Dear Rosie, (Love Letters #2)

Hannah: I know you’re off today, but we have that call with the potential merger people in ten.

Me: I’ll be there.

Hannah: I emailed you a breakdown of all the numbers.

Me: Appreciate it.

Fucking hell.I forgot all about that damn call.

I look back down at my sleeping girl.

No part of me wants to get up. But if I cancel the call, I’ll just have to reschedule it—probably within the next few weeks while she’s still here. So if I can do it while Rosie’s sleeping, then that’s probably the best option.

Using the top edge of my phone, I nudge Charles.

He doesn’t react.

I nudge him again, and he turns his head away from me.

I nudge him harder. “Get up, you furry fuck,” I whisper as quietly as possible.

Charles yawns.

I pull out the big guns.

“Hungry?”

His head pops up.

That’s what I thought.

I gesture with my chin for him to get up, and he finally listens.

He stands on his little orange paws, slowly turning around and swooshing his tail in my face before jumping off the bed.

The attitude on this feline.

With one obstacle out of the way, I start to slide myself away from my warm Little Rose.

She makes a small noise but doesn’t wake as I replace my body with pillows. Tucking one under her cheek and another under her knee, leaving her in the same position.

Charles bonks his forehead into my leg, reminding me I promised him food, then with my phone in hand, I stride out of the room, famished cat in tow.

EIGHTY-SEVEN

ROSALYN

Nathan’s voice comes from somewhere in the condo, so I do my best to stay quiet.

He’d help.

He’d insist on it.

But I have to pee, badly, and I don’t want help doing that.

Plus the bathroom isright there.

Every inch of my body aches when I sit up and swing my feet over the side of the bed.