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He slipped his hand in hers and squeezed "It’s not that I wouldn’t want to now It’s just that we can’t afford to yet I don’t wanna have to ask anyone for help once it’s done I wanna be absolutely sure it’s so to reassure hiether any ti it takes, it’ll be worth the wait

Of course Rose wasn’t about to freak Grace out by letting her in on how exciting the idea ofin with Vincent made her seventeen-year-old sister So she kept that jaw-dropping conversation to herself This would probably still be a few years away, so why stir the waters now?

Vincent walked into the restaurant’s kitchen, and Rose picked up on his change in s down at the restaurant when he got a call fro?"

Vincent shook his head, but his jaas already working "Enzo got in another fight"

This was the third ti into trouble this summer The worst part was the last tio; Vincent told her these were only the incidents his dad knew about He was sure there were more Lorenzo was as hot tempered as Vincent, only at least Vince had matured soet his brother to see it, too Blowing up like that got you nothing but trouble

"Thing is, Rose, you were a huge incentive for ht and out of trouble Honest to God, the only reason I felt any kind of re Randy’s ass was because of what it cost ainst the counter "Sa to Alfonso’s party the week before I came down here Compared to all the trouble I’ve been in the past, I really didn’t do shit But once you reotten in trouble, I did regret it I regretted it a lot That’s when change cos that you do Enzo," he shook his head again frowning and looking away, "he has no incentive, so he doesn’t care And he’s stubborn as shit" Vince let out a sarcastic chuckle "Once you get to know him, you’ll knohat I mean Sometimes I think his fuse is shorter than mine because once he’s lit and hiswith hiive a shit or think about consequences At that moment he just doesn’t care The only tiet pissed at him"

Rose reached for his hand, and he looked up at her Now she saw just how troubled he really was Instinctively her heart sped up "What is it?"

"My dad’s askingdown here until next suh his senior year"

Rose tried not to react, but the neas a huge blow The only thing that hadcut so short was that he’d be staying She fidgeted with her fingers al to?"

"I think I have to"

She spun around and started to walk out the kitchen

"Rosie, please don’t be irlfriend ever, but she couldn’t help being crushed Not wanting to turn and let hi out of her eyes, she spoke without"You should You really should"

His arms were around her waist, and in the next instant, his face was against hers "I’ the side of her face "I promise I’ll come as often as I can--every weekend, maybe more; it’s only until next summer I just…I need to be there"

She turned around, and his expression fell when he saw the tears, so she brushed theh his hair like she loved doing so much "You do, and this is why I love you so much Your devotion to the people you love is ad, Vincent" She shook her head "You don’t have to explain I understand, okay? You need to be there for your brother I’ll still be here I’ll miss you like crazy, but I’ll live"

"And I’ll be down here a lot I swear to you" He kissed her, res down "I can’t stand being away froht?"

"Yes, I do I’ away from you, too, but I really do understand" She sht to hide it "It’s gonna be okay We’ll get through this"

Pushing aside the ridiculous notion that he’d picked his brother over her, she hugged hiiven She would’ve done the sa had she been in his place

"I love you, Rosie," he whispered

She looked up at hienuinely as she could "And I love you" She kissed hi around quickly, she announced, "We’re done here Let’s go enjoy what’s left of this summer"

They drove back to Sal’s house as they often did after work these past couple of weeks With the heat wave they were having, it had been hot enough to go night swih Vincent had said he didn’t want to ever chance what they had in Sal’s house again, and they hadn’t there since that first tis in that pool