Page 75 of Red Hot Roaster

“Or…or…worse yet, you don’t have enough faith in me to figure this out together. Yes, part of me is shocked about your past. No, I’ve never been around fighting or gangs or stealing or…or…bloodshed before. But I’ve had my share of bad times in my own past, what with David abandoning me and Brent leaving me at the altar.”

He surged forward again, clenching his fists. “Brent? Who the fuck is Brent? What did he do to you?”

Trying to control my crying, I bit the last part out, “Yeah, we’re quite the pair. I didn’t trust you enough to tell you about Brent because I was afraid you’d see me as a fool. Again. And you didn’t trust me enough to share your past because you were afraid I wouldn’t make the right decision and let you go.”

Rafe grimaced and started to reach for me. I batted his hands away and dodged around him to the side door.

“I’m going back home to wash up before my shift. I don’t want to see you out in the café, and I don’t want to see you in the house before you leave tomorrow morning.” I tried to suck it up. “Give Princess a hug from me.” I choked on a sob and ran out the door.

Chapter 37

Rose

The deep baritone asked if I was lonesome tonight, jolting me awake. When I tried to grab my phone to slide the alarm off, it fell on the floor. And kept on with the musical stab to my heart.

“Somebody make it stop.” I groaned, flopping on my back. When no help was forthcoming, I guessed that somebody was going to be me.

Despite feeling like I’d buried my head in a bucket of sand—grit scratching my throat, nose and eyes—I managed to lean over and snare my phone. Squinting at the screen, I finally managed to slide off the alarm. Finally, peaceful silence.

That was when something large and heavy plunked down on my bent knees—luckily, on the outside of the covers. I looked over my shoulder, and there was a big ole dog’s head. Pirate had started sleeping on my bed when Mom had died and Finn had left for school. He’d stopped with the advent of Rafe, and now…he was back.

I reached over and rubbed his nearest ear, murmuring “what a good boy you are” for his comfort and mine.

Yesterday came back in a rush.

I made it from the roastery to my house without seeing anybody on the way.Seeingwas stretching it—my eyesight was so blurred I didn’t think I’d recognize my own dog. After scrubbing my face—and scrapping the whole makeup thing—I got back to the café in record time.

I fast-walked through the front door to the prep kitchen, nodding to the thankfully few customers along the way. Mateo took one look at me and asked if I wanted to be there.

“I’m hiding out either here or at Fay’s,” I informed him. “And it’s too early to start drinking.”

He frowned but didn’t argue with me. Instead, he hung up his apron, hugged me and said he’d be back at eight to do the closing. No debate. His parting shot: “Call your girls, Rosita—now.”

That was a big nope—I’d cry again, and then where would we be? I turned off my phone and dove into making sandwiches and salads and soups—letting my kids run the front of the house. The only break I took was in the late afternoon when I ran home to feed Pirate and let him out back to do his business. Princess was nowhere to be seen, and Rafe’s pickup was gone.

I made it until six-fifteen when I shut myself in the meeting room, turned on my phone and returned one of Lauren’s umpteenth messages. I saw missed calls from Mica and Jen too.

Mateo had been busy.

My bestie listened while I cried, told her the whole sad story—word for word—and cried again.

She paused to make sure I’d finished and said, “Rose, I love you. I know this is so hard for you, and I’m sorry I can’t be there—yet—to help.”

I sucked in a big breath and settled down. “Oh, girl, it helps to talk it out. I knew better than to expect this could work with Rafe. If I’m disappointed, it’s my own fault.”

Lauren hummed for a moment—in agreement or disagreement, I couldn’t tell.

“Enough conversation for now—time for a little more action. Your relief’s coming in early…”

“Oh, you mean, Mateo, your new BFF?”

“Yeah, that’s the guy. And Jen is picking you up at seven sharp to take you to Fay’s to meet up with Mica. Don’t worry, because I know you will—Mica got a neighbor to stay with her dad. You three are going to close the place down. Jen will see you home and get you settled for the night.”

“But…but…but…”

“No buts about it. That’s what’s going to happen,” she declared. “You arenotalone.”

“Idofeel surrounded, but—”

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