38. Rosie

Chapter 38

Rosie

DYLAN SAVAGE HAS GONE OFF THE RAILS (ONCE AGAIN)

A center for the PHL team, Mountain Peaks, Dylan Savage is no stranger to the spotlight for his bad behavior on and off the ice. But his self-destruction has reached new heights. An insider source reports that he’s in a romantic entanglement with a felon—and that the two of them have been spotted numerous times with law enforcement. If that weren’t enough, Savage has joined a professional baseball team, which is in direct violation of his contract. We’ll bring you the most up-to-date information as we receive it, but it is clear, this reformed bad boy is up to his old antics. The Peaks’ coach has declined to comment at this time.

— Hot Goss Magazine

Dylan was reading on the couch when I came racing downstairs at his parents’ house. His eyes looked red, like he’d been crying. Oh no. Maybe he’d already read what Hot Goss Magazine wrote about him.

I thrust my phone at Dylan, open to the article. “Have you read this?”

His concerned gaze flicked down to it quickly, then back up at me. “I don’t think so. What’s wrong?”

“Just—you’ll understand in a minute.”

He stood and moved as if to hug me, but I took a step back. It would hurt too much to hug him now, and know that once he read that article, he’d never look at me the same way.

Because, once again, in true Rosie fashion, I had ruined everything.

The very plan I’d made to help him succeed was going to ruin his life.

Dylan read the article, and I watched his face, waiting for the realization to dawn. His expression started out neutral, but as he continued to read, he frowned.

“What site is this?” He scrolled back to the top. “These guys have been a thorn in my side for months, but this has crossed a line.”

“I’m sorry, Dylan,” I blurted out, my eyes watering. “My dumb scheme is going to cost you everything.”

“Hey, no. They didn’t even get the details right. You’re not a felon.”

“But I do have misdemeanors, which are just as bad, optically.”

His mouth tightened. “I couldn’t care less about optics.”

“But you need to care about them. That was the entire reason you came to Winterhaven. Without good optics, they won’t let you back on the team.”

“And to say that I’m playing for a professional baseball team is an outright lie.”

“But you played in for the Icy Asps softball team. It’s against your contract.”

“Technically, but I’m not that worried about it. The spirit of the contract is not to join any other professional teams or put my body at risk in any way, not playing a casual pick-up game with friends.”

“Where did the picture come from?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.” The article included an image of him wearing the too-tight orange T-shirt and a second picture of us nearly kissing the day we were painting the wall. There was someone in Winterhaven we couldn’t trust. Did Lily want him gone that bad? Or maybe Max somehow believed I could be his with Dylan out of the way.

“This is all my fault,” I said, my breaths coming short. “Fake dating you was selfish, and it would have been better if you’d never met me.”

“Rosie. Stop.” He dropped my phone onto the table and cut the distance between us so fast, I couldn’t move. He hauled me into his arms, and I clung to him, even though it would be better for him if I pushed him away. “The only person whose fault it is, is whoever turned in this story.”

“Without me, there’d be no story,” I said. I really was the sour lemon.

The doorbell rang, and Dylan didn’t move. He continued to hold me tight. It rang again, and again, and finally I pushed him away from me. “You better answer that.”

He groaned. “Don’t move,” he said.

I waited until he got to the door and then turned and headed into the kitchen and out the garage door. Dylan didn’t know what was good for him, so I was going to have to make the decision for the both of us. I slipped out the back door and sent a quick text to Mrs. Savage.

Rosie: Can you watch Lizzy for a few days?

Mrs. Savage : Of course. Where are you headed?

I tucked my phone in my back pocket and didn’t respond.