“Okay,” I laugh, allowing her to drag me through the small crowd.
“Hey, baby,” Lincoln says when I stumble past him. “I was hoping you’d get here soon. I want to introduce you to Roy.” He tries to pull me into his arms, but Chloe is having no part of it.
“Oh, no you don’t,” she says. “If you get your hands on her, I’ll never get her back. Let me have her for fifteen minutes, and then she’s all yours.”
Lincoln holds his hands up and steps back. I mouth “Sorry” as I’m pulled away.
“You have to meet my best friend, Rose. She’s Roy’s daughter. You’re going to love her.”
“Oh, uh, Chloe—”
“There she is. Rose!” she hollers.
Rose turns around, and her smile falters when she sees me. Chloe practically shoves me in front of her.
“This is Lincoln’s girlfriend, Adley. Adley, this is my best friend, Rose,” Chloe says. “Oooh, there’s Deacon. Stay here,” she says to me. “I’ll be right back.”
Chloe disappears, and I’m left standing in front of Lincoln’s ex.
“Hey,” she says.
“Hey.”
We stare at each other in an awkward silence, and then Rose blurts, “I’m really sorry about the other night. I promise you didn’t walk in on anything bad.”
“I know I didn’t. Lincoln explained the situation. How’s your ankle?”
She shrugs. “It’s fine. Just a sprain. Still sore after a long day, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“That’s good.”
“So, uh, you and Lincoln talked… Did he tell you about…”
“About the two of you?” I ask.
She nods.
“Yeah. He told me you have history.”
She nods, but it’s feeble and a little apologetic. “A tiny history. And by history, I mean that I was head over heels in love with the guy, and he never really saw me as anyone other than Roy’s daughter and his sister’s friend.”
I shift uncomfortably. It doesn’t seem right to talk to Rose about her relationship with Lincoln without him being here.
“Sorry,” she offers. “I’m not trying to make things weird. I just want you to know I’m not the type of girl to stir up trouble. I see how happy you make him, and I would never try to come between that.”
Tension drains from my shoulders. “Thank you for saying that. It means a lot to me.”
She smiles thoughtfully. “Chloe and Linc mean a lot to me, and if you’re part of their lives, I’d really like for you to be part of mine.”
It took a lot of courage for Rose to give me those words. And Lincoln may not love her the way she loves him, but he still cares for her, and I don’t want mess that up.
“I’d like that,” I tell her.
“You two played nice, I hope,” Chloe says, dragging Deacon toward us.
“Hey, Deacon,” I say, waving.
“Hey. Thanks for the food the other night. It was delicious.”