“So you’re moving out of Dylan’s place, but you don’t have a plan for where you’re going?” Rose asked.

I grunted as I dumped the contents of a dresser drawer into an empty duffel bag. Some of my shirts made it inside, though most tumbled onto the floor.

“I mean, I only figured out I was going to need something like twelve hours ago,” I said. “I guess if I’m totally honest I’ve kind of seen it coming for a while… but I thought I’d have more time! Why do people have to get feelings? Ugh.” Rose laughed at me and I scowled.

“I’ve been trying to think if I know anyone down here that would be open to me crashing. Marcus and those guys don’t speak to me, and I know Eva would but she friggen moved out west, I don’t even know what city she’s in right now. Plus, after everything with her brother that’s still a little weird... and his new fuckbuddy hates me so I definitely couldn’t stay with them. There is this new guy at work, and his living room is actually pretty huge, but I don’t know him that well…”

“Well enough to have seen his living room?” Rose asked, an accusation in her tone. I laughed.

“Yes, well enough to get invited inside… but it’s not like I toured the bedroom,” I said, feigning innocence.

“Well, knowing you he’d be so temporary a solution we’d be having this same conversation in like a week,” Rose said, suddenly sounding thoughtful. “What if I knew someone with a guest room?”

“What? Who do you know down here that isn’t me?”

“Well it wouldn’t quite be a place in the city,” she said innocently. “It’s a little north of there. Say a four hour plane ride north?”

“Ro, I am not moving into your house.”

“Why not?” she said. “It’s a great house! You know it’s a great house. And you can still bartend in Wild Haven.”

“Oh sure, leave the city and cocktail culture to pour Jack-and-Cokes in a one-bar ghost town. Sounds like great career development.”

“Harper Clarke, you bitch about bartending so often I know damn well it’s not your true calling. Also, we have three bars in town now, and like ten more within driving distance.”

“Oh excuse me, I didn’t realize Wild Haven had turned into such a thriving metropolis,” I said drily.

“Maybe you would if you came to visit,” she huffed.

“Yeah, but I don’t. That’s like, my whole point. I left, you know? I moved to the other end of the country. I can’t just… come back.”

“Only people who leave can come back. That’s a terrible argument. Why are you fighting me, you know I’m going to wear you down.”

I laughed. “You so aren’t.”

“I definitely am. Just think about how great it would be. You and me, roommates again: hanging out all the time, watching bad movies. You’ll make drinks and I’ll cook dinners for us... it’ll be so much fun. We’d get to actually be in the same place again.”

“Ro, you do remember that you’re getting married in like two months, right? And are going to move out and live with your husband? Do you really think he’s ready to adopt an adult son?”

“Well it’s not like I’m selling my place right away, so you could stay as long as you want. At the very least you can use the next two months to figure out what you actually want to do. Like, make a plan instead of just reacting to things. You keep telling me you want to want something, you just don’t know what. Maybe this could be the time you need to figure it out.”

I sighed. Why was I always so honest with her? She never forgot anything, especially when I shared the real things. It was very frustrating to have a great best friend, sometimes.

“And,” she said, voice softer, “I could really use your help with the wedding. Like, honestly. I just wanted a simple backyard party and you’ve seen how it’s turned into this whole big thing. If you were here you could help like, make sure it’s still my wedding, you know? I mean, since you’re my best friend and basically my only family…”

“Stop it,” I groaned. “You did not just play the orphan card on me! That should be like, a once-a-decade thing.”

I could hear the cheshire grin in her voice as she replied. “Probably twice a decade. You know, two parents, and all.”

“The worst part is that I just know your dad is all ‘that’s my girl!’ right now.” Rose’s dad had never missed a window to crack wise. At his funeral, per his request, all stories told had to be about funny things he’d said or done. It was impossible to miss him without smiling.

“So you’ll come?”

I emptied the last drawer into a suitcase. Looking around at the remnants of my room I knew her offer made a kind of sense. There wasn’t anything in my life to tether me here, and finding a new place to crash in the city was just delaying the inevitable. I sighed.

“Fine,” I said, dropping my nearly full duffel bag back on the floor. “But you’re picking me up from the airport.”