Dear Rosie - Page 217

When he follows me over…

I feel the truth of his words.

I feel the forever.

And I hold on to it.

I hold on to him.

And I promise to never let go.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE

NATHAN

The sun is almost set by the time we climb out of the hotel bed.

I had planned to whisk her away the second I got my hands on her, but then she told me she loved me, and all my plans went to hell.

I tighten my fingers around hers, and she looks up at me with such a happy expression that I have no choice but to kiss her. Again.

“Okay,” I say authoritatively. “We are leaving now, and your van is staying here.”

She smiles at me. “That’s fine.”

“And you’re coming home with me.” I narrow my eyes, daring her to argue.

Rosie nods. “I’m coming home with you.”

“But we’re making a stop first.”

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR

ROSIE

Nathan pulls into an empty parking lot for an empty park.

“All that just for you to dump me in a park,” I joke.

Nathan puts his SUV in park and gives me a flat look. “Har, har, funny girl. Now get out.”

I’m grinning when I open my door.

I honestly have no idea what we’re doing here, but Nathan could be taking me to a snake petting zoo, and I’d go with him.

I love him. And I trust him. And I feel…

I take a deep breath of the fresh air.

I feel like a whole new person.

The trauma is still there. The pain. The hurt.

But it feels like it’s been put inside a box. And that box has been sealed, so the stuff inside can’t crawl out anymore. It can’t consume me anymore.

Nathan opens and closes the rear door of his vehicle, then comes around to my side, carrying a large backpack.

This new peace I have, it’s all because of him.