River folded her arms, waiting for them to speak, and when they didn’t, she released a frustrated huff. “You know, it’s really creepy just standing there watching me.”
“We’re not just watching you. We’re trying to figure out how to talk to you.” Despite her strong stance, Rose sounded worn down. She’d lost her uncle last week, and she was probably tired after dealing with funeral arrangements and other issues, so Mathew and his siblings didn’t have to do it alone.
“What do you need to talk to me about?” River turned her back and faced the wall of tools she’d started to organize because she couldn’t sit still.
Rose sighed. “Lily saw Mathew leave your apartment the morning after Uncle Fred died.”
River’s shoulders tightened.
They hadn’t been subtle with their joy ride that day, either. She hadn’t considered the consequences of enacting a plan to help Mathew loosen up. It had been innocent enough, but after the fun they’d had, she’d almost allowed herself to catch glimpses of what life could be like if they were together.
Those thoughts had fled the second Mathew got in that argument with his father.
Rose stepped a little closer. “I heard he got upset with you, but I just think maybe you ought to give him some grace. He’s carrying a lot right now.”
River shook her head. “Grace for what? Rose, nothing is going on between us.” She turned back to the tools, lining up a wrench that didn’t need lining up. “He was in my place because he shouldn’t have been alone that night. That’s all.”
Her voice came out sharper than she meant it to, and she forced herself to take a breath. “He’s hurting. And I’m not the person who gets to fix that.” She looked back at them, her jawtight. “So no, I’m not going to stand here and pretend this is something it’s not. I’m not interested in being the person someone reaches for just because they’re hurting.”
Rose folded her arms. “You can say that, but I still think there’s more going on than you want to admit.”
“Because he stayed at your place, when he could have stayed with family,” Emerson added. “And because I’ve seen the way he is around you.”
River let out a short breath. “He lost his father. He needed somebody to vent to that night. That’s all.”
Rose’s expression softened. “Maybe. But you matter to him. That much is obvious.”
River looked away.
After a moment, Emerson said quietly, “You can fight it if you want. I’m just saying… the two of you seem good together.”
Once again, those traitorous thoughts attempted to weasel themselves into her psyche. She wasn’t ready for a relationship by any means. Just because he was fun to be around didn’t mean he felt the same way about her.
Maybe Rose noticed something shift in her expression, because she stepped closer and softened her voice. “I just wanted to tell you to be patient with him. He’s gone through a lot. His whole family has.”
“Also, he made you that chicken coop,” Emerson reminded her.
Rose nodded. “And trust me, that’s not exactly normal for Mathew. He’s usually got his nose in a book or buried in work.”
River scoffed. “You two are acting like this means something it doesn’t. He needed to rest that night, and then the next morning he snapped at me.”
They both looked caught off guard, and River closed her eyes for a second, trying to rein herself back in.
“I told him it was my fault for inviting him out that day. He didn’t take it well.”
Rose let out a breath. “That’s because Mathew would never put that on you. He’s been after Uncle Fred for a long time to slow down and take care of himself. To spend time with our aunt instead of running himself into the ground.” She sighed. “I could see him being angry, but not at you. If anything, Mathew’s probably blaming himself for not saving him when he’s an ER doctor.”
The words settled heavy between them.
After a moment, Emerson rubbed the back of his neck. “All I’m saying is, I’ve seen the way he is around you. He’s different.”
River wrinkled her nose. “He’s a stuffy doctor, and I’m…” She waved a hand at herself. “Me.”
Rose gave her a look. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
River huffed out a humorless laugh. “No. I’m saying it like it’s the truth.”
Rose’s expression softened again. “You make him smile. That’s not nothing.”
