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Rowan wears glasses. Thick, black-rimmed glasses that belong on some superhero moonlighting as a reporter. I’m caught off guard by the look.It’s…God…wow. They make his face look harsher, bringing out every sharp angle. I want to reach out and touch the dark shadow covering his jawline.
It adds to his more rugged, after-hours look. While a clean-cut Rowan is enticing, this disheveled version has my blood pumping to the beat of my erratic heart.
“Have a seat.” He gestures to the empty chair across from his desk.
I follow his order, dropping into the chair. It’s hard to remain graceful when I’m prone to drooling.
Rowan pulls out some file and drops it on his desk in front of him. His eyes remain focused on his clenched fists on either side of the file, and I’m pretty sure my heart might explode from the irritating silence.
“What’s this?” I gesture at the file. “Please tell me that’s not an NDA or something nefarious.”
He rips his glasses off. I mourn the loss as they slide across the desk. “No. Nothing like that.”
“Okay then…”
He won’t even look me in the eyes. “I brought you here under false pretenses.”
“I’m sorry. What?”
“Hear me out before you do anything.” He looks up at me with guarded eyes.
“Umm…okay?”
He clutches onto the file, making it bend. “I made a decision a few months ago that had a longer-lasting impact than I intended. While it wasn’t made with the most favorable intention at the time, it quickly became something I enjoyed.”
“I’m not following.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know how to say this without making you upset.”
A cold feeling trickles through my veins. If Rowan is afraid of upsetting me, it can’t be good.
“Well, try.” My teeth grind together. The blood whooshing through my ears makes concentrating a nearly impossible task.
He releases the folder and slides it in my direction. “Open it.”
I open the file with a shaky finger. The very first page is a mock-up of my mandap from the Hindu wedding. I’m stuck in a trance as I flip through pages of sketches I asked Scott to draw for me. There are even a few drawings that never made it into my presentations because Scott and I decided against it.
“Did Scott send you these?” My voice trembles. How else would Rowan have access to all these images?
He shakes his head.
“Am I in trouble? I thought it was okay for me to work with him.”
“No. You’re not in trouble.”
“But how do you have these?”
He releases a heavy breath. “Because there is no Scott.”
My chest squeezes to the point of pain. “What do you mean?”
His jaw locks. “I’m the one who’s been talking to you this whole time.”
After all the hours I’ve spent feeling guilty over my growing feelings for Rowan and Scott, they were the same person?
“Are you kidding me?” I shake my head as if that could erase the truth.
“No.”
