Chapter 51: Getting to Know You

Alejandro stood the moment Rosalie entered the dining room.

She noticed immediately.

"You don’t have to stand every time I walk into a room."

"I know."

Rosalie looked at him.

Apparently realizing he’d given her that answer more than once since yesterday, Alejandro cleared his throat.

"I can stop if it bothers you."

"It doesn’t bother me." She walked toward the table. "I’m just not used to it anymore."

"Then I’ll try not to overdo it."

He pulled out her chair anyway.

Rosalie said nothing as she sat down, although Alejandro caught the faintest movement at the corner of her mouth.

He counted that as progress.

Breakfast was simple, which Rosalie appreciated. Alejandro reached for the coffee before she could, poured some into her cup, added milk, and then paused with the sugar spoon in his hand.

"Still one?"

Rosalie looked at the cup.

"Yes."

Alejandro added a spoonful.

"You remembered."

"I remember a lot of things."

The answer came too easily.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Alejandro probably remembered far too many things, just as Rosalie wished she could forget. Neither seemed like appropriate conversation for their first breakfast together in years, so Alejandro wisely reached for the bread instead.

"Alex and Giovanni left last night."

"So early?"

"They both have work today. Giovanni stayed long enough to make sure you were settled, though."

Rosalie nodded. "He became very quiet."

Alejandro smiled.

"He was always quieter than Alex and Dominic."

"Not that quiet. I remember him talking more when they were younger."

"So do I. Although getting a full sentence out of him these days sometimes feels like a successful negotiation."

That earned him a small smile.

It was easier when they had something ordinary to talk about.

In the daylight, Rosalie also had a much better view of the man sitting across from her.

Alejandro had aged. His hair was mostly gray now, and the years had left deeper lines around his eyes, but the shape of his face was familiar enough to pull an old memory from somewhere she hadn’t expected.

A barn dance where Alejandro had somehow ended up as her partner far more often than the rotation should’ve allowed.

She’d known exactly what he was doing.

She’d simply pretended otherwise.

Alejandro eventually caught her staring.

"What?"

Rosalie blinked. "Nothing."

"That’s the second time this morning someone has said nothing while looking directly at me."

She lowered her gaze to her plate.

"You got old."

Alejandro stared at her.

Then he laughed.

The sound was so sudden and genuine that Rosalie found herself laughing too.

"Well, so did you."

Her laughter stopped.

"You’re supposed to deny that."

"I was getting there." Alejandro was still smiling. "I was going to say you’ve done it beautifully."

"Too late."

"I’ve been out of practice."

"At talking to women?"

"At talking to my wife."

That quieted them again, although not unpleasantly this time.

Rosalie picked up her coffee and took a sip before releasing a long breath.

Alejandro immediately looked concerned.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Was that a good sigh or a bad one?"

Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t realize sighs required classification."

"They do now. I haven’t had you sitting across from me at breakfast in years. I’m probably going to overanalyze everything you do for a while."

At least he admitted it.

Rosalie looked down at her cup.

"There is something I was wondering about."

"Ask."

"My things. The clothes and personal belongings I left here."

Alejandro’s expression changed.

"They’re still here."

"All of them?"

"As much as I could preserve. Most are still in the main bedroom, although some had to be packed properly so they wouldn’t deteriorate. I never had anything thrown away."

"After all these years?"

"They were yours. It never seemed like my decision to make."

Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup.

"You don’t have to move any of them."

Alejandro went still.

"Leave them where they are."

He tried hard not to react.

Rosalie knew him well enough to see it anyway.

"I’m not saying I’m ready to move back into that room."

"I understand."

"But I don’t want my things moved out either."

"All right."

Alejandro took a careful sip of coffee.

Rosalie watched him over the rim of her own cup.

"You look relieved."

"I’m having coffee."

"That wasn’t what I said."

"I heard you."

"You’re avoiding the question."

Alejandro set down his cup.

"Yes, Rosalie. I’m relieved."

The simple admission caught her slightly off guard.

He didn’t try to turn her decision into a promise she hadn’t made, and she appreciated that.

After a while, Alejandro asked, "What would you like to do today?"

"I haven’t thought that far ahead."

"We don’t have to do anything."

"No." Rosalie glanced toward the windows. "Actually, I’d like to see the city."

That surprised him.

"The city?"

"I haven’t properly been there in years. Yesterday hardly counted."

"Then we’ll go."

"Today?"

"Why not?"

Rosalie looked down at her clothes.

"I suppose I should buy a few things while we’re there. I didn’t exactly bring much with me."

