AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I had to agree with our son.No Surrenderwas a great set up and it was easy to see all the guys had taken great pride in building the best business they could. Also in hiring the people that worked there. They weren't just partners, co-workers, etc. .They were a family.
Teal had greeted us as we walked in the door and from that moment I knew that anyone who walked in would get the best treatment and attention during their time there. If that was the case inside, then I knew the second they were working outside their domain they would be just as dedicated.
But I had to admit I was a teensy bit jealous and maybe a little thrown off guard when Zander asked if he could spend every day with Rowan. It had been the ‘Zander and Mommy’ show since he was born, and I wasn’t used to sharing.
“Who’s gonna take care of your beautiful Mama then if we are both here,” Rowan asked as we headed back toward the front doors to leave.
My head snapped sideways in Rowan’s direction. A funny feeling swept through me and my belly fluttered with butterflies at the soft, heated look in his eyes. He’d thought of me and I truly believe he understood how hard all the changes were for me. But it was the wordbeautifuland the expression on his face that had my pulse ramping up.
He hadn’t said things like that out loud before and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it but having Zander as a buffer when I felt out of sorts helped. And he did well as he chimed in, saving me to find something to say.
“I’ll do it. I can take care of her.” His little brows crinkled in thought. “But can I come on Monday and Friday? That would be fair, right?” Zander was a sweetheart, but he also knew how to negotiate like a seasoned lawyer.
We’d stopped in the middle of the reception area and Rowan threw his head back as he roared with carefree laughter that echoed off the walls. I stared at the tight cords in his neck and the enormous smile on his face, then shivered as a tingle raced through my body.
Rowan was a seriously attractive, well-made man and I needed another damn distraction before I embarrassed myself and started drooling. Besides, I was still protecting my heart. Pulling my eyes from him—which wasn’t easy—I looked toward Teal to see what she was doing. That was a big mistake. She had a knowing look on her face and gave me a wink.
“We’ll see what we can work out, but we better get going. We have plans, remember?” Rowan told Zander.
I rolled my eyes at Teal and looked down at my son who had curiosity written all over his face. Appeased with the work subject, for the time being, he bounced on his feet, and asked, “What are we doing?”
Rowan ruffled his blonde hair and took his hand again. “It’s a surprise so I can’t tell you, but we have to run by the condos first so I can change and we can drop off a car. That way we can ride together.”
That would give our friends time to get where they needed to be, so it worked out perfectly.
“Okay, sounds like a decent plan.”
Sometimes my little guy seemed a lot older than five and I still couldn’t believe he was that old already. I sighed and looked up to catch Rowan’s gaze. My stomach sank when I thought about how Rowan missed the first five years altogether and once again I found myself hoping we’d get through the messes that had been made.
“Are you good with that too?” Rowan asked me.
I nodded once. “Yeah.”
Zander took my hand and started pulling us toward the door. I glanced down at his little hands cupped in each of ours and my heart fluttered. I may at one time have pictured the three of us holding hands like this, together, but I never in a million years thought I’d see the day.
“Bye, family,” Teal said, once again bringing my attention to her as she waved.
Rowan and Zander shouted goodbye. I was still stuck on her sayingfamily,so I muttered a lazy, “See ya,” as we kept walking. Even if we were not together, we’d still be family, right?
I finished the walk in a trance and realized we made it out the door when the bright sun beamed in my eyes.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah, bud?”
“You were right about mommy. She is the most beautiful girl in the world.”
That wasn’t quite what Rowan had said, but I smiled at my adorable child. He sure knew how to make my heart pump with love.
“In all the world,” Rowan echoed, causing my wide eyes to snap to him once again.
The sun had nothing on Rowan right then. My face flamed and my body temperature skyrocketed as the intense stare between us simmered and flared to life.
How was I going to guard my heart when he said stuff like that?
ChapterNineteen
ROWAN
