Page 115 of Once Upon a Fall

“Sorry,” I tell her.

She hands me the key to my room and tells me to enjoy my stay, even though I don’t think I will.

Rosie: Did you make it okay?

I get this text after showering and pulling out my laptop to do some work before I go into the office tomorrow for the first in-person meeting of this contract.

I send her a picture of my view. It’s nighttime, but the Manhattan skyline is lit up enough that I can still make out Union Square below and the traffic moving around it.

She sends me one back from the Snow White room, her legs stretched out in front of her on the bed and her feet crossed at the ankles.

Rosie: I got tired while cleaning and laid down for a minute.

She sends a sleeping emoji.

Me: Good. You should take it easy.

Rosie: Still bossing me around from another state, I see.

That one gets a follow-up winking emoji.

We’ve rarely had a reason to text before because we’ve been in the same building for six weeks. Except for a few times during the festival, which were usually quick, frazzled ones from her. Rosie using emojis is fitting. I bet she overuses exclamation points too.

Rosie: I had the leftovers in the fridge for dinner. You’re still feeding me and you’re not even here.

Me: There’s more where that came from.

Rosie: What do you mean?

Me: Go check your freezer.

A couple of minutes later my phone lights up with another text.

Rosie: DEAN!!!!!!

I was right about the exclamation points.

Rosie: I can’t believe you did that.

I smile at my phone.

I haven’t been away from her for even twenty-four hours, and it’s crazy how much I miss her. How much I’d rather be at the inn, making dinner while she sits at the island telling me it’s the best thing she’s ever eaten, or naming my facial expressions.

After doing some work, I order room service, which is disappointing. Then I unpack my things, hanging up clothes in the closet and trying to make myself more comfortable in this room.

It doesn’t matter what I do, though. It will never have a frustratingly beautiful woman in overalls smiling at me like she’s happy I’m there.

When I eventually get into bed, I’m restless. So, I turn on the TV and scroll through my options until I find one of the princess movies Rosie told me I need to watch.

I hit play. And watch the entire thing, missing her the whole time.

Rosie

The princess claimed a kingdom of her own. It was one bedroom and a garage.

I’ve heard the saying not to cry over spilled milk. My grandma used to say it to me when I was little, and I honestly never understood it. If you spill milk and it’s frustrating, then it’s totally okay to cry about it.

However, I can see that if you cried every time you spilled milk, that could get a little old.