Rowan glanced up at the clear sky before leveling another stare at me. “Did it ever occur to you that it was never the right time because he’s not the right guy for you? That’s why you’ve held back?”
My hands clenched into fists. “You take that back.”
He shrugged. “Nope.”
“That’s a dirty lie. You take it back!” I yelled.
“If it’s a lie, prove me wrong. Go tell him how you feel right now!”
My heart stuttered, and I jutted out my chin. I reached into my pocket for my phone and held it up in front of Rowan’s face. “Maybe I will!”
“Then do it.”
“I will.”
“Go ahead.”
“I don’t need your permission.”
Rowan crossed his arms across his incredible chest. “Of course not. You’re the boss of your life. You decide what you want and don’t want. It’s your decision, right?”
My mouth opened and closed as I thought of a great comeback. I didn’t have one. And my luck, I’d think of one two weeks from now in the middle of the night when Rowan was long gone.
The thought of him leaving did funny things to my insides, but maybe it was the wine I drank.
I blew out a breath and pushed the hair off my face, glancing down at my phone. I could call Jesse or go see him. He had to be on the island somewhere. He was a golf cart ride away from me for the first time in years.So, why haven’t I said anything before now?
“Nighttime is the right time,Captain Dudette.”
I blinked a few times as Ziggy came into focus. He had a neon pink flyer in his hands, which he gave to Rowan.
“BIMBO?” Rowan looked up from the flyer. “What’s this?”
“This is ourbondage experience.” Ziggy shrugged. “We get all tied up in games.”
“Bondage?” Rowan’s brow furrowed. “Do you mean bonding?”
“Just go with it,” I muttered.
“This week’s allturvy topsywith your bestie’s wedding, so we need to get things right tonight,” Ziggy explained. It almost made sense. “All Pointers will be there, including the love ofyourlife.” Ziggy pointed to me.
My heart beat a little faster. I snatched the flyer out of Rowan’s hands. “Tonight at five.”
“Everything changes.” Ziggy saluted us both and walked away, humming a familiar tune that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Rowan waited until Ziggy was out of earshot before he said, “You can’t be serious about this.”
“Serious as a panic attack,” I said. “Tonight’s the night Operation Break Up gets started.”
Chapter 19
Rowan Rafferty gets ideas
Kendra hadn’t saidmuch since declaring the new direction of “Operation Break Up.” She didn’t spare a glance at the new catamaran docked next to her houseboat, but I did see her tense up when we got into the golf cart to travel to BIMBO.
I had already spent time in Pleasure Point’s Town Hall when I signed the docking deal with the Mayor, but tonight’s after-hour festivities gave the building a different feel.
We walked down a deserted hallway filled on either side with glass cases. There were trophies, plaques, framed pictures, and a strange piece of wood tucked into the rest. I veered off course to look inside the case.
