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“Me put something on? Hello, muscles, but Zeus is five minutes away from electrocuting you. Showing off your body is not our priority,” I told him, still taking the shirt from him.
“It’s cute that you noticed,” he smirked, “but I’m trying to be chivalrous, Meredith. Put it on and let’s get out of here before your friend Zeus kills us both. You’re adorable, but this is not how I want to die.”
“Excuse me,” I lifted a hand after putting his shirt on. “You think I’m adorable?”
He took my hand as the rain came in sheets as he yanked me from the roses. Waves of his cologne swirled up from his shirt as it dampened in the rain. I only slipped once, going up the stairs. No—running up the stairs with my shirtless… I guess we were friends now? This was all just too much.
Rowan unlocked the car, and we wasted no time getting in. In the dry, quiet car, I turned to him and burst into laughter. Rain rolled over his skin, trailing the curve of his muscles. Because he took off his shirt in a thunderstorm.
“You don’t want to be famous, but then you,” I gasped for air between laughs, “take off… Oh, my god… Your shirt! Here!”
Rowan crossed his arms, his biceps consuming my view. “It’s just skin.”
“Until your manager texts with even more questions about why you were running around a city park half naked with your,” I lifted my hands for air quotes, “girlfriend.” I rolled my eyes and buckled the seatbelt, jumping when a burst of thunder rumbled across the sky.
“See,” he mocked, unwinding his arms and starting the car, “you are adorable.” Before taking off, Rowan reached into the backseat and pulled a shirt from his gym bag. It was easier to focus when all the muscles were covered.
“A puppy is adorable. A baby is adorable. Me?” I waved my hand in front of me. “Nothing about being a grown woman is adorable.”
“Would you have preferred another adjective, Meredith? Crabby, sarcastic, temperamental?” Rowan pulled out of the parking lot, the wipers futile as he tried to drive through the park.
“I so hate you,” I groaned.
He rolled his head to face mine, the corner of his mouth twisting into a smirk. “Intelligent, hilarious, fun when drunk?”
“When can you tell your agent how we can’t stand each other?” I tried changing the subject.
“Generous,” Rowan continued, ignoring my words, but grinning as he drove, “sexy.”
“Okay, stop. You had me at intelligent.” What the hell was happening? Rowan was laughing until he pulled over and rolled down his window.
“I can’t see anything,” he told me, shaking off beads of water from his hair. They splattered my lap, and I watched them slowly spread while Rowan talked. It was his honesty at the garden, his part-time job as a thesaurus, and the fact we were spending time together that worried me the most. I couldn’t have fun with him. That would go against everything I’ve stood for over the last six years.
“Have you watched a thunderstorm from up here? They’re so rare. The view over the river is awesome.” Rowan’s deep voice was barely audible as he drove again. I waited a little before responding, trying to figure out a way to explain myself to Aubrey.
“No.”
We could barely see construction signs blocking major streets as Rowan slowly drove down hill, everything around us shielded by sheets of rain.
“You’re about to.”
EIGHT
I hated to admit I appreciated being wrapped up in another one of his sweatshirts while sitting with Rowan on his front porch. I didn’t object to him offering to make pizza while we waited out the storm, so I took advantage of being warm and curled up on the porch swing.
“Why do you live in this big house all by yourself?” I asked, clinging to the throw pillow in my lap.
“I hope to fill it with a family someday.” I watched Rowan’s eyes fix on the garden. “It was my grandparents’. They’re why I was so desperate to get on the Emeralds. When my mom left, I spent every summer out here with them.”
“You grew up here?” I smiled at the thought of a little Rowan running around covered in mud, carrying his baseball mitt with him throughout the house.
“I did,” he nodded, “and I wanted to come back for them. I’d just made the team when they passed so, thankfully, they got to see that, but now… Yeah, it’s just me in this big house. I can’t let go of it. I think sometimes about getting a condo downtown, but then this place would be empty. A house needs a family.”
“Does anyone know about your house guest last week?” I inquired, remembering Charity’s pal ask me if she was done. Done with what? Rowan? Ew.
“Just my teammates who I threatened to kill,” he groaned. I turned from staring over the soaked front yard to see him rubbing his face.
“Then you’re fine. Nothing to fix. I’m off the hook.” He was in such a panic that night, but the desperation wasn’t there anymore, so I believed myself.
