Page 26 of Romeo

Ma Belle: I don’t think that word means what you think it means.

Me: Give me time.

I stared at the message after I sent it.

Give me time.

There it was again. Not a joke exactly. Not the truth either.

At least not enough of it to scare her.

I lay back against the pillows and rested the phone on my chest.

Weeks of messages had taught me more about Fiona than one night at the ski resort ever could have. She hated oatmeal. Apparently had terrible opinions about pumpkin. Worked too much. Loved Granny enough that nearly every story somehow circled back to her.

And she kept coming back to me.

That mattered more than I wanted to admit.

I thought about the way she’d looked at me that night at the resort, those silver eyes uncertain while she tried so damn hard not to let me see how badly Joseph had hurt her.

Then she’d kissed my cheek.

One soft kiss that shouldn’t have meant a damn thing.

I could still feel it.

My phone buzzed again.

Ma Belle: I have to get ready for school. Text you later?

I read the question twice.

She could’ve just said goodbye.

Instead, she was asking if she could come back.

Me: Yeah, Cher. Be safe.

Ma Belle: Always.

I smiled.

Always.

One word. Probably tossed off without a second thought as she started getting ready for school.

I knew better than to make it more than it was.

Didn’t stop me from wanting to.

I set the phone beside me and stared at the ceiling.

One day, maybe that word would mean something different between us.

Maybe it wouldn’t.

That part wasn’t mine to decide.