Alejandro nodded far too readily.

"We can take care of that."

She immediately became suspicious.

"I need a few clothes, Alejandro. I don’t need an entire wardrobe."

"I didn’t say anything about an entire wardrobe."

"You were thinking it."

"I was thinking you should get whatever you need."

"I know what that means when you say it."

He smiled.

Apparently, some arguments survived decades remarkably well.

"All right. You decide what you need."

"I was already planning to."

"Yes, I remember that part too."

Rosalie gave him a look, though it carried little force.

Alejandro waited until she’d taken another bite before speaking again.

"Since we’ll already be in the city, there’s something else I’d like us to do."

The careful tone immediately gave him away.

Rosalie stopped chewing.

"What?"

"I’d like you to see a doctor."

There it was.

"I knew breakfast was going too well."

"It’s only a checkup."

"I’m not dying, Alejandro."

"I know."

"Then why do I need a doctor?"

"Because you’ve been away for years, and I don’t know when you last had a proper examination."

Rosalie’s expression tightened.

"I’m thin. That doesn’t mean I’m sick."

"You’re thinner than you used to be."

"I’m also older than I used to be."

"I noticed. You were kind enough to point out the same thing about me earlier."

Despite herself, Rosalie almost smiled.

Alejandro leaned back slightly.

"One checkup. If the doctor says everything is fine, I’ll stop worrying."

"No, you won’t."

"No," he admitted. "But I’ll have fewer things to worry about."

That was probably the most realistic promise he could make.

Rosalie sighed.

Alejandro watched her carefully.

"That one sounded bad."

"It was."

"Is that a no?"

She gave him a long look.

"No. Make the appointment."

His face brightened so quickly that Rosalie pointed her fork at him.

"Don’t look so pleased. I haven’t even seen the doctor yet."

"I’m not pleased."

"You are."

"I’m relieved."

"You’ve been relieved quite often this morning."

"I’ve had a good morning."

Rosalie stared at him for a moment before returning to her breakfast.

There wasn’t really a good answer.

They took their time finishing the meal.

Afterward, Rosalie stepped onto the veranda while Alejandro arranged their trip into the city.

Her gaze wandered across the familiar grounds. The cornfields still stretched beyond the house, and the stable remained where she remembered it. Closer to the veranda was the garden where she’d once tried growing herbs before eventually surrendering most of the work to the household staff.

Mostly because a very young Alexander had developed the unfortunate habit of digging up anything newly planted to check whether it was growing.

Rosalie smiled.

Apparently, being Alexander Vance’s mother had once required protecting basil from scientific investigation.

The smile slowly faded as she looked across the property.

Enough remained familiar that memories kept appearing where she wasn’t looking for them.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Alejandro returned carrying her handbag.

"I managed to arrange the appointment for later this afternoon, so we have plenty of time."

Rosalie accepted the bag. "Thank you."

"Ready?"

"Almost."

She glanced toward the house.

"Alejandro."

"Hm?"

"Does everyone know?"

He understood immediately.

"That you’re back?"

"Yes."

"No. Only the people who needed to know. I also asked the staff not to discuss your return outside the house."

Rosalie’s shoulders relaxed.

"I thought you should decide when you’re ready for people to know."

"Thank you."

"Do you want to keep it that way?"

Yesterday, she would’ve said yes without hesitation.

"For now."

"All right."

Alejandro didn’t ask for more.

They started toward the car, but halfway across the drive, Rosalie slowed.

"Alejandro."

He immediately turned.

"What is it?"

"I changed my mind."

His expression shifted.

"About going out?"

"No. I still want to go."

"Then what is it?"

Rosalie tightened her fingers around the handle of her handbag.

There was somewhere else she needed to go, somewhere she should’ve gone years ago.

"I want to make one stop before we head into the city."

Alejandro waited.

"The cemetery."

Something in his face softened.

"Ben?"

Rosalie nodded.

"I haven’t visited him since I left."

Alejandro didn’t ask whether she was certain.

"Of course."

Rosalie glanced back toward the veranda, where a vase of freshly cut flowers sat on a table.

"May I take some of those flowers?"

"You don’t have to ask."

"I’d like to bring candles too."

"I’ll have someone get them."

Rosalie nodded, but neither of them moved immediately.

Then Alejandro quietly held out his hand for her handbag.

"Give me that. I’ll put it in the car while they get the candles."

She looked at him, then handed it over.

"Thank you."

Alejandro smiled.

"Take your time."

And this time, Rosalie did.