Chapter Five

Rosie's hand trembledas she reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from Charles's forehead. But there it was again—that flinch, subtle but undeniable. Charles withdrew from her touch as if he'd been scalded, his eyes a tumultuous sea of longing laced with unmistakable fear. For a man who commanded respect as the mayor, this vulnerability seemed out of place. She knew he'd been married before, so he had to have been touched by a woman. It was so strange to her.

"Goodnight, Rosie," he murmured.

"Goodnight, Charles," she replied, her voice a whisper lost in the shadows as she went to her bedroom. As she lay there, enveloped by the silence, her mind roared to life, teeming with doubts and questions that refused to be tamed.

What was it that caused him to recoil? Was it something within her that repelled him? The curve of her face, perhaps, or the way she laughed too loudly? Rosie turned onto her side, facing the large bay window where moonlight spilled through, painting silver streaks across the wooden floor.

Charles, the enigmatic man she had vowed to spend her life with, now felt like a stranger, his thoughts and desires hidden behind a wall she couldn't breach.

She pulled the quilt tighter around her shoulders, seeking comfort in its soft embrace—a poor substitute for the arms she longed to be held in. Was she not desirable? Her heart ached with the need to be seen, to be cherished. Hadn't she followed every unspoken rule of what a wife should be?

Rosie's brow furrowed as she battled the insecurities that nipped at her resolve. She was more than this, more than the doubts that crept into her heart like unwelcome guests. And she was determined, come morning, to find a bridge across the divide that had settled between them, to ignite a spark that would illuminate both their hearts with the fire of true companionship.

For now, though, the night stretched on, a silent witness to Rosie's vigil, her thoughts a carousel of worry and wonder, spinning tirelessly until dawn's light would bring with it new possibilities.

*****

AT brEAKFAST THE NEXTmorning, Rosie watched Charles as he buttered his toast. She took in his features and felt a familiar ache in her chest.

"Charles?" she asked, her voice soft but steady. "May I speak with you about something important?"

He glanced up from his plate, his blue eyes meeting hers briefly before skirting away. "Of course, Rosie," he said, a guarded note in his voice. "What's on your mind?"

She reached across the table, her fingers hovering just shy of his hand—a touch she yearned to give and receive freely. "It's us," she confessed. "I feel like there's a distance between us, and I don't know what to do to get closer. You pull away from me after you've seemed so close for a while. I want to fix it!"

Charles set down his knife with a clink, schooling his expression. "Everything is fine, my dear," he replied. "Marriage is...well, it's an adjustment for both of us."

Rosie bit her lip, her intuition telling her there was more to it than he was admitting. She pushed forward, determined to get to the bottom of things.

"An adjustment, yes," she agreed gently, "but one I hoped we'd work on together. I want to understand you, Charles, all of you—even the parts that might be difficult to share."

His gaze flickered to hers again, a storm brewing in his eyes before he shuttered them away behind polite indifference. "I appreciate your concern, Rosie," he said, "but everything's all right. We're doing quite well, considering."

"Considering?" Rosie echoed. She wouldn't let this be the end of it, not when her heart told her there was so much more to their story than the chapters they were pretending to live.

"Yes, considering," Charles repeated, his voice firmer now, though she could hear the undercurrent of something raw and unspoken.

Rosie nodded, accepting his answer for the moment while knowing this was only the beginning of their journey. They would figure it out together.

For now, she simply smiled and offered him a refill on his drink. "More coffee?"

Charles accepted the coffee with a nod. As discouraged as Rosie got at times, she was optimistic about her future. And even if she wasn't, she'd stay in Hope Springs, if only to be close to her sisters.

*****

ROSIE WATCHED CHARLES. He stood by the window, his back to her, gazing outside. The view offered comfort and space for reflection, and yet Rosie knew it was not the beauty of the sunset that held him captive. It was something that happened to him in the past, and she would love to be able to understand why he vacillated between loving husband and stranger.

"Charles?" Her voice was soft. "Talk to me."

He turned slightly. "Rosie," he began, his voice carrying a weariness that spoke of battles fought in silence, "I don't want to burden you with my troubles."

"Burden?" She stepped closer, bridging the gap between them with a courage she didn't know she possessed. "I married you wanting all of your tomorrows, but I can't ignore your yesterdays if they're holding you back from me."

"Rosie, I..." He trailed off, his gaze dropping to where his hands were braced against the windowsill.

She reached out, placing her hand atop his, feeling the tremor that ran through him. "We're in this together."

