“You're helpful,” she continued, thumb brushing across my knuckles. “Even when it's inconvenient. Even when most people wouldn't bother. You see something that needs fixing and you just... do it.”
“It's not?—”
“Let me finish.” Her eyes locked on mine. “You're blunt. Sometimes painfully so. But you always say what you mean. No games, no pretending. When you tell me something, I know it's real.”
My throat felt tight.
“And you care.” Her voice dropped. “About everyone. The animals, the people who can't pay, that puppy behind the diner. You care so much, it's exhausting just watching you, but you never stop. You just keep showing up, keep helping, keep being...”
She trailed off, a soft smile spreading across her face.
“Keep being what?”
“You.” She squeezed my hand. “You keep being you. And I really, really like that.”
I pulled her close again, cupping her face with my free hand. “Rosie.”
“Yeah?”
“I'm going to kiss you again now.”
Her smile could've lit the whole town. “Please do.”
ChapterSeventeen
Rosalie
“When you saidyou wanted to help me unpack, this isn't how I thought it would end.”
I turned my head to look at Cal. He was staring up at the stars, profile outlined in moonlight, completely relaxed in a way I'd never seen before.
“But it's perfect,” I added as I shifted closer, tucking myself against his side. His arm came around me immediately, warm and solid.
We'd unpacked everything together in record time. Cal had hauled crates to the barn while I'd sorted unsold vegetables and flowers in the kitchen. Twenty minutes, and we were done.
Then he'd lingered in the doorway instead of reaching for his keys, and I'd asked him if he'd like to stay a bit longer, and neither of us had needed much convincing after that. I'd grabbed a blanket and a wine bottle while he'd raided the kitchen for whatever looked good.
Now we were stretched out by the creek, the remains of our impromptu picnic scattered around us. Crusty bread. Sharp cheddar. Sliced cucumber and radishes from the garden. A bottle of red wine that was probably too good to be drinking straight from the bottle, but we'd done it anyway.
My stomach was pleasantly full. My heart felt fuller.
Cal's thumb traced lazy circles on my shoulder. Above us, the stars stretched endlessly across the sky.
“What was it like?” Cal's voice was quiet. “Before.”
I tilted my head to look at him. His jaw was tight, like he wasn't sure he should have asked.
“Before what?”
“Before here. Seattle. Your life there. You don't...” He hesitated. “You don't talk about it much.”
I didn't. Not really. Emily and Abby knew the basics, but I'd kept it surface level even with them. Every time someone asked, I'd give them the short version.Fresh start. Needed a change. You know how it is.
But Cal's thumb was still tracing those gentle circles on my shoulder, and his breathing was steady beside me, and something about the darkness made it easier to be honest.
“It got messy.” I picked at the edge of the blanket. “I thought I knew what I wanted. Good job, nice apartment, someone who seemed stable. My dad loved him. Aaron. He was... everything looked right on paper.”
Cal didn't say anything, but his hand stilled on my shoulder. Listening.
