Page 55 of Everything's Coming Up Rosie

“Man, I thought she was already gone.” Louie’s eyes are wide.

Booker shakes his head, but he’s smiling. “You’re going to get us in trouble.”

“She said we could be in here!” Louie raises both palms.

“Just this time,” Daisy says. “As a welcome to Rosie. She doesn’t know about the other times.”

“Well, she didn’t know,” Booker says. “She does now.”

“Sorry, man,” Louie says. Then he looks at me. “And you are Rosie, I presume?” He does a strange little bow, and I think I’ve met a kindred spirit.

“I am,” I say.

“I’m Louie.” His gaze dips to my feet. “Rad shoes!”

In spite of the flush of embarrassment that rushes to my cheeks, I instantly like Louie too. This is starting to be a trend.

Louie glances at Daisy. “Hey.”

Her cheeks turn pink, and her face brightens. “Hey, Louie.”

Booker and I are both watching them stare at each other for what becomes at least ten seconds, then Louie clears his throat and walks over to the refrigerator. “Did you make me an omelet, Booker?”

“No. Only Rosie.”

Only Rosie.Yeah, I’m in trouble.

Booker looks at me and nods toward my plate. “You should eatbefore it gets cold.” He reaches into a drawer, pulls out a fork, and holds it out in my direction.

I take it and smile. “Thank you for making this.”

He leans in. “Figured it’d taste better than mud.”

“I heard about that!” Louie laughs. “Booker said it was the funniest—” When he turns and sees my face, he snaps his jaw shut and adopts a solemn expression. “I have always said those golf carts can be treacherous.” He picks up an empty metal pan and starts pulling stuff from the refrigerator. “I’m making a sandwich. Does anyone want one?”

“Most of us don’t eat two dinners,” Daisy says.

“Well, then most of you are missing out.” He winks at Daisy, and she smiles. It’s like watching a strange rom-com from the inside.

“Louie... is... one of the nurses,” she says as a measured introduction. “He’s great with the residents.”

“That’sheadnurse, ma’am.” He piles ham onto a piece of bread, then adds tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, mayo, and mustard as I slowly chew my very tasty omelet. He looks at me. “And Booker told me all about you, so no need to give me your résumé.”

“Oh, he did?” I glance at Booker, who is washing the pan he cooked my omelet in. “Funny, because he doesn’t know anything about me.”

Booker looks at me. “I’m a very patient man.”

At the mention of his proposed plan, I stop chewing. Because for some reason, it doesn’t seem like such a crazy idea anymore.

Ask questions and answer honestly. I can do that. Right?

Louie interrupts my swooning with a laugh. “Can’t believe you didn’t know you took a job with a bunch of old people. How did that happen?”

Because I was desperate, I think but don’t say.

“But you are going to stay, right, Rosie?” Daisy pulls a carton ofice cream out of the freezer and scoops some into a bowl. “Like, you’re not freaked out enough to leave, right?”

“Ooh! Scoop me some!” Louie says.

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