Page 37 of Unravel Me

I look down at her sun hat in my hand before raising my fist to the door.

Then I pull it away, shove my fingers through my hair, and turn away.

“Hi, Rosie,” I practice saying. “It’s me, Adam.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “No, that’s stupid. She knows who you are, and she can see you.” I clear my throat. “Hi, Rosie. You left your hat in my truck, and I…no, no, no. Hi, Adam, it’s me, Rosie. Holy fuck.” I drag my hands, and the hat, down my face. “I’m going home.”

“Adam?”

I spin around, my gaze colliding with Rosie’s. Besides seeming slightly amused and curious, there’s an edge in her gaze, the way she says my name, too, that has me second-guessing.

This was a bad idea. I got too ahead of myself, and now we’re miles apart.

Rosie shifts on her feet, glancing over her shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

“I…I…” My thoughts are a jumbled, hazy mess; I don’t know where one ends and the other begins. I think that’s why I open my mouth and word vomit all over her. “I had a really great time last night and I was with my friends this morning and I was telling them everything and I asked for help because I didn’t know how long I should wait to call you, and some of them told me to call you right away and some of them told me I should wait, and I got really confused, and then you texted me that we needed to talk, which is normally the worst thing a guy can hear from a girl he really likes, and I was a little overwhelmed, and I kind of panicked, and I…” I trail off, rubbing the nape of my neck. “I really wanted to see you again.”

A grin spreads across her face, the tiny dimple in her chin begging for a kiss. “You didn’t know whether to call me, so you just showed up here instead?”

I hold up her hat. “I also kinda stole your hat so I’d have a reason to see you again.”

She cocks her head. “But I still have your sweater.”

I swallow. “Double whammy. You wouldahadto see me.”

She giggles, but before she can put me out of my misery, the door is pried off her leg where she keeps it propped open, and a tiny boy toddles out from behind her, holding up one shoe and one sandal.

“S-ooes,” he says proudly, holding them up to her. His eyes come to mine, a vibrant shade of green. “S-ooes!”

“Well, hey there, little buddy.” I crouch down in front of him. “You got some shoes?”

He nods excitedly. “S-ooes!” He shoves them into my chest, then plops down at my feet, showing me his bare toes.

“Connor,” Rosie says on a sigh, kneeling beside him. “Adam doesn’t want to put your shoes on.” A devilish grin claims her mouth, and she starts tickling his feet. “Your feet are too stinky for him!”

The little boy squeals with laughter, wriggling his way into my lap, until I’m laughing too.

“I’m sorry.” Rosie props him on her hip before wheeling a red wagon out and setting him inside. “He’s usually pretty shy. He doesn’t go up to strangers often.” She takes the shoes from me, swapping one out so that she has a pair of matching sandals. She straps them to his tiny feet while he bounces along in his seat, like he can’t wait to go wherever they’re going.

“Who’s this?” I finally ask.

Rosie stares at the little boy, running her purple fingernails through his wispy hair. A smile blooms on her face, one so full of love it’s nearly painful, and when I watch those two sets of sage eyes peering back at each other, I’m not surprised to see the same love reflected back in the little boy’s gaze. I watch them a moment longer, noting the shape of his mouth, the way it matches Rosie’s, the matching honey hue in their waves, and I know before the words leave her mouth.

“This is Connor. He’s my son.”

CHAPTER9

LITTLE TROUBLE

ADAM

Son.He’s my son.

Rosie is a mama.

Her eyes close as she presses a kiss to his forehead, and when she looks at me, beyond the pride, the love, I see the hesitation, like she’s worried what this might mean for us. I see the bleakest spot of grief, like she’s already accepted my decision, already said good-bye.

But I don’t like good-byes, and I’m certainly not willing to make her one.

I crouch next to Connor and smile. “Hi, Connor. I’m Adam.”

---