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“Maybe.”
“You’re an asshole, Calloway.”
“You’ll grow to like me.”
“Not so sure about that,” she shot back, sounding more like the Rose I met on the plane—sharp, quick-witted.
I wasn’t sure how to move on from here. “You like dogs, right?”
“Yeah. More than people.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Me too.”
Silence stretched between us, long enough that I glanced at my phone to make sure she hadn’t hung up.
“When are you thinking about moving in?” I finally asked.
“I’ll pack this weekend and move in next weekend. The girl I was filling in for at the Coastal Cup comes back Friday.”
My mind raced. I had a hell of a lot of cleaning up to do before then.
“Yeah, that works.”
“Alright,” she said, and I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. “Guess I’ll see you next weekend then.”
“Guess so.”
More silence. I could practically hear her second-guessing this whole thing.
“You having doubts already, Sunshine?”
“No,” she said quickly, then sighed. “Maybe. It’s just… a lot.”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “It is.”
I heard her shift, the sound of fabric rustling like she was lying back on a couch or bed. “Are you sure about this?”
I frowned. “Wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.”
Another pause, then a soft exhale. “Okay.”
That one word held more weight than I expected.
“Get some rest, Rose,” I said, keeping my voice even. “You’ll need it before moving onto a farm.”
She let out a quiet laugh. “God help me.”
The call ended, leaving me sitting there in the dark, Granger snoring softly at my feet.
I stared out at the fields, my mind still catching up to what just happened.
Rose Solace was actually moving in.
I KNOW IT WON’T WORK
Moving into Wells Calloway’s house might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Considering my track record, that’s saying something.
I stare at the half-packed suitcases on my bed, hands on my hips, willing them to pack themselves. If I hesitate long enough, maybe the universe will intervene—send a sign, a sudden change of plans, anything to get me out of this ridiculous arrangement. But nothing happens, so I shove another dress inside and zip it shut.
