Page 177 of Knot What I Expected

“Gabby!”

“Coming!”

I grab the order and hurry it out front.

Well, as much as I can muster myself to hurry today.

A fire called Rowan away before we could really talk about what happened. One minute I was curled against him trying to understand how my entire life had changed overnight, and the next, his phone was going off.

Duty.

I understood. I didn't like it. But I understood.

Before he left, though, he kissed me.

And I mean he kissed the hell out of me.

Not one of those frantic, desperate kisses from last night. This one was somehow worse.

Slow.

Deep.

The kind of kiss a woman spends the rest of the day touching her lips and remembering.

Then he pressed his forehead against mine and growled, “Pick you up later for Gia’s birthday dinner, Honey Girl. You and Matteo be ready by five.”

Like that was it. Settled.

The three of us were going together.

I nodded. And now? I’m watching the clock like a teenager waiting for prom.

Pathetic.

I called Megan, the other waitress, and begged her to come in early so I’d have enough time to run home, shower, and change.

Then a text came from Rowan. And that one text somehow turned into me taking the entire weekend off.

Because I’m in a relationship now, and if I’m in one, then my son is in one too. So, yeah, apparently Matteo and I are spending the whole weekend on the mountain with Rowan. In his cabin.

I’m thrilled. And terrified.

I might actually throw up.

At first, my biggest worry was Matteo. What if he doesn’t like Rowan? What if spending an entire weekend with him is too much? What if my son realizes before I do that I’ve made a terrible mistake?

Except the second I mentioned spending the weekend at Rowan’s cabin, my child practically levitated.

“On the mountain?”

“Yes.”

“With Havoc?”

“Yes, Sweetheart. Is that okay?”

“Can I bring my dinosaurs?”