butter."These guys are with me, as always."
She wagged her finger at him."The girl yesterday.Callie.I liked her."
He nodded.
"And you do too, Oliver."She fixed him with a look."So do you want to explain what was going on?"
He avoided her gaze as he said, "We were out walking the dogs."
"And?"she asked in a stern tone.
"And what?"
"And why did she thank me for letting you walk them here?"Rosa's eyes narrowed."I hope you're not lying to her."
Ollie's stomach dropped.He'd barely slept a wink all night.He felt so bad that he hadn't been honest with Callie.He'd had every opportunity while they ate dinner, sitting on the terrace out by the pool at Jacob and Becca's place.He had no excuse.But he hadn't been able to make himself do it.
"Ollie?"Rosa asked in that same stern tone."What's going on?"
He blew out a sigh."I really like her."
"And isn't that a reason to be honest with her?"
"Yeah, of course it is.I just made a mess of things, and now I don't know how to fix them."
She scowled at him."Yes, you do.I raised you better than that, young man.What's the fastest way to fix anything if you think you're in trouble?"
He gave her a rueful smile, remembering all the times as a child she'd somehow known when he'd stolen a cookie from her kitchen.He blew out a grudging sigh, much as he used to do back then, and said, "I have to tell the truth."
She nodded sagely."I know who she is.She's Becca's friend, isn't she?The one who came from Kansas."
"That's right."
"And from what I can tell, you didn't want to tell her where you live because she's more down-to-earth than the girls you usually go out with and you think she might not be interested in a rich boy."
He nodded.
Rosa reached out and slapped the back of his head gently."You wouldn't hide anything from her if she wasn't important to you.But the fact is, you can't become important toheruntil you tell her the truth."
"I was kind of hoping that I could maybe wait until I become a little bit important to her — at least enough so that she'll forgive me when I do tell her how things are for me."
Rosa shook her head."She can't even know you until you tell the truth.Why would you lie to her anyway?"
"It didn't start out as a lie," he said."When I first met her, she was nervous about meeting the gang, you know, because she comes from a different world.She thinks she won't fit in because folks around here tend to have more money.She's not used to that.I just wanted her to feel at ease with me.That's all.That's how it started.But then, over the course of the weekend, while she was being the bridesmaid and everything, I felt like she turned to me because I wasn't one of them."When he saw Rosa's expression, he added hurriedly, "I never told her that I wasn't.She just assumed, you know, since I was the one who went to pick her up.I was working.In her mind, that meant I was working for them, and she wasn't wrong."
"Maybe not," said Rosa, turning away to let the dogs inside."Do you have time to come in?"
He hesitated, knowing that if he did, he'd only get a lecture, and it wouldn't be anything that he wanted to hear or that he hadn't already berated himself with."I should get going."
When she turned to look back at him over her shoulder, the disappointed look on her face made the guilt sit heavy in his chest.
"I'll tell her," he said."Today."
Rosa nodded."I think you should.I think she'll forgive you if you tell her soon enough.But Oliver — the longer it goes on, the worse it'll be."
