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“I’ll have you know I’m not always boring.”
“Oh, really? So, when are you not boring, Mr. Selleck?”
“I’m not boring when the lights are out,” I say in a low voice, and her jaw drops as we walk down the road at a slow pace.
“Wait, what does that mean?”
“Nothing,” I say quickly, regretting my choice of words.
Rosie knows how to wind me up, and I have to remember that I cannot react to her bait.
“Are you secretly, like, a dominatrix or something?”
“I think dominatrices are female.” I stare at her.
“Well, whatever the male version is.”
“No, I’m not. You read far too many books, Rosie, that you likely should not be reading.”
“Hey, don’t yuck my yum.”
“I’m not yucking your yum,” I say. “Now, are you ready to continue on to the car or …”
“I’m ready,” she says. She stares at me for a few seconds and then pokes me in the chest. “I think you’re a bit of a bad boy, Brett Selleck, but you don’t want me to know. Why don’t you want me to know?”
“You’re twenty-two, and I’m thirty-two. There are ten years between us, Rosie. I have seen and done things that you could not even imagine.”
“Ooh, like what?”
“Like nothing,” I say. “Come on. Let’s get you to the car.”
She shakes her head and then grabs my arm and leans into me. She starts skipping down the street, and I look over at her. There’s a wide smile on her face.
“My name is Rosie,” she sings out loud, “and this is Brett, and we’re going to be best friends at some point.” She looks over at me and gives me the most beautiful smile I’ve seen. “I know you think I’m just a silly twenty-two-year-old, but I’ll show you, Brett. One of these days, you’re going to say to me, You’re the best friend I’ve ever had in my life. You know that, right?”
“We shall see,” I say.
“Unless you have a best friend.” She pauses. “I mean, aside from Dalton. Do you have a best friend?”
“I did,” I say. “I had a great friend once upon a time.”
“Oh, what happened?”
“Nothing,” I say quickly, not wanting to talk about it.
“Were you ever married, Brett?” She tilts her head to the side. “Are you still in love with an ex-wife or an ex-fiancée or …”
“Not at all,” I say. “Never been married and not in love with any ex.”
“Oh good,” she says. “That would make me super sad.”
“Oh?” My eyes narrow as I gaze at her. “I thought you weren’t interested in me in that way.”
“I’m not. I’m saying it would suck if your heart was broken and that’s why you were all cold and mean.”
“I don’t think I’m cold and mean.”
“You’re not. I like to tease you.”
