“Fine,” he finally states into the intercom. “Give me a minute.”
He presses another button and then walks back over to me. “I’m so sorry,” he says, crouching at the edge of the pool. “She wasn’t supposed to be back until next week.”
“It’s fine,” I lie, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re just friends, right?”
His eyes search mine. “Yes, but?—”
“Then go let her in. I’ll just... hang out here.”
“Are you sure?”
I force a smile. “Of course.”
Another lie. The last thing I want is some statuesque supermodel—who actually has more history with Rowan than I do at this point—invading our bubble.
He hesitates only for a second before leaning down to press a quick kiss to my lips. “This won’t take long. I promise.”
Heart hammering, I watch as he disappears inside the house. Part of me wants to dive underwater and stay there until she leaves. Instead, I get out, pad over to the rack of towels, and quickly wrap myself up.
Moments later, I hear voices coming from inside. Taking adeep breath, I decide to face this head-on rather than hiding like some insecure twat.
As I slide open the glass door and step into the living room, my eyes immediately land onher. And holy hell in a handbasket, she’s even more stunning in person.
Carrie Southern is standing in the middle of Rowan’s living room as if she’s always belonged there, all endless legs and perfect skin. Blonde hair falls in beachy waves around her slim shoulders. Not to mention she’s wearing a peach-colored sundress that makes her look like she just stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
Which—given the fact she just got back from a shoot in Milan—she probably did.
They both turn to look at me when I tentatively make my way further into the room. Suddenly I’m acutely aware of how I must look—wet, stringy hair, no makeup, wearing nothing but a bikini under my towel.
“Oh!” The supermodel’s perfectly sculpted brows rise in surprise. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
forty-four
All I can manage isa nervous sigh and a light clearing of my throat.
I’d planned on introducing them eventually. Just not this soon. Once they get to know each other, I know they’ll have the potential to be great friends.
“Carrie. This is Lizzy,” Rowan intros, waving a finger back and forth. “Lizzy. This is my friend, Carrie.”
“OMG!You’re Lizzy?!”
Not much to my surprise, Carrie rushes across the room and pulls Lizzy into a hug.
Stunned, she freezes as my friend’s slender arms wrap around her, rocking her from side to side.
Awkwardly patting Carrie’s back with one hand, Lizzy grips her towel tight with the other. “Um, hi?” she squeaks, blinking at me over Carrie’s shoulder.
When my supermodel friend finally pulls away, her face is lit up with genuine excitement. “Rowan has told me so much about you!”
Lizzy’s eyes dart over to me.
I want to disappear through the floor.
“Oh, he has, has he?” she deadpans, arching a perfect brow in my direction.
“Oh my God,yes!” Carrie gushes, totally oblivious to the sudden tension. “You’re the one who got away! His childhood sweetheart! For years, it’s been ‘Lizzy this’ and ‘Lizzy that.’ I was beginning to think you were a figment of his imagination!”
Lizzy’s fingers clench into her towel. “Well, I am real. And wet.” She looks down at the small puddle on the floor. “I should probably go change.”
