“Because you’re inloooove,” Daisy croons.
I nudge her, my face heating. “I guess I’d rather keep him alive, at least.”
“You must like him more than that, since your peanut butter habits only matter if you’re planning on playing tonsil hockey with him later,” Loren mumbles through another mouthful of cookie.
“He does get contact dermatitis, too,” I quip, after which Tenleychuckles, Loren chokes on her cookie, and Daisy turns her widened eyes to mine.
“I’m kidding, Daze,” I reassure her, but it doesn’t help that Rowan’s scratching his neck when we all glance his way.
“So Rowan has a peanut allergy?” Tenley asks.
“Yes,” Daisy, Loren, and I all answer at the same time. I clear my throat and add, “a pretty severe one.”
“Hmm. He’s never mentioned it. I’m glad you said something,” Tenley continues.
I shrug. “He’s careful.”
“Still, we can make the clinic safer for him. We all want to keep him alive, too, since his name’s going on the building and all,” she explains, smiling.
I pause before taking a sip. “What?”
Tenley’s eyes bug out, and she curses under her breath.
“His name is going on the building?” Daisy squeaks. “Here, in Camellia?”
“Mm-hmm,” Tenley confirms, biting her lip.
“Is that why Blake mentioned helping him with some paperwork?” Loren asks.
“Um, probably,” Tenley answers hesitantly.
“Wait, I thought that was about the land?” By the time Daisy adds her own question, I think I’ve forgotten how to breathe.
“What land?” I grind out.
“The empty plot on the other side of ours, the one that’s still for sale,” Daisy replies. “You know, for the little family neighborhood we’re building. Landry was worried about a stranger buying it up, and he mentioned that Rowan … But, um, you don’t know about any of this, do you?”
I shake my head, my gaze already fixed on Rowan. He offers a faint smile once he notices the way we’re all staring at him from across the room.
“Hold my beer,” I tell Daisy and shove the bottle of water at her before I march over and snatch Rowan’s hand.
“Are we going somewhere?” he asks as he lets me drag him toward the door.
“Apparently we’re staying here, indefinitely,” I growl and yank him outside.
It takes me a few seconds to catch my breath before I can speak. “Are you, like, moving to Camellia?”
His brow rises, and he swallows hard before he regains his nerve.
“What’s it to you?” he replies, an annoying smirk playing at his lips.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not kidding, Rowan.”
His expression turns serious. “Okay, then. Yes, I’ve decided to move here.”
“Mind telling me why, since you casually forgot to mention it?”
“Because I feel like this is where I need to be.” But his answer lacks the same confidence as before.
