“Was this the tumor?”
“Yes.”
I nodded. Things were clicking into place for me. The way he fell in the marina shower. The stilted gait of his walk. Why he always wore the same shoes.
“Okay. Do you want help getting up?” I looked into his eyes.
“No. I can do it.” He grabbed the closet door handle and pulled himself up, shaking his leg to get his pants back in position. “Now you know. It’s okay. You can go.”
Disbelief swept through me. “Are you kidding right now?”
He shook his head.
A memory came back to me, and I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. “Holy shirtballs! I asked if you were pulling my leg earlier!” I covered my eyes with my hands. “I feel like a dumbass!”
“Goldilocks,” Rowan said before pulling my hands from my face. “You’re not a dumbass. You didn’t know. I didn’t say anything about this.”
I considered what he said, feeling the weight of his words settle in my chest. “You know, you’re right. You didn’t say anything. So that’s on you. Now, get your stuff. We’re going to my houseboat.”
I grabbed the towel as I left his office, its rough texture contrasting sharply with the delicate fabric of my ruined silk dress. I attempted to dry some of the damage, but the vibrant color seemed destined to be murky. I looked down at the skirt, and my throat went dry. It was probably a lost cause, like so many things in my life. My heart ached as I faced the reality of it; the dress was one more thing in my life that I fucked up.
My eyeballs began to prickle, and I took two deep breaths through my nose to stop from crying, trying to maintain some semblance of control. Now was not the time to lose my shit on the pirate ship. Rowan had a big story to tell me, and I neededto listen wholeheartedly. He deserved that, especially after being my anchor amid the chaos of this week.
As I caught another glimpse of the ruined dress, the sight twisted my stomach in knots. Each tear that fell mingled with the rain damage. I stuffed a corner of the towel into my mouth, pressing it against my lips to muffle the cries threatening to escape. I leaned against the hallway wall, feeling the cold seep into my skin.
I felt him step into the hallway.
“Kendra,” Rowan whispered. “I understand. This is a lot to take in. You can go. I won’t be mad.”
“Mad?” I turned to face him.
“If you leave. I understand. You didn’t sign up for this.”
I snort-laughed. “Well,no shit, Boss. I didn’t sign up for any of this, if you remember. You’re the one who made me your fake fiancée. But as for your leg, I wasn’t crying about that. I’m crying because I ruined the dress you gave me.”
A puzzled look crossed his face. “The dress I gave you? I didn’t give you a dress.”
I waved down my front. “Yes, you did. This dress. It came as a surprise gift today.”
Rowan tilted his head back and huffed a laugh. “And you thought I gave it to you.”
I shrugged. “You do like to send surprises my way.”
“I thought you were thanking me for the boat,” Rowan admitted.
“Why would I be thanking you for the boat? Didn’t that come from Seeger?”
He glanced at the floor. “Yes. Well, I did expedite it for you.”
“Right. Okay. Well, that wasn’t the gift I was thanking you for.”
“Can we stop talking about gifts and dresses and address the one-legged elephant in the room?” He asked.
I slapped his arm and shook out my hand. “You’d think I’d learn. Boulders. But seriously, knock that off.”
“I realize I don’t have a leg to stand on,” he began.
“Dude.”
