“Yes, and the old geezer nearly dislocated his shoulder.We need someone young and spry and people who are fun and welcoming to lure in the donations.That has you and Rose written all over it.Besides you two are adorable—the town’s favorites.They would pay good money to dunk you into a tank of cold water.”
“That’s somehow both flattering and insulting.”
“So I can count on you two to be there at ten am?”
“Well—”
“I already told everyone you’ll do it.”She reached into the bag and pulled out a stack of flyers.Rose and my names were already printed on them.
“Are you Mary Poppins?What else do you have in that bag?”
She waved me off.“I’m counting on you, Wyatt.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but she hit my arm with her notepad.“It’s for the seniors.You wouldn’t let the seniors down now, would you?”
My lips parted, but nothing came out.She knew I was a sucker.I volunteered every year for this particular event, but with work and all the weddings and engagement parties, I forgot.
“Unless there are problems in paradise?”Odette’s overly drawn eyebrow rose toward her forehead.“Maggie Dwyer said Rose’s car hasn’t been at the house all week.”
“Maggie Dwyer needs to mind her own business.”
“So there is trouble in paradise.Oh no.What happened?”Her hand latched onto my wrist, and her eyes met mine, filled with concern.
I forced a laugh that hurt more than it should have.“Not at all.Rose has just been… busy.Work stuff, and she’s been helping Meadow come up with new cocktails for the distillery.You know how they get talking and time just flies by.”
She grabbed her chest.“Oh, thank heavens.I don’t know what I would do if the town's most adored couple broke up.We would have to choose sides, but how?You’re both so lovable.And you know, I just love you to pieces, but I couldn’t turn my back on another woman.We stick together, you know.We got a code, us ladies.We have each other’s backs.”
“No need to choose sides.We’re not broken up.”The lie tasted sour on my tongue.
Odette exhaled as if she had been free-diving to the depths of Lake Wallenpaupack.“I’m so relieved.I’ll see you and your better half on Saturday.”She spun on her pink tennis shoe, nearly taking out a passing cyclist, and strutted off.
I stood staring after her.
Six days since Rose left me, and now I had to explain that we had to spend an entire day together while half the town paid to dunk me.
Awesome.
***
“I don’t understand why you couldn’t just say no,” Rose said as we got into the car for the first time together in over a week.As soon as she closed the door, I was surrounded by her coconut-vanilla scent.It had long faded from her pillow, and I may have gone into the bathroom, popped the top of her shampoo and sniffed it a few times.I was pathetic, but I was aware.
“I don’t understand why you’re still sleeping at Meadow’s.People are starting to notice.Maggie Dwyer made a comment to Odette about your car not being here.”
“Maggie Dwyer needs to mind her own business.”
A faint smile tugged at my mouth.Great minds… “We both know that hell will freeze over—”
“—and the devil will give free sleigh rides before that happens,” she chimed in the way she always did.
I backed out of the driveway and turned onto the road toward River Birch Park.
“I don’t know what else to do,” she said, her voice barely audible.“It’s not like you want me home.”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel.It’s all I wanted.I would move heaven and earth to make it happen.“It’s your home too, Rose.Always will be.You can come home whenever you want.”
She didn’t respond, just stared out the window as if she couldn’t bear to look at me.
I exhaled, taking a moment to push my emotions down.“Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to drive to Meadow’s place and bang on the door until you came out?You think I haven’t spent every night sitting on the edge of our bed, wondering how the hell we got here?”
