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“Wonderful weather, am I right?”
Someone cue the crickets.“Why yes, Zahra, I was wondering what’s the point of showering in the morning if the humidity does the job for me?” I try to imitate his voice with a low pitch but fail when my voice cracks.
The corner of his lip lifts the tiniest bit and I mentally fist pump in the air.
I take another stab at rescuing this conversation. “How do you like Dreamland so far?”
“I don’t,” he mumbles under his breath.
I trip on the toe of my sneaker. “Oh.”Well, shit. I didn’t expect him to say that.“Do you have a favorite ride?”
“No.”
My brain cells all cheer for his response.We’re getting somewhere, people.“Me neither! There are too many good ones.”
That earns me another grunt.
“What’s your favorite part about being the Director?”
“The silence at the end of the workday.”
I flat out lose it. My lungs burn from laughing so hard at his response. He stops walking and stares at me for a second before recovering.
He leads us through the tunnels like he does this all the time. Together, we walk up a pair of stairs and through a door markedThe Creators’ Workspace. My breath catches as we walk into a massive warehouse, partitioned into four sections with tall dividers. A certain smell wafts through the air, reminding me of an elementary school art class.
Rowan shuffles me through each room, staying quiet as I take in the beauty of it all. The first space is packed with animatronics and robots for rides, parades, and shows. I run a hand across a cold metal arm of an animatronic. It moves and I jump back and straight into Rowan’s chest. His hand clutches onto my arm to stabilize me. Every cell fires off in unison within me, sparking to life at the gentleness of his touch.
My body becomes an inferno from the contact. Skin heats where his hand presses, and I find myself leaning into him. He releases me and exits the room like his shoes might catch on fire.
I keep up with his hurried pace, following him into a designer’s paradise where the walls are covered with storyboards and the tables are filled with all kinds of art supplies.
The next room features many tables covered in mini 3D models of Dreamland, and I’m blown away by the attention to detail. I lean over one, finding an exact replica of Fairy Tale Land and Princess Cara’s Castle. I can’t help myself from running my index finger across one of the spires.
My neck prickles and I look over my shoulder to find Rowan staring at my ass.
Oh my God. Is he attracted to me?As if he has the same thought, his lips press into a thin line. My scoff becomes a full-blown belly laugh as I curl over. He blinks a couple of times, erasing the look of darkness from his eyes.
“Are you ready to meet everyone or are you still interested in wasting company time with your tour?” he snaps before moving toward the door.
I don’t bother correcting him about who started this tour. I’m not too sure who he’s trying to fool here because I see right through him. But the real question iswhy? Why bother giving me a moment to take in my surroundings like this? Why lead me through the warehouse himself rather than throw the task on someone more willing and available?
I remember Brady mentioning how Rowan loved visiting the warehouse when he was a child. Is he enjoying this walk-through as much as I am? If so, why is he so angry now?
Rowan is like a secret code I want to crack—a human Fort Knox I’m interested in breaking into, if only to uncover a vaulted heart full of gold. Or maybe that’s just the hopeful part of me that wonders if Rowan is truly as sweet as Brady described him to be.
I follow him into the final room packed with Creators, and the main room seems to be a gathering space surrounded by rows of cubicles. The room is paradise, with bean bag chairs, dry erase walls, and 3D simulation stations.
Welcome to your new home.I can’t believe I’m finally here. Brady was right. It was only a matter of time before I would find myself officially trading in my old work badge for a Creator one.
What would he think of me now?
He might have told you to lay off the wine and write something while sober, but beggars can’t be choosers.
I blink away the mistiness in my eyes.
Rowan introduces me to the Creators, who he refers to as the Alpha and Beta teams. Different members welcome me to the warehouse. My heart squeezes in my chest at their eagerness and the idea of working by their side.
Jenny, a brunette woman who is the head of the Beta team, claims me as a member of her group once Rowan steps away from me. I look back at him to check if this is part of the plan.
