Page 45 of Roses for Rosie

“Rosie, what’s wrong?” I’m confused by her question and worried that something seriously wrong has happened. Is her father treating her badly again? Did something go wrong at work? Is she sick or hurt?

“You tell me.” Her tone isn’t any softer. If anything, now it’s laced with sarcasm.

“Tell you what?” I ask, my worry turning into annoyance. I’m not one to play games with people who matter to me and I don’t appreciate Rosie teasing me this way.

“I think you know.”

“I know you need to stop talking in riddles and tell me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t believe you are even trying to hide this from me. She’s right, you really do think I’m a naïve little country girl.”

“Who is ‘she’? I don’t think that!”

“She? She is the mother of your child, you bastard.”

“Wait, what?” I am completely lost now. The last time I checked I was childless. I think I would know if I had a child. I have slept with my fair share of women, but I’m always careful. There is no way my genes are floating around outside of my body.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Scarlett came to the shop today. She told me everything.”

“Scarlett? Scarlett and I are over. We have been for over a month now. Why was she in Jamesville?”

“To tell me the truth about you, you lying, cheating scumbag. Did you really think you could have both of us?”

“No. I mean I don’t even want both of you. Scarlett is in my past. She means nothing to me.”

“The big fat diamond on her finger says otherwise. The illusion is over, Adam. I know.”

“You don’t know anything, Rosie.”

“And you know everything, don’t you? Just because you are rich and famous and I’m a small-town girl with a simple life doesn’t mean you can take advantage of me.”

“I would never do that to you, Rosie. I don’t know what stories Scarlett made up, but you have to trust me.”

“That line sounds familiar. Trust me, Rosie,” she mocks, in a sing song voice.

“Have I ever given you reason not to?”

“Proposing to your ex-girlfriend who, by the way, is carrying your child and failing to tell me strikes me as a good reason.”

“I can’t believe you think I would do a thing like that.” Fury pumps through me. I’m mad at Rosie for believing these lies. I thought she knew me better than that. I thought she cared about me the way I care about her.

I’m even madder at Scarlett for her treachery. How dare she try to come between me and Rosie? Whatever she said clearly hurt Rosie deeply. My blood boils at the thought of anyone causing her pain.

I’m mad at myself for ever getting involved with Scarlett. I knew she was trouble from the start with her Hollywood friends and her party girl lifestyle. She was persistent, and undeniably gorgeous though. I thought I could handle her, but it looks like I was wrong. Her vindictive streak is threatening to ruin my future with Rosie.

“Why wouldn’t I? Everyone knows you have a new woman on your arm every week. Why would you change just for me?”

I have to change her mind. The things Rosie is saying are hurtful, but I know Scarlett. I’m sure she played her part well. I’ve been on the other side of Scarlett spinning an argument. It’s hard to parse out which parts of her story are truth, and which are fiction.

Convincing Rosie that I was cheating on her would be easy for Scarlett. Rosie is so honest and authentic. I bet she can’t even imagine someone being as deceitful and hateful as Scarlett is. I have to convince her that I am telling the truth and Scarlett is the liar.

“Rosie, wait. Let’s talk about this. I know you are upset, but this is all just a big misunderstanding. Let me explain.”

“Scarlett already explained everything. Goodbye, Adam.”

My phone screen goes blank. The call is gone. Rosie is gone.

Adrenaline courses through me and not in the good way it does at an amusement park when the roller coaster is clicking up the biggest hill, in the bad way it does when a train is barreling down the tracks on a collision course with everything that matters. I get up from the bed and pace the hotel room, trying to piece together what just happened.

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