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She dabbed at her lips with her napkin, then set it down with exaggerated care. “I’ll allow you to keep your Wippowa citizenship.”
I smirked. “Told you.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth to her expression, a lightness in her posture that hadn’t been there earlier.
And just like that, the nerves I’d been carrying all night faded away. Because this? This was exactly what I’d hoped for.
Rose took another bite, nodding approvingly. “Okay, fine. I’ll even admit it’s better than what I had back in Seattle.”
I feigned shock. “You mean to tell me that a small-town Southern kitchen might actually know a thing or two about shrimp and grits?”
“Alright, don’t get cocky,” she said, pointing her fork at me. “It’s a close call.”
I chuckled and took a bite of my steak, savoring the rich, smoky flavor. The tension I had been holding onto fully unraveled as we ate, slipping into an easy rhythm of teasing and conversation.
“So,” I said, wiping my mouth with my napkin, “if high school you was that unlucky, what’s the most embarrassing thing adult you has done?”
Rose groaned, setting her fork down. “Oh, you’re evil.”
“You brought up the math class fiasco. Now I have to know.”
She sighed, pretending to think. “Alright. A couple years ago, I was in a client meeting—big presentation, lots of important people, very serious business. And about ten minutes in, I started gesturing with my pen. Didn’t think much of it—until I flung it right at the CEO’s forehead.”
I choked on my drink. “No.”
“Oh, yes. Full-on ‘thunk’ sound and everything. I swear the entire room sucked in a breath at the same time.”
“Please tell me you played it off.”
“I wish. My brilliant response was, ‘Oh my god, I have terrible aim.’”
I burst out laughing. “That’s amazing.”
She shook her head, laughing along with me. “I think he was too stunned to fire me on the spot. Either that, or he respected my honesty.”
“Well,” I leaned back in my chair, smirking, “remind me never to let you hold sharp objects near my face.”
“No promises.” She grinned, sipping her drink.
The night stretched on with more stories, more laughter, the warmth of it settling into my chest. I hadn’t expected it to feel this easy—this natural—but sitting there, watching Rose smile across the table, I realized I didn’t want the night to end just yet.
As the waiter cleared our plates, I glanced at her. “So, how do you feel about one more stop before we call it a night?”
She raised an eyebrow. “That depends. Are we talking a bar, a crime spree, or a spontaneous road trip?”
I grinned. “Guess you’ll just have to trust me.”
BUTTERFLIES
“Trust you? Please. I already live in your house and sleep across the hall from you. I think we’re well past the trust phase, Wellsy boy.”
Wells grimaced like I’d just insulted his entire family. “Never call me that again. That was gross.”
I smirked. “Noted.”
I hadn’t been sure what to expect from tonight. We were both out of our element, stepping into something that wasn’t friendship but definitely wasn’t anything more. And yet, it had been… nice. Easier than I thought. I’d gotten to see a new side of Wells, learned things about him I never would have guessed. And, without realizing it, I’d let down some of the walls I’d been holding up so tightly.
Wells handed his card to the waiter before I could even think about reaching for mine. I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just shot me a look that said, Don’t even try it.
