Free The Opposite of Love by Sarah Lynn Scheerger Page A

pulled his backpack strap over his shoulder. “She seems cool,” he said after Mrs. Rosenberg had moved out of earshot. “I’d like to come with you sometime,” he said absentmindedly, packing up his things.
    â€œWho’re you talking to?” Rose asked.
    â€œBecca. I’d like to come to temple services some time. Just to check it out.”
    Becca opened her mouth in mock surprise. “You gonna convert?”
    Chase shoved his hands in his pockets. “From what? Don’t you have to have a religion in order to convert to something else?”
    â€œI thought you were Baptist or born again or something,” Becca said, wandering around the room, returning stray toys to their places.
    â€œWhen I was little, we went to church. A few different ones, actually, depending on my dad’s mood. Now I’m kind of on strike.”
    â€œWhat for?” Rose jumped into the conversation. At least she was starting conversations again. She grabbed a sponge from the sink and started wiping down the tables.
    â€œI guess it’s the same reason Daniel’s all gung ho about Buddhism.”
    â€œThe meditation?” Becca asked from under the play-dough table.
    â€œNo—just something different from what you know.” Chase shifted his weight. “Maybe I’m religion shopping. Your rabbi just seems so … chill. Kind of Zen-like too. She probably does yoga and eats granola and hand-squeezed orange juice for breakfast.”
    â€œOh, is that what you look for in a rabbi?” Rose bit her lip like she was trying not to laugh. Okay, now she was finding him funny again. Maybe there was hope.
    â€œNo. I don’t know—maybe she seems in touch, or centered or some crap like that.” Chase stretched his backpack straps in front of him, his eyes on Rose.
    â€œGod help us. Daniel’s rubbing off on you, and I can only handle one Zen freak in my life at a time.” Becca wiped her hands on her jeans, surveying the room. “I think we’re pretty much done, guys. You can take off, if you want.”
    Rose glanced at the clock. “Five minutes early? Five whole minutes of freedom until Mrs. P. arrives to put me under lock and key?” She mock-twirled like a dancer. “Question is, just what can I do to fill up five whole minutes?” She paused and eyed Chase.
    â€œWell, we are off work. Technically.” Chase hoped he wasn’t noticeably salivating.
    Rose flipped her hair over her shoulder. “What exactly did you have in mind?” He could tell by her grin that she was going to make him work for it.
    â€œLet’s just say, five minutes is a perfect amount of time.”
    Becca pressed her hands to her ears. “You guys do realize I’m still here, right? Please! ”
    Chase opened the door to the coat closet and swung his arm to invite Rose in, acting like she was stepping into a limousine, rather than a coat closet. “Yeah, I guess a little privacy is in order.”
    Five minutes later, he could tell with certainty that he had not blown it with Rose Parsimmon.

15
    ROSE
    Rose had figured out a survival trick a long time ago. Finding secret projects gave her something to look forward to. Not projects in the traditional sense. Projects Rose-style. Like planning and exacting a devious plan (and watching the Parsimmons’ reactions). Collecting secret gifts for her mother. Sneaking through the Parsimmons’ files to try to learn more about her biological mother. Seducing a boy. It’d started out that way with Chase, sure. And looking forward to stolen moments helped her get through the days. But it was turning into much more.
    And that made her nervous.
    At first she’d tried her best to make it flirty and fun with Chase, and to stay away from anything meaningful, but apparently he was not that kind of guy. He’d looked so cute, standing there a couple weeks ago being philosophical about religion.