saving all my love

thirteen

As Rosie sits in the Majestic's lobby on the following evening, her stomach is in knots. She feels like she's going crazy; one minute she's blushing at the thought of what Jennie did to her in the bathtub, and the next she's wondering how long this happiness can possibly last before it's snatched away.

What she knows for certain is this: they have to revisit the job conversation. It's clear to her, following the events of the day, that there's no way that they can work together now that they've had sex.

It's not that anyone was entirely out of the ordinary, Rosie accompanied Jennie to several of her meetings and even got to watch a photoshoot. Business carried on as usual, but Rosie knew things were different. Rosie could barely contain her blushing and stammering and fidgeting. All she could think about was Jennie's naked body and when she'd get to see it again. Jennie was much more conservative with her reactions, but it was obvious that Jennie was distracted.

That's why Rosie knows for certain that she has to leave. She can get away with it in Barcelona with a bunch of strangers but at Odd Atelier? They'll be all over her. It would take one moment of indiscretion for a rumor to start, and it would only snowball from there. How long would it take for it to reach the papers? To effect the divorce proceedings? To get back to the girls?

No. Rosie will leave Odd Atelier and get a job flipping burgers before she lets any of that happen.

She angles her body over the arm of the chair as she waits for Jennie to appear out of one of the elevators.

Nothing yet.

She squirms nervously. They have a date and Rosie is so nervous and so excited that she might actually burst into hysterical laughter.

While she had been washing Jennie's hair in the spacious tub, she all but begged to take Jennie on a date. Jennie casually reminded her that she had a working lunch and a dinner party to attend. Rosie knew this, of course, and offered to take her out for a dessert -- her treat. Despite Jennie's balking at the idea, she agreed.

During her free afternoon, Rosie bought Jennie an outfit to wear. It set her back a pretty penny, but seeing it on Jennie would be highly worth it.

She fidgets in her chair and bites her lip.

When she looks up again, she sees Jennie emerge from a group of people who have just stepped out of an elevator. She looks incredible and Rosie has to catch her breath. It makes her grin to see that Jennie is wearing everything that Rosie has purchased for her: tight designer jeans and a flowy white blouse. She's added a pair of black heels and is carrying a black clutch.

Rosie stands up and smooths out her flowing, multi-color dress. She's seen vibrantly colorful dresses on many of the women in the city. Rosie feels beautiful.

Jennie gives her a dramatic once over, grinning as she closes the gap between them. She stands a respectable distance away, but is close enough for Rosie to hear her whisper, "You look lovely."

Rosie smiles. "You look amazing."

"I must say, dressing down was not what I had in mind when you said you wanted to take me out tonight."

"Or dressing at all?"

"That will come later, I'm sure."

"On that you have my guarantee." She motions towards the door. "Shall we?"

"Where, pray tell, are we going?"

They exist the hotel and into the warm evening Barcelonan night. Rosie can smell the ocean from here. "Just a little place I found during my exploration this afternoon."