AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sure. Callie moved out to the new place, and she’s so happy. They’re getting ready for their baby girl to arrive. Molly is Molly. She’s focused on school. Your brother is excelling at the hospital. He’s rising to the top.” She smiled warmly as she spoke, and I chewed a piece of the meat.
“So, why am I here?” I asked as she sighed and gave me a sad look.
The garage door opened, and Dad walked in. He looked us over and walked into his office.
“Nice greeting.” I muttered as Mom stared at the floor. Dad walked back out and got some water from the fridge.
“I’m glad you came, Sterling. I have a proposition of sorts for you.” I scooped some potatoes into my mouth and felt anxiety hitting me at his words. This was serious. “I have the opportunity to purchase a business here in town. It’s a wonderful, historical building, and I was thinking that I might hand it over to you. You could run the business in there for me, which is more than likely going to be an accounting firm. You’re good with numbers.”
“That’s true, but I was going to law school, Dad. I had plans. What now?” I asked as he looked at my mom and took a sip of water.
“Run the company for a year. Make it work and then I will send you on to law school. I just want you to try this for a while.” His eyes bored into mine and I frowned. “The sale will be final in a month. You can start after graduation, staying here if you’d like. We can also get you an apartment of some sort if you’d prefer that.”
“An apartment? A job?” I asked as I looked between them. “What’s the catch?”
“There isn’t one apart from working for me for the year. I want you to see your potential running a firm before you commit to that much more schooling. Your degree supports your talent.” Dad told me as I shook my head. “Don’t say no.”
“I’m not. I’m just surprised. This is a shock,” I assured him as I took a long sip of my drink. I thought about it as I pinched the bridge of my nose. It would give me a job after school and even a place of my own. I could handle waiting for law school and this gave me some stability. I thought about Rosie, but it was clear that she wanted nothing to do with me. She would never be a part of it even if she did. “I’d like to try this. I want a condo to live in. A college graduate shouldn’t be living at home.” I kept my tone light and Mom squealed as she ran around to hug me.
Dad smiled at me and we shook on it. It wasn’t warmth coming from him, but it was something. I stood to heat the plate up again to eat and Dad disappeared into his office as Mom sat beside me. I went up to my room after I was finished given that it was late, sending Luke a text with the news. He wasn’t my first choice but the only one. Rosie didn’t care.
Luke offered to come down and celebrate with me and I accepted. He lived here as well and was going to work at his father’s architecture service. I dropped the phone when I was done messaging him and closed my eyes. I knew what was missing in this package but to mention Rosie would end it all.
I stayed through Sunday, hitting some of the local bars with Luke and a few guys on Saturday. It was fun and felt good to have something solid to depend on. I could make plans for a new place without the worry of searching for it. Mom was already looking for me and Dad admitted that he wanted me to have something nice.
I drove back to school Sunday afternoon. I was thinking about everything as I parked and glanced over to see Rosie standing on the steps of her building with a guy. He was tall, leading me to believe that he could be the athlete I heard about and I stared at them for a moment. It was bright enough to see her face, and she still looked tired. The guy leaned close, seeming to say something to her as she smiled falteringly. He kissed her on the cheek and stared at her before walking away as she frowned.
Rosie walked back into her building and I got out of my car. I grabbed my bag and walked over to my own room, trying not to care about what was bothering her. I had my own life to plan and wanted to focus on that. My father preferred to keep the location of the building he was buying secret until the sale was final and I agreed. Despite our differences, Dad was a good business man and wouldn’t screw me over. He wouldn’t let his family lose money. This was his way of trying and I had to appreciate it.
I looked at the condos that Mom sent me through email, considering the pros and cons. I told myself that I’d have someone to live there with me when the time was right. Holland had ended things since she found another fling, so I was on my own right now. I didn’t mind, but I missed Rosie. I missed her more than I could admit to anyone.
I buckled down with school in the last month. There were parties and nights out, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t want to hook up with a girl for a night or two or even have a fling like I did with Holland. I wanted the feeling that Rosie gave me back. I wanted her to be mine and live with me in the condo that my parents put an offer on. I wanted her to start her new life with me. That would pull the deal off the table and it was already accepted. I told myself that it wasn’t like she was around to ask. I didn’t have her in the decision to begin with.
We were two weeks out from graduating and classes were over. I decided to move out of my dorm into the condo since there was no reason to be here. Most of my friends were doing the same. I packed my boxes and stacked them aga
inst the wall as I finished. This was my last night in this bed and room and I glanced around with a smile. I had good memories here as well as bad. I broke a couple hearts in this room and had some epic fights. I slept with Rosie for the first time here. I’d never forget that night as I dropped on the bed and closed my eyes.
There was a knock on my door and I opened my eyes. I stood and walked over, opening it carefully around the mess. Rosie stood there in a big sweatshirt and leggings and my mouth dropped open.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I stepped aside to let her in.
“I guess it’s true.” Rosie murmured as she glanced at all the boxes. “I heard that you were moving and wanted to say… goodbye. I wanted to tell you good luck.” Her head dropped, and I moved towards her.
“I’m just going back to our home town. Dad made an offer, and I took it. I might be in law school in a year if everything goes well.” I grinned, and she nodded. “What about you? Are you going to head back home?”
Rosie looked stunned for a moment. She shook her head and licked her lips as she looked at me.
“Can I sit down?” She asked as I nodded. I watched as she took a deep breath before sitting on the bed. Damn it if she didn’t look good there. “I’m not going home. I’m moving to Texas with Vi. She’s got a cute apartment and a job there and I’ll find one too. I don’t want to be with my parents, Sterling.”
“I didn’t either. He pulled the rug out on me with this. I know that it has a shit load of strings attached but it’s worth a try.” I was reeling from her news. “Why Texas?”
“Why not? It’s time to start over.” She smiled sadly as she looked at me.
“Are they pissed off?” I asked, knowing that I was heartbroken. She shrugged.
“Yeah. They are.” I could see that something was eating away at her and moved to sit beside her. She moved her eyes away from my face and looked at the floor.
“What the hell is wrong with you? It’s all over your face and the way you’re sitting.” I told her as she closed her eyes/ “Is it the same thing that’s kept us apart this entire time?”
