He stares at me for a beat before saying, “I’m going to keep my mouth shut.” He points the spatula in my direction and turns back to the stove.
He moves around the kitchen, grabbing his mug and setting it down on the counter. The coffee pours into the pot as a beeping sound goes off, letting us know it’s done brewing. A plate of stacked pancakes and a bowl of fresh fruit is placed in front of me, and then he swiftly grabs the coffee pot, pouring the dark liquid into the mug while steam rises from it.
My eyes track every movement he makes. The way his biceps flex when he picks things up and sets them down. A single wet strand of wavy hair falls next to his temple. The tip of his tongue slightly sticks out with pure concentration.
Rowan nods at me to start piling food on my plate, and I don’t hesitate. Every meal we have together, he ensures my plate is filled before his.
When I've picked the pancakes along with the bacon, he starts to build his plate, taking five pancakes and five pieces of bacon.
“Are you ready to go to your parents’ place today?” he asks as he pours syrup onto the fluffy stack.
I chuckle with a mouth full of food before saying, “No.”
“How do you think they’ll react?”
“August will be happy. I’m his favorite besides you, James, and Beau. Dad will be shocked and surprised at first, but that will fade away into excitement. Mom will be happy but upset I didn’t tell her.”
“I can already imagine what she’s going to say.” Rowan laughs.
I mimic my mom's voice, “Ellie Alexandra, why didn’t you tell me you were coming home? I didn’t have time to set up the guest house. I need to go buy more food to feed you. I can’t believe this.”
Rowan tilts his head back and laughs. “That sounded a little too close to your mother.”
“I know, it’s scary.” I dip my bacon in some maple syrup before I take a bite.
“You want me to go with you?”
“Don’t you need to go to the brewery today?”
I grab a blueberry and examine it before popping it into my mouth. The ripeness of it bursts with sweet and sour, causing my lips to twist. Rowan’s eyes land on my lips and then go to my eyes. The heat in my cheek’s blooms.
Rowan clears his throat. “James will be there, and last time I checked, I’m the owner and can do what I want. If I want to show up late, I’ll show up late.”
“Well, my momisalways nicer when you’re around. I can tell her the worst news, and she’ll keep her tone in check because she doesn’t want to scare you off. She loves you.”
Rowan gives me a cheeky smile. “I’m a lovable person.”
“Oh, yeah, super lovable,” I say sarcastically and throw a blueberry at him.
He catches it in his mouth—which wasn’t supposed to happen—and smiles at me.
I point to him and say, “Don’t get cocky.”
He wiggles his eyebrows at me while tossing a blueberry up and catches it in his mouth effortlessly.
nine
ROWAN
Ellie singsto Celine Dion as it blares through the speakers–I feel the vibration near my leg. She attempts to hit the high notes, and I applaud her for her effort, no matter how terrible. She always did this when she was about to do something that made her nervous, and I am very okay with watching this performance. It always puts me in a better mood. It’s great entertainment. My own private concert.
After breakfast, we went to pick up her car at the brewery, and she offered to drive. My head is literally touching the car ceiling. I put the seat back as far as it would go, and my kneesstillhit the glove compartment. Of course, I’m not going to complain and say anything because this is her car, and it works for her. Being tiny and all.
She’s been back home for one day, and it’s like a breath of fresh air. When I’m with her, I worry less about work, my anxiety, Mom, Addie. She takes all those stresses in my life and tucks them away into a jar she hides from me.
As we pull up in the driveway of her parent's house, she shuts off the engine and slumps into her car seat. I reach for the door handle to get out, but Ellie doesn’t move.
“You ready?” I ask.
