"But?"
"I just couldn't imagine bringing anyone else into Imogen's life. It had been disrupted so much already." She twisted back into her original position. "I couldn't risk letting someone else close who might leave."
"I think that's understandable." Billy's arms squeezed more tightly around Rosa.
"If I'm honest, Billy, that still feels real now. The fear of letting you back in, disrupting Imogen, and then…"
"That won't happen again, Rosa."
"You said that before…" Rosa let her head fall back. "The day we got married."
"And I meant it," Billy said. "And if I could go back and change all the things that went wrong, I would…in a heartbeat… But I can't, and I've accepted that and drawn a line under it, and all I can ask is that you look at the woman I am now and you make your choices with that in mind. I mean it when I tell you I love you."
"Love has never been our problem. I've never felt unloved by you, but it wasn't enough, we still fell apart…but I hear you and I'm here and willing to try, but it has to be on my terms."
"And those are?"
"Like I’ve already said, I need this to be slow. You can't rush me. This isn't something I can just walk back into because it's you… I love you, but I'm notinlove with you, and I need time to fall back into that with you."
"Alright…" Billy grinned, ideas forming. "So, does that mean…you want me to woo you?"
"Woo me?" Rosa laughed at the old-fashioned term.
"Yeah, go on dates, and send flowers…you know…surprise you with small tokens of my affection."
"No. Nothing that would give Imogen reason to question us. I need this to be…subtle."
"Behind Imogen's back?"
"That's not how I'd describe it, but…yes. I need that for now. Until…"
"Until?"
"Until we're both sure this is going to work."
"Alright. That sounds like—" Her phone rang. "Can you reach that?"
Rosa leaned over and grabbed the mobile, reading the screen. "It's your mum," she said, passing it to Billy. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"Okay." Billy watched Rosa get up before she answered the call. "Mum, how's it all going?"
Chapter twenty-nine
"Everything okay?" Rosa asked when she returned from the bathroom and found Billy staring out of the window. The phone call was over and the phone left on the coffee table.
Billy turned to face her, smiling as she said, "Yes. Mum thinks the snowstorm might have passed and that the roads will start to be cleared now."
"Oh, that is good. So, we might be able to get up to the house for the party?"
"Hm, that might be a bit much. It's always harder to go up than down."
Rosa's face fell.
"But…" Billy beckoned Rosa to come closer. When she stood between her thighs, Billy gently ran her hands up Rosa's legs until she reached the belt buckle and pulled her into her lap. "They think they might be able to come to us."
"What?"
"I know…" Her arms tightened just a little around Rosa as she said, "They're going to ski down—"
