Page 47 of The Inevitable Us

“He’s hilarious. You’ll love him. Wanna give it a try?”

“Sure… Didn’t know you liked comedy specials.”

“Hmm, love them. I get excited when Gabriel has a new one.”

When Sawyer gets up to throw our trash away, I pause the show and reach for my ringing phone. It’s Josie, again. She keeps calling, and each time it’s when I’m with Sawyer or in class. I consider briefly ignoring the video call, but instead, I answer.

She’s using her laptop to call and seems to be sprawled out on her couch.

“Ahh, finally. I was ready to send out the search party..again,” Josie says sarcastically.

I am never going to live that down.

“I’ve been busy with school!” I protest, giving her a death glare.

“Well, you’re definitely not at school or at home. Whose house are you at?” She peeks around at different angles as if it will allow her to see more of the room.

“My…neighbor’s,” I lie.

She rests her chin in her hand, “Uh-huh,really. Well, I was just calling to let you know Mom and Dad decided to stay a little longer. Mom’s in love with the Maldives, and you know Dad can’t tell her no. They said they’ll come to visit you when they get back. They’ve tried calling once or twice and haven’t been able to reach you either.”

Both times they called, I was in class, and I missed it. I need to send them my class schedule.

Sawyer walks back to the sofa and casually drapes his arm around my shoulder.

Josie’s eyes perk up, “Well, I can see you’re not alone. Hello, Mr. Neighbor.”

Sawyer starts to say something to Josie, and I give him a pleading look. She’s known him her entire life as well. She’ll know his voice.

“Don’t you have something better to do than snoop?” I accuse.

“Sure I do, but snooping is fun.” She looks around behind her, “Rory’s here fixing my car with his friend Austin, and they just walked in covered in grease. I’d better go save my white sink before they destroy it.”

“Who’s Austin?” I ask her.

She shrugs. “I think he works with Rory at the mechanic’s shop. He’s the owner’s brother or something.”

Of course,sheknows who Austin is, despite the fact I’m his twin.Who’s currently ignoring all of Rory’s calls.

We sign off with a little wave, and I shoot an annoyed look at Sawyer. “Seriously, why didn’t you just announce your presence?”

“Not a bad idea. Next time, I might,” he says boldly as he stretches his legs onto the coffee table. He grabs my legs, swivels them to lay in his lap, and rubs them up and down.

He stares at me as I bite my thumbnail, and stops rubbing my leg, leaving his hand near the hem of my shorts. “Rosalie, at some point very soon, you’ll have to introduce me to your parents as your boyfriend.”

“I know that!” I protest defensively and turn my feet to move them off the sofa and away from him.

He stretches his arm out over the back of the couch and raises a bold eyebrow at me. “I only had us come here so that we can have some privacy and space. Not so that I can be your little secret, Baby Girl. I won’t hide when your family comes to see you, and I won’t sleep apart from you when they visit.”

I think of Rory’s warnings. “He’ll be blacklisted, not able to work.“ Taylee’s seen me around quite a bit, and I’ve spoken to her in passing once or twice. Maybe it’s because her first husband was twenty-five years older than she was. Maybe she just minds her own business, but Taylee hasn’t batted an eye at our relationship. Could Rory have been wrong?

With a brave puff of air, I finally say the words I’ve been afraid to think of for the last few weeks. “I’m scared of what’s going to happen when my dad finds out.”

He scowls at me. “Are you scared they’re going to cut you off? Because, Baby Girl, I have enough savings to get you through school, and I’m only working with Taylee to save a little extra. I have enough clients now….”

“No, it’s not me I’m worried about.” I look down in my lap and fidget with the small birthstone ring my Mom gave me for my eighteenth birthday. I shrug a little, and I feel the tears welling up. “I’m scared as to what’s going to happen to your job, your company. I’m the daughter of your ex-client….”

He nods slowly as if finally understanding and pulls me to him. He rubs my back softly, and I feel tears fall onto his shirt. “Is this what’s been bothering you? Rosalie, I made sure every client I picked up has zero connection to your father. I didn’t want him to think I’d used him to….”

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