***
“Do you ever miss Texas?” Ethan asked her as they ate breakfast seated at Rose’s new table next to the wall-wide windows. Sunlight filtered through the glass, making her new apartment appear even brighter than when she’d seen it the first time.
“Sometimes, but we moved here seven years ago, so now Boston feels like home too,” Rose said.
“You keep saying we.”
“Ah,” Rose said, embarrassed. “Bad habit.”
“Some other bad habits I should know of?”
Ethan’s question was vague enough, but the is-there-something-going-on-between-you-and-Tyler subtext was all too clear.
“Who am I talking to?” Rose asked. “Georgiana’s brother or just Ethan?”
“Just Ethan,” he replied, and somehow Rose trusted him.
“Tyler is my best friend; we managed to stay just friends for a long time.”
“Past tense?”
“Past tense,” she confirmed.
Ethan didn’t press her; he waited for her to tell him more, or not tell him anything. This made her even more confident she could open up to him, and she did. Rose told him everything; she started with Marcus and ended with the disaster the last couple of months had been.
“… and now you probably hate me because Georgiana is your sister and I’ve been horrible to her.”
“I don’t hate you,” Ethan said, though he’d gone rigid in his chair. “I know my sister’s not an angel, but she doesn’t deserve to be cheated on. Still, I’m not angry at you—how could I be? You weren’t the one cheating on Georgiana. Tyler’s the bastard who was playing both of you like that. He’s lucky he’s on another continent!”
Rose’s cheeks were beyond red at this point. “Do you think she knows?” she asked, not daring to look him in the eye.
“From what Gigi told me, she’s almost certain.”
“And she doesn’t care?”
“My sister’s peculiar like that,” Ethan said noncommittally. “Georgiana has decided she wants to be with Tyler, and as long as she gets what she wants, she doesn’t seem to care if he wants to be with her or not.”
“So you don’t hate me for hurting her? Are you sure?”
“As I said, you aren’t the one who’s in the wrong here. That Tyler dude, though—him, I hate. I could snap his neck. Do you love him?”
“I do,” Rose said sincerely. “But I’m not sure if I’m in love with him. Our relationship is too complicated to trace a line where the friendship ends and the love starts. But what we did was a huge mistake, and I hope we can find our way back to being just friends. What about you? Anyone I should know about?”
“Not really…”
“What about that blonde girl at Georgiana’s birthday?” The one glaring at me, Rose silently added. “What was her name?”
“Alice.”
“Alice, right. Are you still seeing her?”
Ethan shrugged.
Meaning yes.
“The night we met, did you go see her after you dropped me off?” Rose pressed.
Ethan’s eyebrows flew upward; he was clearly taken aback by the question. “I did,” he admitted.
“Did you sleep together?”
Ethan replied with a curt nod, his jaw tense.
“And after that?”
Another small nod.
“When was the last time?”
“Two nights before our date.”
“Will there be a next?” Rose asked, not sure she wanted to know.
“I don’t know,” Ethan answered honestly.
“Listen.” Rose took a sip of her coffee, which had gone cold. “I genuinely like you…”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming,” Ethan said with a skeptical smile.
“But… I don’t want to be mixed up in another love triangle. My life is already too complicated as is. I don’t want to fool around. And let’s not kid ourselves—you’re Georgiana’s brother. That’s not irrelevant.”
“You’re right,” Ethan said. He stood up and pulled on his black leather jacket. “I should sort myself out first.” He moved toward the door.
“If you ever do, well, you know where I live.” Rose followed him to the door and held it open for him.
“Goodbye, Miss Atwood.” Ethan kissed her on the forehead.
Rose liked that he acted like a gentleman out of a Jane Austen novel whenever he was flirting. “Goodbye, Mr. Smithson,” she said, playing along.
She watched Ethan go and closed the door behind him, leaning her forehead against the cold metal. Rose was already feeling a pang of regret. Had she done the right thing? If so, then why the disappointment?
Because doing the right thing sucked, she answered herself. But she’d done enough wrong for a while, and she wanted her next relationship to start out clean. No secrets, no sneaking around, and most definitely no other women. If the bare mention of an exclusive relationship sent Ethan running for the hills, it’d be even clearer she’d made the right choice.
Sixteen
Rose
Once she was settled into her new home, Rose started settling into her new, independent life as well. Being out of Tyler’s house helped more than she’d expected. Not having to see him or Georgiana was the icing on her recovery cake. Six months was a long break. By the time Tyler came back, her heart would be healed, and she’d be in control of her feelings once again. Really, France was the perfect solution, and the only way to salvage her friendship with Tyler.
This forced break was the longest they’d ever been apart, but Rose didn’t have time to feel alone. Harvard Law was more than enough to keep her mind busy, and without distractions her grades had become even better than usual. Rose was concentrating on herself and on her studies. She was alone, independent, in control of her life… and it felt good.