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Rafe chewed on his bottom lip. “I can’t answer that either. I’m at a crossroads right now that could change the way my future looks depending on the decisions I make. Everything is kind of fuzzy. But I know I want you to be part of it. That’s the only thing I’m certain about.” He turned his body toward me. “But it’s interesting that you’re bringing this up…”

“Why?” I braced myself.

“Things went really well out west. The guys in Vegas offered me a five-nights-a-week gig. Shows would rotate around to various locations, some high-end galleries, some other venues.”

My stomach filled with dread as I feigned a smile. “Oh my God.”

“Yeah. I wanted to tell you in person.” He frowned.

“Why do you not seem happy?”

“Well, for obvious reasons, Talia. Saying yes would mean turning my life here upside down.” He sighed. “They also offered me a two-bedroom apartment attached to one of the galleries, and it’s handicapped accessible. So technically, I could take Rosemary with me, if she was willing to go. They said they want me out there again as soon as possible to start planning, if I tell them yes.”

I sat with this for a moment, letting it all sink in. His aunt was one of the biggest reasons he needed to stay in New York. If Rosie decided she wanted to go with him, then what? There would be no reason for him to stay in the City, except me. Just when I thought the situation with Rafe couldn’t get any scarier, it did.

***

The next day, my emotions hung over me like a cloud. I went to a morning yoga class to clear my head. But when I got back to the brownstone, on the way up to Rafe’s apartment I heard Rosemary and Rafe talking through her cracked front door.

“I don’t think I can take it,” he said.

“Are you insane? Why would you turn down such a huge opportunity?”

“Because I like it here in New York. I don’t want to move to Vegas.”

“It wouldn’t be forever. Once you establish yourself as a bigger act, I’m sure you could come back and do the same thing here.”

“There’s more to it than not wanting to move to Vegas.”

Surely, this was the part where he was going to tell her about me—about us.

“The whole commercialization of my art thing never really sat right with me,” he continued.

My body stiffened as I continued to listen.

“So you’d rather limit your potential?” Rosie asked.

“Even if that weren’t an issue, what about you? I can’t just leave you here.”

“What about me? I’ll be fine.” She scoffed. “You’ve done enough for me.”

“I wouldn’t wanna leave you here alone.”

“I’m not totally alone. Talia is upstairs now.”

Here was another opportunity to tell Rosemary the truth about us.

Instead, he sighed. “I don’t want to discuss this anymore right now, okay?”

Guess he’s not going to tell her.

“Whatever, honey. I just want to go on record saying I think you’re making a mistake in turning this down.”

Instead of heading upstairs, I took a walk so I had some time to think before facing Rafe again. If I saw him now, he’d likely be able to tell from the look on my face that I’d been spying on them.

As I strolled, my thoughts circled. Why hadn’t he told her about the handicap-accessible apartment they’d offered him? He was making it seem like he had no choice but to stay in New York. He was using her as an excuse for not taking the job, while specifically not telling his aunt about his relationship with me.

I probably shouldn’t have expected him to tell her we’d had an affair. But choosing not to do so showed me he was still ashamed of our actions.