20. Rosie

Chapter Twenty

Rosie

A few mornings later

When I walked outside, I noticed my brother leaving early. I told myself I wasn't trying to keep tabs on Brent. It's just that I always worried. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why he would be leaving this early. It was a foggy morning with the mist hanging heavy in the air.

This was the day I usually went to the transfer station, which was the only reason I happened to be outside loading the trash in the back of my car.

Brent glanced over. It looked as if I caught him doing something when all he was doing was leaving early.

"I know things are wild when you're up at this hour," I quipped.

His expression was pinched.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Oh yeah," he said quickly. He paused as he opened his car door, resting an elbow on the rooftop. "How are you and Wyatt?"

I didn't want to assume he was trying to change the subject, but it sure felt like it. But then, this was my brother and he liked to tease. Regardless of his reasons, it was an effective distraction. I was relieved for the gray, barely light morning and the cool air. It might've masked the heat that flared in my cheeks.

"We're fine, thanks for asking."

Brent studied me for a moment, his gaze considering. "I think he's good for you."

"You do?"

"I do. You carry a lot. You don't have to do it alone."

I didn't even know what to make of that comment. He tapped his fingers on the roof of his car. "Nobody has to do it all alone. I gotta roll. Love you, sis."

A moment later, I watched the taillights of his car fade into the mist as he drove away. I stood beside the back of my car, feeling discombobulated. My little brother was grown up, and I didn't even know what to make of that. For crying out loud, he was giving me advice about romance.

I slowly turned to close the hatch on my car before walking back into my house. I'd worked late last night and recalled getting home and being relieved my brother's car was parked in the driveway. I didn't want to worry so much about him, but it was like a muscle memory in my brain. I just did it. Like when I went to brush my teeth, I always started on the same side of my mouth.

I'd missed Wyatt last night and pondered his comment when he'd kissed me good night the night before that. "Everyone knows we're married now. We could just, you know, behave like we're married."

"What does that mean?" I'd lobbed back at him.

Wasn't that the million-dollar question? What did that mean?

The thing was, I would've happily had Wyatt with me every night. But it still terrified me a little to believe in us. It almost would've been easier—okay, definitely easier—if I hadn't gone and fallen in love with him like a foolish girl.

A few minutes later, I walked the short distance from my small house to the main house to check on my dad.

"Hello?" I called, peering inside as I opened the door.

"Hey, Rosie girl," he returned, his voice sounding surprisingly chipper.

I closed the door behind me and walked into the kitchen, where he was seated at the table. "Brent left early," I said by way of greeting.

Something passed through my father's gaze, but it didn't look concerning, so I let it be. "He did. He's loving his job with Kenan at Fireweed Industries. That man's got him running all over the place. It keeps him busy, and busy is good."

"You think?" I teased as I sat down across from him. "If that's the case, I am kicking ass at life."

My dad's gaze was warm, and his smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. "You are kicking ass at life, Rosie." He lifted his coffee mug. "Also, congratulations on your marriage."

A startled laugh slipped out. "The news is out."

My dad's gaze sobered as he looked over at me. "Wyatt Cannon is a good man. I think he's good for you."

"You do?"

He took a swallow of coffee, appearing to ponder something in his thoughts before he set his mug down. "Yes. Your mother dying was really hard on you for lots of obvious reasons. You've never said it out loud, but I'm pretty sure you decided you would never need anyone after we lost her."

The breath I drew in was sharp as I pressed a palm to my chest, almost as if I needed to contain the sudden throb of pain in my heart. "Dad…"

"Rosie, don't worry about me. Losing your mom was devastating for me. Because I loved her. But you slowly get used to loss, and I've had plenty of time." He paused and tipped his head to the side slightly. "As far as I can tell, you decided love wasn't worth the risk. I promise you, it is."

Sometimes it hurt when someone knew you as well as my father knew me. Right now, my heart felt raw, as if a scab I'd forgotten about had been ripped off. The old pain felt exposed and fresh.

I took a shaky breath. "I don't know what to say."

"I don't think any of that was conscious on your part, for what it's worth. I'm just glad you're giving Wyatt a chance. I heard the whole story of Vegas and all that." He waved a hand in the air. "Maybe it was impulsive. Sometimes impulsive choices are stupid, but sometimes they lead us in the right direction and give us a chance not to dwell too much. Knowing you the way I do, I'm pretty sure if you didn't impulsively give somebody a chance, you would never give them a chance. That's all I'm saying."

I blinked away my tears. "I love you, Dad," I said when I thought I could speak without bawling my eyes out.

"I love you, he said solemnly. For what it's worth, I appreciate you worrying about your brother and me and making sure everything's okay. Your brother's doing a pretty good job checking on me. We're gonna work out a schedule where I can be at the hardware store, and he can pick me up and drop me off. It's good you don't have to carry everything alone."

As I drove to work later that day, I pondered that both my brother and father had made the same observation—that I didn't have to carry things alone.