Page 52 of Fighting Gravity

Tate clapped his hands together. “Deal. Tomorrow, tour. Saturday, we build.”

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How exciting is my life?Rosie thought wryly as she looked down at her yellow-gloved hands and pile of dirty Swiffer pads that her cat had turned into a nap spot. She’d spent all of Friday evening and Saturday morning cleaning.

Though she had to acknowledge that her life had become infinitely more exciting since she’d met Tate. Rosie had toured a spaceplane, slept in a Le Corbusier home, and experienced a private symphony performance. Even more shocking? She’d gone on a date in public with him the past weekend, and stayed at his house again.

Still, she was holding back and couldn’t say why. Not even Selah could shed light in that dark corner. Rosie trusted Tate, even with the secret he was keeping from her. He hadn’t denied he had one; that in itself had helped.

When would the switch flip? When would she fully trust him to take care of her heart? Tate wouldn’t wait forever.

Two hours later, prime brunch time, Rosie peeled the gloves off her damp hands and surveyed her work. Every surface gleamed and the air smelled clean. Bella purred as she rubbed against Rosie’s legs. Sighing happily, she decided to treat herself to a solo brunch. And a shower.

She chose a coffee shop that was a farther walk than normal, the good one with the Nutella cold brew and house-made muffins. Rosie tucked herself into a table near the back and lost herself in the Houzz app while listening for her name.

When she heard her name a few minutes later, it wasn’t shouted from behind the counter but instead expressed in a deep voice just steps away. Rosie looked up, icy panic roiling through her as she took in the tall form of Jeremy, the architect from her former firm from whom she’d hid at the grocery store a couple of months before. She couldn’t hide now, though she slunk further into her chair as if she could.

“Finally,” he said. “I’ve been dying to run into you for two years.”

“Why?” After the word exited her mouth, Rosie realized her response sounded ungracious.

Jeremy didn’t look offended. He was still smiling as he took a seat opposite her. His friendly, familiar form should have put her at ease, not on edge. “What happened to you was really shitty. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine.” She’d be better if she had coffee and no company.

The barista called her name then.

“I’ll get your coffee.” Jeremy moved before Rosie could stop him. He brought back her muffin and set the large, frosty glass of creamy cold brew in front of her. “I’m glad to hear you’re fine. What have you been doing? Where are you working these days?”

Rosie didn’t answer right away. Jeremy wasn’t an enemy. He was a good guy. Yet she still couldn’t just reveal what she’d tried to hide for the past two years.

“I’m at Gable and Norman now,” he offered.

Interest nudged at her. They were a prominent firm specializing in cutting-edge sustainable design.

The barista called Jeremy’s name. He stared at her, silently asking for permission to join her. Rosie nodded. Smiling, he rose and came back with coffee and a sandwich.

“Tell me about Gable and Norman,” Rosie ventured. She was interested, and even more interested in avoiding the discussion of their shared history. “I read that you guys just built a net-zero energy housing development in Portland.”

Jeremy launched into the design details that he must know Rosie craved. She wanted to move Abode further into sustainable design, starting with her homeless housing idea, which she’d been sadly neglecting of late. But then Jeremy brought the conversation back to her.

“I can tell you don’t want to talk about the past, Rosie, but I have some information you might actually want to hear about what went down at our old firm.”

Rosie squirmed in her seat. “Talking about the past doesn’t change the outcome. Why bother?”

He leaned forward. “Because we all learned what really happened.”

She stilled. “What do you mean?”

“I never thought you wrote that email. I don’t think anyone did.”

Rosie shook her head. Kind words, but untrue. She’d been fired, after all.

“Chad wrote the email. He took advantage of your unlocked computer to send it out. He wanted you out of the way for the principal promotion we were up for.”

Rosie nodded. That had been her conclusion, as well.

“He didn’t get promoted. In fact, he got caught trying to pull that same shit again.”

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