Wild Love (Rose Hill, #1)(106)

“You’re full of shit, Junior. I have it documented in my journal. I know it was you guys. West hit the power breaker; that’s the only thing that makes sense.”

My lips twitch. “Or you and your friends summoned an angry ghost. Who’s to say?”

“Ford,” she warns, eyes narrowing.

Dousing a smile, I shrug, because I don’t want to incite her wrath when we’ve only just made up. I go back to focusing on Cora. Something we can agree on. “It’s like a whole storm in here. Were these kids running around Rose Hill a few months ago? Or did Cora indoctrinate them all? It’s a sea of black and gray. And why are girls this age watching professional wrestling?”

Rosie’s body hiccups with a laugh. “Probably for the storyline.”

My forehead scrunches. “What?”

“Kinda like how boys read Playboy for the articles.”

I stiffen, head rearing back slightly. “No chance.”

“Ford. There are tanned, manly men with big muscles throwing each other around. Yes chance.”

“But she’s?—”

“Almost a teenager?” Rosie hits me with an expression that says, Are you stupid?

I swallow and look back at Cora, who has tomato sauce on the corner of her mouth and is pointing at the TV. “Oh my god. Wild Side.” She practically moans the man’s name. “He’s my favorite. Never says a word and no one ever sees his face.”

The guy is massive, with dark, wet hair and a terrifying black leather mask that covers his entire face.

Rosie chuckles and covers her mouth with her palm. “Why does nothing about her liking that surprise me?”

I just grunt, not ready to wrap my head around the idea that this sweet little girl who just came into my life is lusting over giant men in leather.

The doorbell rings, and Rosie swats my ass before walking away to answer it. “You stay here and glower, papa bear.”

I roll my eyes as she departs, but I can’t peel them away from her as she weaves through the living room, past the kitchen island, and down the hallway. There’s a tug at the center of my chest when she moves out of sight. I want to follow her, to be close to her, even though I know she’ll only be gone for a moment.

It’s Marilyn who draws my attention back as she finishes chatting with my parents and sidles up beside me.

It’s nice to have her here. A good surprise. Cora cried when she walked in yesterday, and that’s when I left to swim—to give them some space.

“My husband used to look at me like that, you know.”

I glance down at her. She seems better. Brighter. A lot healthier. I’m happy to see it, even though it makes my stomach drop. Because I also know what it means in the long run.

“Like the world might stop turning if I was out of sight.”

I blush lightly. I know my ability to hide my feelings for Rosie has all but crumbled over the past few months. I’m not sure I was ever great at it, but I’ve definitely gotten substantially worse.

“I wish Cora could have seen him then. He was so vibrant.” She blinks, and I look away, feeling thickness in my throat as I watch her recall her husband. “So healthy.”

She’s nodding when I glance back at her. “Have you enjoyed having her around?” she asks.

A soft keening sound gets caught in my throat. “Marilyn. You’re killing me here.”

She pats my shoulder in a motherlike way. “You’re a sweet man, Ford. I like you a lot. It’s a simple question. Has this been a burden to you? If I think about trying to repay you for all you’ve done, the weight of it is crippling. And I also know this isn’t what you signed up for.”

I swallow, hearing Rosie and West and his kids at the front door. “I’d sign up for this over and over again.”

She smiles, and her lightly wrinkled skin bunches as she does. “I want her to have a vibrant, healthy, happy male role model in her life. I want her to have friends. And family. I want her to have this. This place—it’s been so good for her in the wake of everything she’s lived through. I see how different she is here, the way she’s re-created herself. Grown into herself.”

With a wave, she gestures around the house, eyes bright.

“I’m thinking…” She trails off, nibbling at her bottom lip as two men in leotards flop around on each other in a big square ring. “I’m thinking a change of scenery might help me re-create myself a little bit too.”

I go still, glancing down at her. I suspect I know what she’s hinting at, but I don’t want to jump to any conclusions or make any assumptions.

“But I don’t want to do something that infringes on your freedom or your plans. I don’t?—”

“I would love to have you both here.” God, I can barely get the words out without sounding choked up.

Marilyn nods once, firmly.

“I can buy a house for you?—”

Now she rolls her eyes at me, a little spark that reminds me of Cora. “Don’t insult me. I’ll buy my own damn house. You can track me down a Realtor.”

My lips press together as I fight to stifle a smile.

“Hey, can we go out on the boat?” Cora calls out.

“Of course,” is my instant reply.

But then she turns back to her friends and says, “Who wants to go boating? My dad says he’ll take us!”