Page 71 of On His Team

He pulls his phone out.

I grab his wrist. “No.”

His thumb is already moving. “Give me one reason.”

“Because I’m the one who heard it, and Percy will know.”

I try to take the phone.

Rowan moves it above my head.

I stare at him. “You did not.”

He looks down at me, completely calm. “Didn’t what?”

“You’re being tall on purpose.”

He bends his knees. “Does that help?”

I reach again.

He stands back up and lifts it higher.

I put my hand against his chest to shove him back.

He doesn’t move. He looks down at my hand.

I look down too.

For half a second, neither of us does anything. Then I pull away.

Rowan’s eyes come back to mine. Something changes. Not enough that I could explain it. Enough that I stop laughing.

His phone is still in his hand, forgotten now.

I clear my throat. “You’re annoying.”

“Yeah.”

His voice sounds different. Or I’m making things up. I don’t know. I take another drink of water.

Behind us, somebody starts singing Happy Birthday to Drew twenty minutes too early, and half the room joins in anyway.

I turn toward the noise. Rowan stays beside me. We sing along.

As soon as the singing’s over, Mara comes over and drags me back toward the living room.

The next song is one of my favorites.

I point at Rowan before I go. “You better not text Percy.”

He puts his phone into his pocket. “No promises.”

I dance.

Rowan doesn’t. Which is probably for the best.

He watches for a while from the edge of the room, talking to Drew when Drew wanders back over, and every time I catch him looking, he doesn’t immediately look away. That starts becoming a problem.