Passion Play

“The afternoon you and I had lunch with Ty and Van, every woman in the diner was staring at him—and at Ty.”

“I don’t blame them.” Iris’s tone was dry.

Rose frowned. “That doesn’t bother you?”

“Were either Ty or Van staring back?”

“No.”

“Then it shouldn’t bother you, either.”

Memories of the times she and Donovan had gone out together in public streamed across her mind: coffee at the café when they’d agreed to work together, the impromptu lunch when he’d bought her roses, the celebratory dinner with Maxine and Isiah at the pizzeria. Each time, Donovan had received second and third looks from more than one woman, but he hadn’t appeared to notice the attention. Instead, his focus had been on Rose. His gaze, his smiles, his touches had been only for her. Still...

“You’re right. The attention he gets from other women shouldn’t bother me, but it does.” Rose turned away from the window and crossed back to her sofa.

“Van really likes you, Rosie,” Iris softened her tone. “I can tell by the way he talks about you. I could see it when we had those family dinners. He’s a great guy. Give him a chance.”

Rose’s determination wavered under Iris’s words. Her head and her heart were on opposite sides of this debate. She had to remind herself of the risks. “Claudia’s getting a divorce.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Iris seemed confused by the apparent change in subject.

“When I told her Van and I broke up, she asked if she could call him. I don’t want to have to worry about the women waiting in the wings for my relationship to fall apart.”

“Then don’t.” Iris sighed. “Rosie, I know Ben hurt you. But you can’t condemn all men because of one jerk’s actions.”

“What do you want me to do, Iris?”

“I want you to stop standing in the way of your own happiness.” Iris’s words were sharp with impatience. Right about now, her baby sister had probably uncurled from her sofa and was pacing her own living room in her town house nearby.

“I’m not standing in my way.” Rose dropped onto her sofa. “I’m protecting myself.”

“To what end, Rose? Do you even know?”

“What do you mean?” She was losing patience with Iris’s arguments. “You’re spending a lot of time and energy defending Van. Why don’t you use some of that energy to try to understand how I’m feeling, little sister?”

“I’m not defending Van. I’m trying to help you.”

“How?”

“Why won’t you listen?”

“Because every word out of your mouth is a criticism.”

“Rose, you’re the one who said Ben had ruined the plans you’d had for yourself—marriage and children.” Iris’s urgency forced itself down the phone line. “You have another shot at those things with Van.”

“Van? Why would I even consider that with a man who’s a carbon copy of Ben?”

“But. He’s. Not. Will you listen?”

Rose’s heart wanted to, but her head was shouting them both down. “Iris, I can’t have this conversation with you.” She sighed, pushing herself to her feet again. “You and I have very different perspectives on romance. I’m glad you’ve never experienced what I have, and I hope you never do. I’m protecting myself the best way that I know how to.”

“You’ve taken it too far. I don’t want you to end up alone just because you’re too stubborn to know a good thing when he walks into your life.”

“I don’t need a man to make me happy. I’m not afraid to be alone.” Better to be alone than to experience another broken heart. And this time it would be a thousand times worse if Donovan was the one to break it.

“You’re running scared, Rosie. That’s not like you.” Iris’s accusation stung.

“It’s not fear. It’s wisdom from experience.”