Page 55 of Santa Maybe
He stared at the screen, wrestling with the desire to say more. If he apologized again, would she let him come over to her apartment? He hated ending things this way.
But as much as it pained him to admit it, Evelyn was right. If he couldn’t give Rosie what she needed, then she was better off finding someone who could.
* * *
When Rosie wokeon Sunday morning, she could barely drag her body out of bed. Her head was pounding, her stomach roiling, her eyes swollen from crying. She picked up her phone, praying she’d see a brand-new message from Drew, declaring his love.
Nope.
As she got to her feet, the abrupt movement made her queasy. She rushed to the bathroom and dry heaved. After swallowing down two ibuprofen tablets with a glass of water, she glanced at her reflection. A total nightmare. Messy hair, smeared makeup, dark bags under her eyes.
How the hell was she supposed to pull herself together? She needed to be at work in less than three hours.
True, it was Sunday, but Preston had asked her to come in at noon.
When her phone pinged, she lunged for it, hoping Drew was reaching out to her. Instead, Charlie had messaged her.
Charlie: How’d the wedding go?
Rosie: Not good. Drew and I broke up.
As soon as she sent the message, she felt stupid. How could they break up if they hadn’t been dating for real? But her friend understood completely.
Charlie: Oh no! I’ll be there in a half hour with coffee. We can talk then.
Rosie: Thanks! You’re a lifesaver.
She set down her phone, made her way to the shower, and cranked it to the hottest setting possible, standing under it until the spray turned cold. Once she was done, she put on a faded Canucks jersey and sweatpants and twisted her wet hair into a topknot. At least now she didn’t feel so grungy, but she dreaded the thought of changing into her work clothes.
When a knock came at the door, she opened it and waved Charlie inside. Her friend bustled in, setting two coffees and a paper bag on the kitchen table. She pulled Rosie into a hug and held on tightly.
Rosie had thought she was done crying, but a few sobs eked out. “I’m such an idiot. I ruined everything.”
Charlie gave her a squeeze and then let her go. “Before we talk, you need coffee. I got you a latte and an egg sandwich. Do you want the one with bacon or sausage?”
“Bacon, please.” Rosie settled herself at the kitchen table and sipped her latte gratefully, perking up as the caffeine worked its magic.
Charlie sat across from her but waited a few minutes before speaking up. “What happened at the wedding? Did Drew do something wrong? Was he still pining for Evelyn?”
“Not in the slightest. He was completely focused on me. It was a wonderful feeling.” Rosie clasped her hands over her heart. “He looked so good in a suit and tie. And get this—the reception was at the Grand Duke.”
“No way!” Charlie laughed. “He never told you?”
“He was worried I’d be annoyed. But I loved waltzing in there as a guest and taking advantage of that sweet open bar.” She groaned. “Though I probably enjoyed it more than I should have. If I hadn’t indulged in so many cocktails, I wouldn’t have lost control.”
“What did you do?” Charlie unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite.
“When Drew and I were dancing, I couldn’t hide my feelings any longer. I told him I was in love with him.”
Charlie nodded sagely. “That’s the wedding effect. All that love and romance in the air is hard to resist.” She took another bite of her sandwich. “Got any mayo? This is a little dry.”
“In the fridge. Can you grab me the hot sauce while you’re at it?” Though Rosie’s sandwich was a scrumptious mix of egg, cheddar cheese, and bacon, it needed a kick.
Charlie set the condiments on the table. “So, when you offered up your big confession, how did Drew react?”
“Not well.” Rosie cringed as she recalled the scene. “To be honest, I didn’t expect him to say it back. We haven’t been together that long. But I was hoping he’d be open to the possibility of love. Like he’d be happy I felt this way or…be willing to take a chance on something real. But he just looked stunned. Then he apologized for not being able to give me what I wanted.”
“Sorry. That sucks. It’s obvious he cares about you, but he must not be ready to take that step. Could you just be friends?”
