Faultless was now his first impression of her, and something in his gut and in those sweet eyes of hers told him that wouldn’t be changing.

CHAPTER THREE

Rose

Now…

Rose’s sister Grace knocked before cracking the bedroom door open and sticking her face in. “Is Ben gonna make it Saturday?”

Rose winced before she turned to face the door. She’d been dreading this question. Instead of answering she countered with her own question. “Can you tell me again why you guys are doing this after I specifically asked you not to? It’s my AA for crying out loud. A party for that is almost embarrassing.”

“There is nothing embarrassing about you earning a degree.”

“Yes, I know. But you guys could’ve waited at least until I got my bachelors.”

“The amount of time that it took you to get this deserves a celebration, Rosie. Sal said it’s almost unheard of, and he’s absolutely proud of you. Besides, it’s a not a party; it’s just a small gathering.”

Rose’s jaw dropped and Grace laughed. Even Grace couldn’t say that with a straight face. Her brother-in-law’s family didn’t do small gatherings.

The door pushed open, and in stumbled her little nephew giggling loudly. “Chava, no honey. Not in here. Tia Rose is studying.”

Rose grabbed him and he squealed. Her nephew's name was Salvador, but for some reason, as odd as it sounded, the Spanish nickname for Salvador was Chava. To avoid confusion since he’d been named after his dad, he was now Chava or Chavita depending on who was talking to him. Rose squeezed him, kissing him all over his face as he squirmed trying to get away, all the while laughing loudly.

“Shh!” Grace said closing the door behind her. “Grandma’s taking a nap. You’re gonna wake her.”

“Nana!” he yelled out laughing.

Grace gave him that look that quickly shut him up, but he couldn’t help but continue to laugh especially since Rose squeezed him even harder when he yelled out. Rose let go and let him down. “Be good,” she whispered in his ear before kissing him again on the temple.

He nodded but was immediately distracted by the teddy bears on her bed. Among them was the pink one she usually hid under the others but had forgotten to earlier when she’d held it again. Grace watched him climb on Rose’s bed and warned him again to play quietly then turned back to Rose. “I didn’t know you still had that teddy bear.”

Rose shrugged. “I hold on to all my teddy bears. You know that.”

Grace crossed her arms and then came that look Rose knew was coming. “Maybe you think this whole Ben story is fooling everyone, but it’s not fooling me. Are you two even seeing each other?”

“Yes.” Rose looked away.

She hated being such a horrible liar. This was why every event they’d had for the past few months when she’d supposedly started seeing Ben, he hadn’t been able to make it to the parties. She was afraid she’d never pull it off if she ever did bring him. She’d only told Grace she was seeing him because Grace was worried, and she was tired of being so damn pathetic that even after all this time she still couldn’t get over Vincent. That was the reason why she’d gotten her AA so quickly. She’d plunged so deeply into her schoolwork and soccer—deep enough to consume her every moment. This included weekends and online classes to keep her mind busy continually and not thinking about him. She’d managed to earn the degree in just a little over a year.

She knew the family was beginning to wonder about her mysterious never-able-to-make-it boyfriend. At least Grace and Sal had met him. They knew he existed. So she’d stretched the truth a little about their actual relationship, but that was only after Grace had started talking to Rose about considering therapy for her depression.

Rose insisted she wasn’t depressed. Sure she had been when it first happened—more than depressed—she’d been a wreck. Admittedly there’d been a very long period when the heartache was unbearable. Grace had been able to relate because of what she’d gone through with her now husband just before they married when they’d had an abrupt break up as well, so she was more than sympathetic about Rose needing time to heal. The pain had faded over time, turning into that numbness she’d felt for so long now. But after nearly a year of feeling utterly numb and refusing to date anyone else, Grace had started the therapy talk. She knew Grace meant it, so she forced herself to appear more chipper around the family, and she’d told one very small lie about her friend Ben.

That white lie now threatened to unravel all because this family couldn’t stop having gatherings and parties! Each time she’d had to make up excuse after excuse why Ben couldn’t make it again. “He’ll be there this time,” Rose said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. “The party is for me after all,” she added. “Of course he’ll be there.”

Grace looked at her still a little suspicious then her attention was averted by Chava who began jumping on Rose’s bed.

“Oh, no you don’t, Mister.” She rushed over and plucked him up.

Knowing exactly how to make nice with mommy, Chava planted a big wet one on Grace’s cheek and wrapped his arms around her neck. Rose laughed when Grace started snuggling him. “God, he has you wrapped.”

Grace started toward the door. “Let’s get out of Tia’s hair. She has a lot of studying to do.” She turned back to Rose as she opened the door. “I’m glad he’s gonna be there, Rose. And you know, as proud as I am about you taking your studying so seriously, I really wish you’d give yourself a little break and go out and have some fun. I don’t see how you even have time for poor Ben with all the time you spend studying.” She sighed. “I know I should be saying the opposite: concentrate on school and soccer and not so much socializing, but you really work too hard, hon. You need to cut yourself some slack.” She raised an eyebrow. “And don’t think I don’t get why you’re doing this.”