Charles turned fully, the last rays of the sun catching the hint of moisture in his eyes. "My late wife..." The words came reluctantly, each one pulled from a well of pain. "She had this way of making me feel like I wasn't enough. My ideas, my desires...they were all under her thumb, twisted until I barely recognized myself."

Rosie's heart clenched at the confession, her resolve strengthening. "But you're not that man anymore, Charles. You're the mayor, respected by all, and you're my husband." Her smile was tinged with empathy.

"Rosie, I'm afraid." His voice cracked. "Afraid that if I let myself be vulnerable again, I'll lose myself once more."

She squeezed his hand. "We'll ride through every storm, and I'll be right here, holding on tight, never letting go."

A small chuckle escaped Charles, a sound so rare and precious that Rosie felt a flicker of triumph. There was humor there, a glimmer of light amidst the darkness, and she knew they had taken another step toward healing.

"Thank you, Rosie," he said, finally meeting her eyes. "For seeing me, for hearing me...and for not making me feel like I'm less a man in your eyes."

"Always," she promised, her voice steady and sure.

*****

ROSIE LACED HER BOOTS. Today she had planned a picnic by the river, and not even the brooding Colorado skies could dampen her spirits. The air was crisp—alive with the scent of pine and the promise of rain—as she stepped out onto the wooden porch of their modest home.

"Ready to test your fishing skills, Mr. Mayor?" Rosie called back through the open door.

Charles appeared in the doorway, a smile tugging at his lips. "Only if you're prepared to witness the master at work," he replied.

They walked side by side down the path that wound its way toward the river, shoulders occasionally brushing, an electric current of unspoken understanding passing between them. As they settled on the grassy bank, Rosie unpacked the basket, laying out sandwiches and fresh-baked apple pie, while Charles tackled the fishing line with clumsy enthusiasm.

"Remember, it's all in the wrist," Rosie advised. She and her sisters had spent many afternoons sneaking down to the creek near their parents' farm and fishing. They'd never been able to eat their catch because their father would have "punished" them and their mother if he'd found out, but that hadn't stopped the three sisters' enjoyment of their outings.

"Ah, I'm lulling the fish into a false sense of security," Charles retorted, casting again with slightly more success.

It was during these shared meals, these gentle teases, that Rosie found herself falling deeper for the man. And she could tell by the ease in Charles's posture, the warmth in his gaze, that he too was succumbing to feelings for her.

As the afternoon waned, they strolled along the river, speaking of dreams and the future. Rosie spoke of her love for literature, and to her delight, Charles confessed his fondness for poetry, reciting lines from memory with a passion that made her heart swell.

"Byron's words always stirred something within me," Charles admitted. "Though I never had much use for them in politics."

"Then we shall have poetry nights," Rosie declared. "Just you, me, and the beauty of the spoken word."

The idea sparked a new connection, a shared realm where they could both be vulnerable yet emboldened by each other's presence. With every step, every shared secret and whispered dreams.

As dusk embraced the world in its indigo shawl, they reluctantly packed their belongings and headed home.

*****

ROSIE WATCHED AS CHARLESmeticulously tended to the small herb garden at the back of their homestead. The delicate way his fingers worked through the soil, a tenderness in his touch that she'd longed to feel against her own skin, was a dance of shadow and sunlight that played across his features. She leaned against the wooden doorframe, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. The man before her was blossoming.

"Your basil seems to be thriving," Rosie remarked.

"Ah, but it's the thyme that truly prospers under careful watch," Charles replied.

"Time and patience," Rosie mused aloud.

"Yes." He stood and dusted off his hands, walking toward her. "And speaking of time, I believe it's high time for that poetry night you proposed."

Rosie smiled and nodded. "I think that's a great idea.

They settled in the parlor. A few candles flickered, casting a soft glow on the pages of the book that lay open on Rosie's lap. Her voice rose and fell with the rhythm of the poems, each word a note in a symphony that filled the room and wound its way around Charles's heart.

As she read, Charles watched her, thinking of how long it had been since he'd held a woman.

"Your voice gives life to these verses," Charles said softly when she paused.

"Only because the sentiment behind them is one I share," Rosie replied, her gaze locking with his.

They were close enough to feel each other's breath. Yet, they did not cross the invisible line that held them apart, the physical boundary that remained unchallenged for now.

"Thank you, Rosie," Charles said. "For your patience...for everything."

"Thank you, Charles," Rosie said, "for letting me see you."

Their fingers brushed as they closed the book together, a fleeting caress that left Rosie's heart aflutter with unresolved yearnings. But beneath the tumult of her emotions was a steady flame of hope, rekindled by the man before her—a man who was learning to love again.