“Because youarea soap opera rerun.Childhoodbest friend.Secretheartbreak.Blondevillainess returning from exile.Allwe’re missing isDeclanandAcendueling it out over you at dawn and a dramatic thunderstorm confession.”
“Don’t tempt fate,”Rosemuttered, though the corner of her mouth betrayed a twitch.
They sipped in silence for a moment, the buzz ofMainStreethumming around them: an old man calling his dog back from chasing a squirrel, the faint ding of the bell onTheMimosaDiner’sdoor, the sweet smell of buttered biscuits drifting into the street.
ThenTashasaid, more seriously, “Isit real this time?”
Rose stared into her coffee, watching the cream swirl like a slow storm.
“I don’t know.Hefeels real.Likethe version of himself he should’ve been back then.Likehe’s doing the work.ButthenIremember how fast it all fell apart.HowfastIfell apart.”
Tasha’s expression softened.“Trustis a stubborn thing.”
“And fragile,”Roseadded.“EspeciallywhenBriana’ssniffing around again.”
Tasha raised her brows.“Oh, she’s not sniffing.She’scircling.Isaw her talking toDeclanat thePickwickInnlast night.Theywere so intent on their conversation they didn’t even notice me.”
Rose’s head jerked up.“Declan?Whywould she?—?”
Tasha lifted her shoulders in an exaggerated shrug.“Sheknows he likes you.Everyoneknows.Andif she can’t get to you throughAcen, maybe she’ll try another way.”
Rose groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead.“Thistown needs a drama tax.”
“You’d be the first one audited.”
Rose gave her a sharp look, butTashajust grinned, clearly pleased with herself.Then, her grin faded into something a little more thoughtful.
“Truth is,”Tashasaid, lowering her voice, “you should probably figure out what you want fromDeclanbeforeBrianastirs that pot.You’vebeen so focused onAcenbeing back that you’re ignoring the fact thatDeclan’sbeen here this whole time.Watching, waiting, helping out when he can.He’snot exactly subtle about being interested.”
Rose shifted uneasily, heat creeping up her neck.“Declan’s… kind.Andsteady.He’sgood for this town, opening that vet clinic.Folkslike him.ButIdon’t—”Shepaused, struggling to find words that didn’t sound ungrateful.“Idon’t know ifIfeel that way about him.Atleast, not the way he seems to feel about me.”
“Then you need to tread carefully,”Tashawarned, her tone sharpening just a hair.“BecauseDeclanstrikes me as the type who could weather rejection just fine, but what he won’t tolerate is being played.AndBriana?”Shewhistled low.“She’sgoing to twist anything you do into evidence that you’re leading him on.”
Rose scowled into her cup.“You’dthink we were still sixteen the way she acts.”
“Briana doesn’t just want to win,”Tashasaid knowingly.“Shewants you to lose.”
The truth of that sank heavy inRose’schest
“I am supporting you,”Tashasaid, holding up her cup like a toast.“Byreminding you that you are at the center of thePickwickBendsocial hurricane.AndDeclan?He’san unknown element.Handsome, sure.Sweetwith animals, obviously.Buthe’s also new.Whichmeans he doesn’t know all the old stories.Brianacan twist those any way she wants.”
Rose worried her bottom lip.“Sowhat are you saying?ThatIshould avoidDeclanaltogether?”
“No.”Tashaleaned closer, lowering her voice as a group of retirees shuffled by with fishing poles slung over their shoulders.“I’msaying be careful.Hemight mean well.Heprobably does.Buthe’s still a man.Andmen get caught up in games they don’t understand.”
Rose thought aboutDeclan’seasy smile, the way he had quietly shown up at the game to cheer the team on, how he always tipped extra atSouthernSipslike he wanted to make sure he was welcome.Heseemed… steady.Butthen again, hadn’tAcenseemed steady once, before that summer had wrecked everything?
She swallowed.“WhatifDeclan’snot a game player?Whatif he’s?—”
“A safe option?”Tashafinished for her.
Rose gave a weak laugh.“Yeah.Maybe.”
Tasha’s expression softened, though her eyes were sharp as ever.“Honey, safe isn’t always the same as right.Don’tuse him as a shield because you’re scared of getting hurt again.That’snot fair to him.Orto you.”
Rose let that sit heavy between them, her chest tightening.Tashahad always had a way of slicing straight to the heart of things, no matter how muchRosewanted to dance around them.
She finally sighed.“You’reright.ButIdon’t even know whatIwant.Acen’sback, and it feels like the floor’s been pulled out from under me.Declan’shere,Briana’scircling, and the whole town is watching like it’s the county fair main event.”
