Page 100 of Red Hot Roaster

“Yes and yes. Eventually. If you’ll have us. But first, there are things I need to say. If you’ll let me.”

She nodded and stood on her tiptoes to give me her mouth. This time, we kissed deeply, our tongues twisting in their own dance. Before the dogs could break down the door, I picked Rose up again and pushed into the front hall. Princess and Pirate were leaping on us, but I fended them off to carry her through the living room, past the dining table and into the kitchen. Where I balanced her carefully on one of the stools at the island and stepped back.

“First,” I informed her, “I’m going to make you—actually, both of us—something to eat. I only grabbed a sandwich at Hood River today.”

Rose gasped in mock horror.How could I forget her smart-ass ways?

“We’ll talk while we’re eating. We have all night. Assuming you have eggs and bacon, how does breakfast for dinner sound?”Maybe with a side of chocolate truffles.

She smiled and then frowned. “Won’t Finn and Lauren be coming home after the café closes?”

I reached for the note tucked under the French press and handed it to her. She read aloud what I already knew,“Our Gift to You Both—24 Hours Together—House to Yourselves—See You Christmas Eve—Love, Finn & Lauren—P.S. Mateo & Pete Say No Café Visits Tomorrow.”

Rose grinned this time. “Oh, how wonderful! We’re so lucky to have such good friends and family.”

Then she sobered and said, “Rafe, I have thingsIneed to share withyou, things to show you too.”

Reaching up, she gently brushed her fingers along my jawline, over my scar, back and forth, back and forth. My eyes drifted shut, and I took a long breath.Home at last. Hopefully.

After a few moments, I slipped from her touch to start breakfast and put the kettle on. Later, over crispy bacon, scrambled eggs and strong coffee sugared up for her—the dogs settled at our feet for scraps—I asked Rose to forgive me. Well, not right at first.

At first, I told her, “I fucked up. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I was wrong—wrong to leave, wrong to not trust your judgment, wrong to tell you that you needed a better man.”

By this time, my heart was thumping out of my chest. “You makemea better man. You make me believe my rough past doesn’t matter because you see me for who I amnow. I love you, and I want to spend every minute of every day, the rest of my life, showing you just how much. I can’t live without you.”

Then, and only then, did I ask, “Rose, can you forgive me? Can you give me a second chance?”

She didn’t answer right away. She’d sat listening the entire time, meeting my eyes, not saying a word, eating a forkful here and there, sipping from her mug.

Finally, I couldn’t stand it.

“Rose? Babe?”

Still silent, she stood and walked over to the pantry. She came back with a blue folder stuffed with papers and put it down between us.

Spreading both hands on top of the folder, Rose whispered, “I hopeyoucan forgiveme, Rafe.”

When I raised my eyebrows, she went on. “Before I tell you what I did, please know that I love you. That’s not going to stop even if you don’t forgive me.”

“Rose, what did you do?” I was getting alarmed.

She swallowed hard and started to blink more quickly. I didn’t want to scare her, so I backed off, repeating more softly, “Rose, babe, what did you do?”

“I found your family, Rafe,” she said in a rush. “With Lauren’s help, I found your family in San Francisco. Your uncle Tony, your cousins Nico and Enzo, your cousinAngelina. I’ve talked with them, and they want to meet you.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again, shaking my head.

Rose tapped the folder between us. “Sweetheart, they’ve each written a letter to you, welcoming you to the family. Tony searched for you when he was younger and couldn’t find you. He was estranged from his parents, and they’re now gone. His kids grew up hearing about you…and their aunt.”

Standing again, she tugged me to my feet. “We—meaning me, Finn, Mateo, Jean-Luc, my girls and all our friends from the Chocolate Lab—put together a care package—box, actually—to send to you. Just in time, Lauren brought up the letters and more items to add. Off it went, guaranteed to arrive in Boise by tomorrow, by Christmas Eve.”

She giggled. “In fact, you probably passed the truck on the interstate driving here.”

Taking me by one hand, she headed out of the kitchen, back through the dining room and into the living room. She gripped my shoulders so I faced her.

I still hadn’t said a word. Maybe because Rose being Rose, she hadn’t let me get a word in edgewise. Maybe because I was stunned into silence.

“Anyway. The thing is—I made copies to send you and kept all the originals. I didn’t want to chance losing anything. The letters are in the folder, but the photos are here.”

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