Chapter 44

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Alex

I ROLLED OVER IN BED, opening my eyes to darkness. My brain took a few seconds to process before I realized Rose wasn’t lying beside me. Glancing at the clock to find it was 4:00 a.m., I immediately sat up, wondering where she’d gone. I got out of bed, slipped on a pair of sweatpants, and ventured out in the living room.

“What are you doing out here?” I asked Rose as she sat on the couch under a blanket, staring at something on her phone.

“Oh, I couldn’t sleep. My stomach was bothering me, so I just came out to get a drink of water and then my mind started going in a million different directions, and here I am, wide awake!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Just my stomach, but it’s good now.”

“No, I mean why’s your mind going in a million different directions?” I asked, taking a seat next to her.

She looked away, clearly having an internal battle with whether she should tell me or not. “Right before I came over, I was going through some of my aunt’s old photos and I found this.”

She handed me the picture that was sitting beside her of a man and a woman. The rest was too hard to make out in the darkness.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“I know you’re gonna tell me to stop meddling, but I just need to know…”

“Need to know what?”

“That’s my aunt and the older English guy who was in your uncle’s office that day. Judging by this picture, I’d say it was taken well over twenty years ago.”

I studied it closer, still unable to make it out clearly, not that I would’ve probably even been able to in the light with being from so many years ago. I couldn’t even remember what that guy looked like in present day let alone recognize him from the past.

“How do you know that’s him for sure? You only saw him for a minute in my uncle’s office and that picture looks like it’s pretty old.”

“I got a good look at him in that minute’s time. He may have been older, but he was quite handsome.”

“Oh, like father, like son?” The words slipped out before I could even stop them.

“Really, Alex, we’re gonna go there again with this?” she snapped. “I have no interest in the son. I couldn’t even tell you what the son looked like, if you were to ask me, that’s how much attention I paid to him! So, please stop with that!” Her voice cracked.

“Fine. Then should I be worried that you have a thing for older men?”

She rolled her eyes. “The only person I have a thing for is you, but if you keep it up that thing may disappear.”

“So, what if it is that guy in the photo, what are you trying to achieve?”

“If he’s an old friend of my aunt’s, wouldn’t it be nice for me to invite him to her party and surprise her?”

“I’d just leave it well enough alone. If he was an old friend, then maybe there’s a reason why they’re not in touch anymore.”

“Do you think maybe you could ask your uncle?”

“Rose, really? Just stop. Look, I know you want to make this party perfect for your aunt, but don’t go digging up the past trying to do it.”

“Yeah, but—”

I shook my head to stop her from going any further with this ridiculous plan.

“Fine.” She relented. “But you better not be telling me not to go through with it just because you don’t like the son.”

“Oh, I don’t like the son…AT ALL, but that’s not why I’m telling you not to do it. I just think you should have the people you know your aunt wants there for sure, not some guy who she may or may not have been linked to in the past just because you found an old picture.”

“Okay.” She huffed, still not seeming one hundred percent sold on my advice.

“Are you tired yet?” I asked, hoping she’d say yes. I was feeling like I could fall back asleep at any moment.

“Yeah, I think I am.”

I stood up and took her hand, pulling her off the couch.

She stopped just as we reached the bedroom door and looked up at me. Her big brown eyes were wide and alert without a hint of sleepiness in them. “Happy New Year,” she whispered, standing on her tippy toes and placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

I smiled just thinking of all the possibilities and change this new year could bring. I was totally putting the past behind me and moving forward with the girl I’d least expected to. I pulled her into a hug and rested my lips on her head, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo. This was going to be a very happy new year for sure.

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Six days into the new year and things weren’t going as happy as I planned. Work was crazy busy, which was a good thing. Three new advertisers had signed on with the magazine, and I had meetings set up with two others. I was leaving in the morning for a fishing trip to Costa Rica for a few days that I’d foolishly agreed to go on with my father. I was working nonstop trying to get everything done before I left while missing Rose in the process. The only times I saw her in the past few days was in passing in the hallway or when she’d come in and try to have a quick conversation with me. I was so wrapped up in work, I was barely paying attention, and now I was feeling a little guilty over that. I knew she understood, but I wanted to make it up to her. Now that things were quieting down somewhat, I was hoping to do just that. I sent out the last email for the day, forcing myself to shut down my computer and call it a night, and maybe take Rose out for a late dinner. I gathered my things and headed out, surprised to see the light on in my uncle’s office.

“I didn’t know you were still here?” I said as I stood in the doorway.

“Yeah, I just wanted to go over some things.” He looked exhausted.

“Anything I can help you with?” I asked.

“Just going over some financials, getting ready for the dreaded tax time.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Better than fine. Thanks to you and Rose, our profit is up twenty percent from last year. I knew good things would come out of the two of you finally working together.” A broad smile stretched across his face. “I got the invitation to Kate’s party. I’m assuming you’ll be there as well?”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, I couldn’t talk Rose out of her roaring twenties theme, so you’ll have to dress for the occasion.”

“She’s a stubborn girl. When she gets her mind made up about something, there’s no changing it.” He chuckled.

“Ha! Don’t I know it!” I was just about to get up when Rose’s little investigation popped into my head. “Hey, Uncle Henry. Was Rose’s aunt friendly with that guy you had in your office that day with his son?”

He jerked his head from the paper he had been concentrating on so intently. “Why do you ask that?”

“Rose was going through old pictures and she found one of the two of them, and of course her mind started working and she wanted to invite him to the party. I told her to leave the past—”

“No, trust me, Alex. Whatever you do, please make sure she doesn’t pursue that.” His voice was laced with a hint of panic.

“Okay, fine. But why?”

“It’s not my place to say. Just please promise me you’ll talk her out of it.”

“I think I already did. At least she said she wasn’t going to. But like you said, she’s very stubborn.”

His face was etched with concern, which now had my curiosity piqued ever so slightly. But I knew my uncle all too well. He wasn’t going to give out any information. I was so much like him in that sense. If it didn’t concern me, I stayed out of it. Neither one of us liked to pry in other people’s business the way some people would get off on doing. So as much as I wanted to know somewhat, I knew he’d never divulge anything. It was just as well. I didn’t want to know something about Rose’s aunt that I wouldn’t be able to share with Rose. I’d just leave it be and hope Rose would heed my advice and not investigate anymore. Whatever it was, it was in the past and didn’t involve her anyway.

“Well, I’m out of here.” I stood up.

My uncle gave me a curt nod, still a little flustered over the recent conversation. I gave him a reassuring smile, which was the best I could do to put his mind at ease that I would do my best to deter Rose from whatever it was he didn’t want her digging up.