Page 16 of I’ll Find You

“Okay,” I say. “When?”

She furrows her brow in thought. “Tonight,” she decides, looking away in thought before returning to look at me. “But I have to go to the grocery store first.”

I finish my drink and stand. Then I extend my hand. She looks at it, then up at me, curiosity softening her expression.

“Come on,” I say. “I’ll drive you.” Rose takes my hand, and I pull her to her feet. I grab her bag from the bench and sling it over my shoulder.

“Okay,” she agrees. My eyebrow lifts. I expected a protest. Something along the lines of I can drive myself, or I’ll meet you there. But she doesn’t do any of that.

“I have my car,” she says. “We could drop yours off or⁠—”

“Follow me back,” I say, already heading toward the door.

“Okay,” she replies, following closely behind as I hold it open for her. Her long legs make quick strides reaching for her door, opening it, and sliding into the driver’s seat. “See you at home.”

My smile spreads wide as I repeat her words back to her. “See you at home, Rose.”

I grab the shopping cart while she walks beside me. “I need a few things for the week, too,” I tell her.

She nods, attempting to grab the cart, but when I don't let go, she simply places her bag in the child seat and walks beside me.

“What do you want to get first?” I look at her as I lean forward onto the cart, gazing upward at her.

She smiles—her first real smile since I've known her—and turns toward the dairy aisle. I follow without bothering to hide how pleased I am. We start in the dairy aisle. She grabs a few ingredients while I try to guess what she’s planning to cook, since she hasn’t mentioned it. I toss a few protein shakes into the cart. Then she leads me to the pasta aisle. When she reaches for a box of spaghetti, I have to fight the urge to grin like an idiot.

“You're making spaghetti?” I ask, but I already know the answer. Or at least I hope I do.

“Yep.” She grabs the sauce and drops it into the cart. A few more ingredients later, and we are checking out. She protests when I pay, but not very hard.

I’m excited to get back, so the drive home feels longer than it should be. I haven’t had a real home-cooked meal in months. And for reasons I’m not ready to analyze, the idea of Rose cooking for me makes something in my chest feel lighter.

After unloading the groceries, she gathers the ingredients she needs and sets them on the counter before starting to prepare dinner. I sit across from her, watching. Every so often, she peeks my way, but mostly she’s focused on the food. The quiet between us is comfortable.

That is, until my phone rings. “Hi, Uncle Jameson,” I answer as I start walking toward the bedroom. Behind me, Rose’s voice rises from the kitchen.

“It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.” I turn back, but she has her back to me, stirring something in a pot.

I freeze. My uncle definitely heard that. I mute the phone and glance toward her. “Thanks,” I tell her. “I’ll just be another minute.” I close the bedroom door behind me and bring the phone back to my ear. “Sorry about that.”

There’s a moment of silence before my uncle speaks. “Who was that?”

I lean against the dresser, rubbing the back of my neck. “No one.”

Jameson snorts. “Alex, I may be getting older, but I’m not deaf. Someone just said dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“She’s just cooking,” I say.

Another pause. “She? Who’s she?”

I stare at the wall, weighing my answer. Part of me wants to say it. Rose. The other, more selfish part wants to keep her to myself a little longer. Because the second my parents find out she’s here, the questions start. And Uncle Jameson won’t keep it to himself. He never does. Aunt Evie will know immediately, and I feel bad for him when that happens.

“Someone.” That’s all I give him. Maybe he won’t push it, but I already know better than that.

Jameson huffs a laugh. “That didn’t answer my question.”

“Nope.”

A low whistle sounds through the phone, his Southern accent thick with amusement. “Well, that’s interesting. Didn’t think you were the ‘someone making you dinner’ type.”