It’s my small smile that falls first, slowly, his eyes boring into mine like a tsunami. His fades next, but whatever glint is in his eyes—one that looks just shy of adoration, doesn’t.
“We’ve finished the appetizers,” he rasps.
“You didn’t bring more mozzarella sticks?”
He huffs a laugh and runs his hands through his hair, his forearms flexing just enough. “I’m sorry.”
I sigh dramatically. “It’s fine. Can I have my food now?”
Rowan smiles again as he sets out our main courses, and I can’t help but to smile too—my bad day taking a turn.
CHAPTER 8
Rowan
Ipark in Lana and Christian’s expansive driveway beside Christian’s new “more realistic” car. His McLaren was one hell of a car, sure, but so is this new Audi. And beside the Audi is the brand new Jeep he bought for Lana.
Behind me comes Nico’s car, then Luca’s.
Natalia never parks in the driveway. She’s never admitted it aloud before, but I know it’s for when she wants to leave early.
I wait for everyone else to trickle in first, watching as they walk to the front door dressed in their costumes for Lana’s birthday party through the rearview mirror. Natalia seems to be doing the same, waiting everyone else out. Using this opportunity, I grab her Halloween gift and the appetizers I made, and get out of my car.
Through the window of the passenger side, I can see her adjusting her beautiful mane of curls in the visor’s mirror, and fixing the wings strapped around her shoulders. Holding on to the pumpkin, I round the hood of her car and make my way toher driver’s side. She catches my eyes quickly and finally slides out of her car, standing between the car and the open door.
“Hey.”
She blinks. “Hey, um…Happy Halloween.”
“Happy Halloween, sweetheart.” I smile when the pink in her cheeks deepens. As usual, she’s bare-faced, save for mascara and a light shade of gloss. “I brought you something,” I say and hold out the medium-sized pumpkin. “A Halloween gift.”
“You meant treat?”A small smile tugs at her dark painted lips. “No tricks?”
“No tricks.” I chuckle and hold it out toward her. “Just a treat.”
Natalia’s eyes finally flit down to the pumpkin I made just for her, finally accepting it in her hands. “You got me a pumpkin,” she says in a breath, examining the pumpkin, twisting it left and right, up and down. “With…”
“I can’t carve, so I had it made,” I tell her and admire the handiwork myself. “It’sThe Nightmare Before Christmas.The scene where he?—”
“I know the scene,” she says, her eyes stuck on the pumpkin. “He sings on the hill with Zero—‘Jack’s Lament.’”
The carving is Jack Skellington, his boney body standing at the edge of the hill with the moon behind him, Zero carved beside him.
“The pumpkin king,” I whisper.
Natalia holds it in her delicate hands, her nails painted a soft pink today, and traces the outlines with her finger tip. “It’s…really beautiful, Rowan.” She tilts her head back, eyes snapping right onto mine. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I say, fighting against my desire to sealthis moment with one kiss—even if it’s just her cheek or hair or nose. “I like your costume.”
Natalie smiles and sets the pumpkin down on the driver’s seat before reaching over for the Halloween cupcakes she brought with her. HerWinxfairy costume is a chromatic lavender corset on top of a dark purple, off-the-shoulder top with loose sleeves and a frilly, dark purple skirt over metallic pink fishnet stockings, purple and green sparkling wings, and lavender, open-toe pumps.
I have to say, she makes one, very hot fairy—beautiful and glowing with the glitter scattered across her chest and up her cheekbones.
“You’d make a good fairy.”
She dips her chin. “It’s aWinxfairy. I’m supposed to be Tecna. We picked our most favorite colors. I’ve got all the purples.”
ResearchWinxFairy, I make a mental note. “And Lana and Isabelle?”
