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“I think...Nina just fell in love with those little girls, James.” Hands on her hips, she considered. “They remind me of her as a girl.” She met his eyes. “Then she hid all trace of how they shook her up and flirted withyouto throw us off the scent.” Arching her brow, she asked, “You gonna let her get away with that?” He frowned. “Go give her some of her own medicine. Turn on that hunter charm I’ve seen you use on silly women and get what you really want.”
He tossed her the unicorn horn and turned crisply to go find Nina inside. Rowan lowered to the porch steps with a grin and watched the girls giggle as they pretended the orange rinds were their teeth.
Raising her face to the sun, she inhaled deeply. It was clear and bright, a perfect day for running.
Already in the right clothes, she checked her shoes, sent James a text, and placed her phone on the porch rail. His backup team would track her.
Wind in her face, sun on her skin, she set a relaxed pace down the road where she used to train for track. She passed Gage’s place and didn’t let herself look at it. After another mile, she picked up movement from her peripheral vision.
Gage on the back of his horse.
She picked up her speed and he did, too. Focused on not looking at him, she steadied her breathing and took the curve in the road. He jumped the low fence around his pastures - only the ditch separated them.
After three miles, she did a sharp turnaround and Gage’s horse cut smoothly to pace her return.
Rowan’s entire body burned. Her mind raced. Her heart was torn in two very different directions. As she approached the gate into his main yard, Gage slowed.
She didn’t.
Hitting her fastest stride, she ran to the house her husband built her. Walking off the run, she hit her knees in the grass and sobbed brokenly.
“I’m sorry. Forgive me, Bennett. I’m sorry.”
Chapter Sixteen
Mary-Margaret came out of the house and tried to help her up. “Rowan…? Come inside, darling.”
Gasping for air, for stability, she said, “It’s just loneliness…”
“And if it is,so what?”
“Bennett…”
“Is no longerliving, Rowan...but you are.”
She made it to her feet and ran into the house, Mary-Margaret calling her name. Taking the stairs, she slammed her bedroom door and released a scream.
For hergrief.
Forfrustrationunlike anything she’d ever felt.
Stumbling into her bathroom, she showered away her sweat and let her tears flow. So many fuckingtearsthat never truly ended since she’d lost Bennett.
Leaning against the tile, she whispered, “Why build here? Why put him in my way?” She released a whimper. “I’m not strong enough, Bennett. You were wrong about me.”
Nina’s voice came from outside the shower stall. “Girl, get your drama queen ass out of there. We need to talk.”
“Later, I…”
“Now. Come on.”
Turning off the water, Rowan wrung out her hair. Opening the door, she met Nina’s eyes and started sobbing. Her friend wrapped her in a towel and gave her a shake. Then she walked across the bathroom, crossed her arms, and leaned against the counter with a shake of her head.
“You’re completely spun out, Rowan. Get dressed before I try to fuck some sense into you my own damn self.”
“N-now who’s being dramatic?”
Nina sighed. “I love you and didn’t always know love and sex could be separate.”
