Chapter 23
Rowan stretched and twisted her hips, popping the kinks out of her back. Raising up to her elbows, she looked around the room. She was on top of Luke’s bed, under the blanket she’d curled up on the couch with. No sign of Luke and the other side of the bed was made.
“Good, you’re awake. I brought you some coffee. Still cream, no sugar, right?” Luke entered carrying two mugs.
“Yeah. Where did you sleep?”
“I took the guest bedroom.” He set her coffee on the table. “If you hurry and take a shower we can get stuffed French toast before the crowd gets too thick. Think you can be ready to go in thirty minutes?”
“Uh…sure.”
“Okay. Chop-chop. We’ve got a lot to do today.” He crossed the room and entered the master bath, closing the door behind him.
Rowan picked at the crusty sleep in the corner of her eye and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Taking the coffee, she left Luke’s room. Curiosity got the better of her and she detoured to look in the other bedrooms. All four were empty. Her bedroom and Luke’s were the only ones with any furniture in them. A six bedroom house…for her. She sipped her coffee. It was perfect—exactly the way she liked it.
Since he wanted to leave soon, she didn’t bother washing her hair and only applied basic makeup. Stuffed French toast sounded casual so she pulled on jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Luke waited in the kitchen, checking his phone, when she turned the corner.
“Do you want a cup to go?” he asked.
“No, but I will take some water.”
“Sure.”
He filled two bottles for them to take and led her out to the garage, holding the passenger door open for her before settling into the driver’s seat.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Sky Blue Cafe,” he said, backing out of the garage. “I’ve heard good things about their French toast and I remember how much you liked beignets. That’s all you ate when we went to New Orleans for spring break.”
She smiled. “Not too many foods can beat fried dough and sugar.”
He stopped at the end of the drive to check for traffic. Flashes and shouting greeted them from across the street as a small group of photographers ran across to swarm the truck.
“Assholes,” Luke muttered. He pulled onto the road and sped away before they could get back in their cars.
“Does that happen a lot?” she asked.
He glanced at her. “Not usually. Especially in this neighborhood. There are a lot of big-name celebrities that live here and they all take their privacy very seriously. I think it’s one of the reasons the town has its own police force instead of relying on the city or the county.”
“Is it because of what happened with us?”
His eyes shone with regret. “Yes. I’ve never warranted that kind of attention on my own.”
“Were they camping out before today?”
“When I first got home, but then I left for Johnson City. No one bothers me there.”
“So they somehow know you’re back and or that I’m here with you.”
“Probably. I’m sure someone snapped a picture of us at the airport and posted it online somewhere. I can get ahold of my PR person and have her get it taken down.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Rowan appreciated the gesture, but even if she was able to work that kind of magic, two more would probably go up.
“You know—I haven’t had any since that trip,” she said.
“What?”
“Beignets. I haven’t had any since our trip to New Orleans.”
