Page 166 of Severed Rivalry
All too soon she pulls back, holding my gaze. “Are you ready for this?”
“For you and us and our lives, yes. And yes to scratching another thing off our list. You?”
She shrugs. “I’ve never heard Rosie like she was today. I can’t shake that this’s somehow a turning point and things will never be the same again.”
With those ominous words, she flips around and opens her door, hopping out of the truck.
She isn’t wrong. Rosie might as well treat Freddie like the son she never had. The confusion on Sariah’s face is mixed with hurt, and if I’m not mistaken, hope.
Freddie is interesting, he’s engaging, and he’s nervous as fuck. Not shady, but it’s obvious he knows he’s being tested. And he’s worried about passing.
Sariah, though, seems like a guest in her own home. She appears to be looking at it through the lens of an outsider which does something to me.
“Freddie?”
His gaze whips to mine. “Yeah.”
“Mind walking outside with me?”
I expect him to seek permission from Rosie, but he doesn’t. “Sure.” Before he follows, he turns to Sariah. “I know this must feel quick to you and I’ll understand if you don’t agree. But I feel like I know you for as much and as often as Rosie has talked about you.”
He takes a few steps, but he backtracks and adds, “I have a sister who’s your age. If she were in this situation, I’d probably tell her to decline. Not because I’m problematic, but it appears more challenging than I’d want for her. I probably shouldn’t say that to you, but I want you to know I get it. It’s not easy. And I’ll understand either way.”
He gives a quick nod and follows me out the kitchen door.
What the hell do I say after that?
I go with the easiest thing. The faster I can check things off my list, the better for me. “Tell me about your sister.”
“Queenie lives on the coast and is a chef. We grew up here in Denver with my grandmother, but she wanted beaches and mild winters. She got wet ones instead of snowy ones but seems thrilled with the life she created. I miss her, but I get to see her a couple of times per year.”
“If she’s there, what keeps you here?”
His eyes slide away. “I have some things I need to accomplish here before I’d consider leaving. And it’s home. I wouldn’t know what to do with flat land.”
“I understand that.” I place my hands on my hips with a sigh. “Rosie is… one of a kind. You have to know how vital she is to Sariah.”
He nods. “I know how vital Sariah is to her. How Sariah and Renée have contributed to her sobriety. I’m not looking to come between them.”
“What are you looking for then?”
“A fresh start. And a safe place to do it.”
I can’t fault the guy. “Not my place,” I start.
“Then best not to say it,” he finishes.
“I’m going to anyway because it’s my family we’re dealing with.”
He lifts his chin.
“Do you have the support system in place to make it when things get tough?”
“I’m working on it.”
Why I do it, I’ll never know. It’s not wise or reasonable, but nonetheless, I hold a palm out for his phone. Programming my number in, I dial myself and then save his contact. “You have me. I trust Rosie with the most important things in my life. If she trusts you, that tells me more than you know. You need me, I’ll be there for you. Just let me know when I can help.”
He extends a hand that I shake.
