Chapter Eighteen

Rosie rides into Manhattan with Bethany, Georgie, and Kristin, determined to be braver and more self-directed after leaving Dominic and quitting her job. At the Gansevoort’s rooftop club, Bethany uses a favor to secure VIP seating and surprises Rosie with a complimentary hotel room to clear her head.

Settled on the terrace, the women banter about relationships, teasing Bethany about her sparks with Wes. Bethany denies any interest, while Kristin—caught pretending to drink—reveals she’s secretly pregnant, asking them to keep it quiet. Rosie heads inside to fetch Kristin a ginger ale.

In the crowded, sultry club, Rosie’s arousal stirs memories of Dominic and the intimacy they relied on. At the bar, she realizes she forgot her purse just as the bartender arrives. Meanwhile, Dominic steps off the elevator, instantly captivated by Rosie’s transformation, fighting possessiveness and the impulse to haul her home.

Recognizing control won’t win Rosie back, Dominic approaches with a playful introduction, paying for the drink and asking what Rosie wants. Close together in the noisy crush, Rosie admits she’s torn between hiding with her friends or cutting loose. Dominic confesses, in veiled terms, that her man may have mistaken stability for what she needed, driven by insecurity about not being exciting.

Dominic tells Rosie he’ll leave if she needs this night alone but would love to stay and learn her. Rosie kisses his jaw, says she wants to learn him, too, and leads him onto the dance floor, signaling a tentative, mutual step toward reconnection.