The Man She Shouldn't Crave

Rose was surprised when Rita lifted her hand to her cheek. ‘I can tell you cared for him, Rose.’ Then the older woman shook her head. ‘I will bring you in some food tomorrow and leave it in your kitchen. It’s clear to me you’re not eating properly.’

Rose didn’t bother to object. She was having a great deal of trouble keeping the emotion lodged in a ball in her chest exactly where it was.

‘I can tell you cared for him, Rose.’

Rita was the only person to acknowledge that. Caroline and Phoebe had called him all sorts of names over coffee. Phoebe had told her that off-hand, ridiculous story about Sasha over the phone, as if it wasn’t obvious to everyone she was crazy about him. It was understandable. The people who loved her wanted to minimise the weight of the disappointment she was feeling.

Only seventy-two-year-old Rita Padalecki gave her the dignity of her true feelings.

I do care for him, thought Rose, as she closed her front door and leaned back heavily against it. But I have my pride, and I’m afraid of my feelings if I let them loose and discover he doesn’t care a spit for me.

She was sitting at her kitchen bench when her cell buzzed. She was tempted to let it go, but in the end she picked it up.

It was Phoebe. She was at the Dorrington, organising the caterers for the after-party and lottery.

‘You should be here, Rose. This is your baby. You grew this business. Your face should be t

he one people see tonight.’

Rose slumped forward onto her elbows. She couldn’t go to the after-party. How could she admit to Phoebe she didn’t want to see Plato? It made her sound so weak. She’d spent the last two years making herself strong.

But it was too soon. Her heart wouldn’t stand it. He’d be there without a doubt, ruling the world, to pat her on the head and say, There you go, baby, look how you’ve benefited from a night in my bed. Or, worse, like this afternoon, he would say nothing because there was nothing left to say.

Because all it had been about was a weekend away with the girl of the moment.

She just hadn’t realised that girl was her.

Pain did an assault course on her heart.

Rose shifted her cell to the other ear. ‘No, Phoebes, I just can’t.’

‘I hate him,’ said Phoebe vociferously. ‘I’ve never seen you like this, Rose. What did he do to you?’

Made me want something I can’t have. Gave me a glimpse of what it could be between us. And I got spooked because I’ve never felt this way before…so I quit first…but I’ll never forget him…ever…as long as I live, because I think he was the one…

‘He’s just one of those rich guys, babe,’ said Phoebe stridently. ‘Probably never had to work hard for anything in his life.’

The man who’d given those boys from his hometown a way out and up. Rose opened her mouth to defend him, but Phoebe ploughed on.

‘Let’s take him for what he’s giving and what we can get.’

What he was giving…

Rose almost dropped the phone.

He’d been in Toronto all week. She’d asked him to come and he had. She had been the one who had run. He had a lot of explaining to do, but she hadn’t even given him the chance.

And now he was throwing stuff at her. Fixing things. Making it all right for her.

‘Phoebe, I really have to go. Make sure the audio equipment is working. We don’t want to get up on stage and not be able to be heard.’

‘Yes, chief.’ Phoebe paused. ‘Did you just say you’re coming?’

‘Yes, it appears I am.’

Rose hung up abruptly. She didn’t want to explain. She didn’t even really have an explanation. But she needed to get into the shower and she needed a lot of make-up and she needed a killer dress.

She was over running away from him, and she was over judging him. For once she was going to trust him.