Page 47 of Wish You Faith

Rosie ended the kiss. “Does that answer your question?”

“I think so.”

Evan pecked her quickly on the edge of her lips. She didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong?” Evan asked.

“We’re in public. See the people around us?” Rosie’s voice was soft.

“I don’t care. PDA is not exclusive to us.” Evan found himself mumbling about public displays of affection.

“I care about time. You not only have to drop me off at my house, but then you also have to drive home. Don’t want you to stay out too late.”

“It’s Saturday tomorrow,” Evan reminded her. “I can sleep in.”

“Oh. I forgot it’s the weekend already.”

“You work too hard, my lady.” Evan hugged her. “Consider this a much needed excursion to the river. Let’s just enjoy the minutes we have left. I gave my word to your mom that I’d get you home by midnight.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind if I’m late, but yeah, let’s go in a few.”

The few minutes seemed to last forever. Evan thanked God quietly that the feelings between him and Rosie were mutual, after all. He was surprised at how fast their relationship developed. Seven days after they had met, they kissed.

Time waited for no one, as they said. Rosie was probably more aware of this than Evan simply because she had suffered through her mother’s Stage 4 cancer once already. Even though it was in remission, Sonya could go at any time. He didn’t want that to be their reason to be together though.

“Are we moving too fast?” Evan whispered in Rosie’s ear.

“Mom says that life is too short to hem and haw. When Dad died suddenly, we weren’t with him. He went just like that. Mom said she regretted not telling Dad that morning that she loved him—even though they had told each other ‘I love you’ countless times. It was just that she thought she’d see him again after work, you know?”

Evan nodded.

“That night, she cried alone. In fact, she cried a lot for the next several years.” Rosie drew a deep breath. “We survived and Mom did better over time. When cancer struck her, it was yet another stark reminder of the brevity of life. So I determined that when I see someone I like, I won’t hesitate because I might not have the opportunity.”

Someone I like.

“Me?” Evan asked. “When did you like me?”

“I didn’t pay attention at first, until I went with you to SSLR.”

Evan remembered the day when Travis showed up at the tree farm, and Rosie decided to join the Christmastown crew setting up outdoor decorations at SSLR. She didn’t have to, but she had to get away from Travis.

Evan didn’t want to mention his name. No way was he going to credit Travis for driving Rosie into his arms.

“Do you think God brought us together?” Rosie asked.

“Definitely.” And He was whom Evan would credit a million percent.

But…

How would he explain Rosie to Mom?

Mom’s first question for all his previous girlfriends was, “What is your blood type?” Evan wasn’t sure if that was the Asian side of her asking, or whether it was a critical medical question for the future of the Cavanaugh family.

Should he ask Rosie at all?

Mom’s next question would be about Rosie’s background. Mom would send an investigator to dig up her family story and write a report.

What would she say when she discovered that Sonya’s cancer might return and that could incur medical bills that Evan would want to help pay for—even though it would be out of his own pocket?

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