85. Rosalyn

EIGHTY-FIVE

ROSALYN

"Little Rose." The deep voice rumbles through my body.

"Hmm?"

"Rosie, I need you to wake up for just a moment."

I crack my lids open. "What?"

Nathan's mouth pulls up on one side. "You gotta get out of the car."

Turning my head, I look past Nathan to the wheelchair waiting beside him. "Did you steal that?"

He scoffs. "I borrowed it."

I roll my eyes. "More like you sweet-talked the nurse into it."

The other side of his mouth pulls up to make a full smile. "No idea what you're talking about. Now help me help you, or else we're just gonna sleep in the car. And that will make Charles very cross."

Charles. The reminder of his cat waiting upstairs is the motivation I need.

I unbuckle, and Nathan uses his hands on my hips to help me turn so my feet are out of the vehicle.

"I'm gonna guide you," Nathan tells me as he pulls me toward the end of the seat. "Just remember to keep your foot up."

I grip his shoulders and do as he says .

When my right foot hits the ground, Nathan reaches behind him and swings the wheelchair around so it's right beside me.

By the time my butt hits the seat, I'm back to being achy and tired.

Nathan shuts my door, then disappears around behind me.

I hear him open and close another door before he reappears.

He has an overstuffed duffel bag on each shoulder, the shoebox under one arm, and the crutches tucked under the other.

I hold my hands out. "Give me something. You look ridiculous."

Nathan looks at the shoebox but makes no move to give it to me. "Can you take the crutches?"

Reaching out, I take them and settle them between my knees and onto my shoulder so they won't catch on doorways. "You can just set everything in my lap."

"Not gonna happen." Nathan moves behind me, but it's obvious to all involved that it's going to be difficult to push my chair with that shoebox under his arm.

"Give me the… box. It's light."

He hesitates. "You won't try to do anything to them, will you?"

I sigh. "Nathan, even though those letters are mine and I can do whatever I want to them, I'm not going to magically set them on fire while they're sitting in my lap."

He makes no move to give them up.

I lift a hand to my chest. "Swear on my love for Charles that I won't do anything to damage them."

"Fine," he huffs and sets the box in my lap.

Draping my arm over the box, I nod to Nathan.

The parking garage is empty of people as Nathan pushes me down the row.

And in the quiet, I think about how staying here is too much to ask.

We may have been close all those years ago, but as adults, the reality is that we just met a few weeks ago.

I feel the weight of the box in my lap.

And now that Nathan's read the letters, it's like we just met all over again .

The elevator doors open, and when Nathan pushes me inside, I look at his blurry reflection in the back wall.

He looked so fucking sad when I woke up and found him with the letters.

I never wanted to make Nathan sad. He's only ever brought happiness into my life.

I let my eyes drift closed as the elevator takes us up.

And it's nearing the middle of the night. Nathan is probably as tired as I am.

I'll argue with him about going home tomorrow.