Page 57 of Love Unexpected
“No problem. It’ll take me forty minutes or so to charge up...” I pulled out my phone and pulled up an app that mapped all the charging stations around the country. “And there’s a charging station ten minutes away. Should I text you when I’m done and see how things are looking?”
She nodded. “That would be great. I think Marley would actually really like to meet you, and Shiloh definitely will, I just want to make sure they’re feeling okay first.”
Rosie had given me the condensed version of Marley’s history on the drive over. Navigating custody and parental involvement in a kid’s life was far out of my realm of expertise, but it seemed unfair that a kid would have to suffer so much because his parents couldn’t figure out a way to get along.
Rosie reached for her door handle. “Actually, you don’t have my number, do you?”
It felt weird that I didn’t since we’d spent the entire day together, but I hadn’t had reason to get it. In the days leading up to the trip, my assistant had been the one to communicate with Rosie about when we were leaving and how long she should expect to be gone.
“You’re right. I don’t have it. Here.” I pulled out my phone and handed it to her. “Want to just send yourself a text?”
She quickly keyed out a message and handed my phone back to me. “Thanks for driving me over,” she said, a smile brightening her face in a way that made my heart trip the tiniest bit.
“No problem.”
While I waited at the charging station, I browsed social media, feeling tempted to do another live video. It would kill the momentum of the last one though, and the last one was doing really awesome, even just an hour after posting.
I glanced over a few comments—I knew better than to read them all—but I was bored and had time to kill. A majority of the comments all had a similar theme.
Where did Rosie come from? I LOVE her. Can we get more of her in the future?
OMG Rosie is the cutest.
One, in particular, caught my eye.
Am I the only one noticing what a cute couple these two would be? I don’t know who Isaac is determined to go and see with this road trip, but if it’s a potential GF? He ought to give up the road trip and look a little closer to home. How can we let him know? Let’s start a movement. #teamrosie
Rosiehadbeen pretty convincing in our live video. Even I had felt the chemistry sparking between us. But it wasn’t necessarily romantic chemistry. It was more like I could just tell that the dynamic between us, and the way it was going to play to the audience, was exactly what it needed to be.
That didn’t mean I needed to date her.
Especially not when I was on my way to meet Ana because Ididwant to date her.
At least, I thought I did.
A text on my phone popped up from Rosie.Everything’s good. Want to come back? Marley would love to meet you.
Be there in a few,I texted back. The car still had another twenty minutes of charging to do. And I needed to sort out how I was feeling before I saw Rosie again.
Actually, what I really needed to do was message Ana.
@RandomIOfficial: Have you ever been to Westonburg? It’s this little town outside of Nashville. I like it here.
Luckily, she was available and responded right away.
@Briarsandthorns: I’ve driven through it before. You’re at the halfway point! Exciting.
@RandomIOfficial: Very exciting. We’re stopping in the morning at a diner that’s supposed to serve the best breakfast this side of the Mississippi. Which feels like a bold claim because Charleston is also this side of the Mississippi, and I just don’t think anyone handles grits like a true Charlestonian. And a true best breakfast MUST include grits.
@Briarsandthorns: As a native Kansan, I have very little opinion on the subject. I have eaten many a delicious breakfast without any grits included. I think I’ve only tried them once?
@RandomIOfficial: It doesn’t count unless you were in Charleston when you tried them. Or if you ate them with sugar on them. That’s against the rules. Grits are not oatmeal.
@Briarsandthorns: That must be why they tasted so awful. How should I eat them?
@RandomIOfficial: With butter and salt, at a minimum. With cheese and bacon is even better.
@Briarsandthorns: Well that explains it. You could put butter, salt, cheese, and bacon on sand and it would taste good.
