“Rowan,” Patrick started, “Bran and I will leave you guys alone now, but before we go, I want to tell you what Bran and I were thinking when we didn’t give you or Dad any warning. Dad isn’t just our father, he’s our best friend. And?—”
Bran cut him off to finish. “…he’s been upset and lonely for so long, we couldn’t take it anymore. It’s painful to see someone you love hurting.”
“If there was even a snowball’s chance in hell that this plan might work, the four of us were willing to take it. I imagine it’s been just as hard for your sisters to see you unhappy.” Pat finished.
Well, Rowan thought. Her brothers-in-law took the wind out of her sails. Tears slowly dribbled down her cheeks at the mess she and Hugh had made of everything.
“I…I’m sorry that—” Rowan began only for River to cut her off.
“Don’t you dare apologize because of what they said, it is the truth, but it doesn’t matter. Wewerewrong, and we hurt you when you’re already hurting.” River sounded furious with their part in all this, and Rowan hated that even more than them keeping secrets.
“No. I?—”
Raven cut her off this time. “I panicked when you left us. Damn it, Rowan. Not sleeping in the same bed or not living in the same house is one thing, but you left the country. For weeks! We were desperate, but I realize now I was selfish. I thoughtIknew what was best for you. I do want you to have your heart’s desire, and I was willing to be dishonest in the hopes of you getting it,” Raven finished with a hiccup and a sniff.
“I might as well tell you, Row, the four of us planned on surprising you in Tulsa in a few weeks to see if our plan worked, and if it had, we planned on gloating. That’s,” River was hiccupping and sniffing now too, “how big of pieces of shit your sisters have become in your absence.”
River’s obnoxious mouth finally managed to break through Rowan’s upset. She even felt her lips tip up in a small smile. How in the world could a person stay mad at those two? After all, Rowan had done her share of meddling. She’d tattled on Bran and Patrick more than once to Hugh, knowing he would always react. She’d also agreed to carry letters from Patrick and give them to River without consulting her sister and only telling Raven after the fact.
Rowan took a deep breath to clear her emotions from her throat. “Okay, you guys. Neither of you are pieces of shit. I recognize I’ve done my fair share of getting into your business. We’ve done this our whole lives with one sister or the other. Talked about what to do to help whichever of us was in trouble.And since I wasn’t there, you two concocted…whatever the hell this is.”
“Are we good?” River asked.
“You completely forgive us?” Raven asked for extra clarity.
“We’re good and you’re completely forgiven,” Rowan assured. “However, there is the situation with William, and I still want to see if there is potential for us.”
“How were we to guess that you’d have your tongue down the man’s throat after three lunch dates?” River demanded.
Rowan should not have texted them such a detailed account. But she’d walked into the boutique feeling all dreamy and wanted to share. It was an amazing kiss. Hubris Hugh never dared give into the temptation of sticking his tongue anywhere on or in her body!
The Byrne sisters were back in business. For them, forgiven really meant forgiven. Now it was all about damage control. “He and his father are picking Matilda and me up for a charity event at the Philbrook, the one I mentioned to you earlier in the week. That means, thank God, not as much alone time with Will. It’s inevitable, though, that he wants to be alone with me.”
“When do he and his dad head back to Houston?” River asked.
“Monday or Tuesday of next week, I believe. I also think he’ll ask me to visit him there.” Rowan cringed. She hadn’t told her sisters every part of their lunch date. Christ, was it only yesterday?
“That seems a little fast. He can’t expect you to drive all that way. It’s almost eight hours!” Raven didn’t love the idea of Rowan pursuing the relationship. That was evident.
“I told Will yesterday that I would date him. As in—I would be his girlfriend.” Rowan blushed at the admission. What in the holy hell had she been thinking? Had the kiss beenthatgood? Itdid make her feel things…she couldn’t discount Will just because Hugh decided to rummage through her bedroom. Speaking of...
“You…what?” Raven was probably as confused as Rowan.
“You flipping agreed to what?” River practically shrieked.
Rowan was not above resorting to distraction. “I found Hugh in my bedroom snooping yesterday,” she said. “He almost opened—The Drawer.”
“No!” Raven and River squealed at the same time.
“That would have been embarrassing,” Raven laughed.
“Nah, he would have gotten a boner, and Row would have totally enjoyed the denim tent show.” How did River come up with that crap?
Rowan heard Bran ask what would have been embarrassing. Patrick wanted to know who had a boner. Great. The boys were back. Her sisters weren’t helping by laughing hysterically at their questions.
“Don’t you dare tell them. I fucking mean it!” Rowan’s cheeks were scorching.
So much for her repentant sisters. “Someone finding Row’s sex toy drawer.” Raven would pay for that.
