Page 104 of Wish You Faith

Maybe this wasn’t the best time to be engaged to Rosie. Maybe he should set her free rather than drag her into this mess with him.

A knock on the door broke his train wreck of a thought. Lloyd stood there, holding a tray with a bagel on it. Standing next to him was…

“Am I dreaming?” Evan thought he was seeing things. Did not having eaten any breakfast cause him to hallucinate?

He blinked a couple of times.

She was still standing there. Dressed in a vermilion turtleneck and black pants that made her legs look slim and long, she smiled at him.

That smile!

The same smile that had brightened his day the very first time he’d met her.

Evan jumped about two feet off the floor. “Rosie!”

“Happy new year!” Her voice was still the same as well.

Evan dashed to Rosie and hugged her so tightly she was gasping for air. “Sorry. Sorry.”

Evan loosened his grips. Rosie smelled lovely. Her shampoo reminded him of a spring day, and her neck smelled of lavender. Lotion or soap, he couldn’t tell.

“Ahem. I’ll just put the tray on your desk.” Lloyd sidestepped the hugging couple.

“Thank you, Lloyd. You may go.” Evan pointed to the door. He needed Lloyd to leave because he wanted to kiss Rosie.

“May I remind you that your meeting starts in ten minutes?” Lloyd said on his way out.

“I might be late.” Evan didn’t want to be, but he considered Rosie more important than any meeting in the world.

“You can’t be late.” Rosie peeled herself off Evan and wouldn’t let him kiss her. “This is for the Savannah project, right?”

“How did you know?” Evan held Rosie’s hands instead. It was all he was getting right now.

“Your mom told me.”

“My mom?” He had a sinking feeling. “Y-you spoke with Mom?”

Rosie nodded. “She’s sweet and kind.”

“Say that again? Are you describing your own mom?” Evan nearly laughed. He wondered what had transpired between Mom and Rosie.

“We’ll talk after the meeting.” Rosie hurried him along. “Go now. Take your bagel with you.”

“No time.” He picked up his laptop and tumbler. Hesitated. “Will you be here when I get back?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” She pointed to the sitting area, where there was a couch and a couple of arm chairs around a coffee table. “I’ll wait for you over there.”

“If you need anything, ask Lloyd.”

“Won’t he be with you at the meeting?”

“Oh yes. I forgot.”

“Hmm. Memory problems. How much sleep per night have you been getting these days?”

“Not enough.” Evan’s phone rang. It was Connor. Evan didn’t pick up. He turned to Rosie. “If you need anything, just text me, and I’ll send Lloyd.”

“Okay.” Rosie pushed him out of the office. “I’ll pray for your meeting. Go!”

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