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“Where’s Ezra? Maybe I should call him.” I rambled, watching the bubbles in the champagne he poured. Surely Ethan’s other friend was coming, so I wouldn’t get stuck with the enemy.
“He’s hungover and asleep. You can try, but I don’t think he’ll answer.” Rowan handed me a glass of champagne, the most selfless thing I’d ever seen from him. “You worried about being alone with me?”
“Honestly,” I took the glass, “I am. I was hoping to at least retire before killing someone.”
Before I could say anything else, Desiree returned, holding two wooden boards with menus attached to them in her frail arms. She leaned over Rowan more than twice. It surprised me when his eyes never left the menu… and me.
“Do they all do that around you?” I grimaced once she left.
“Do what? Threaten to kill me over drinks? No.” His grin had me speechless. “The being way too much in my bubble? Most of them, yes.” I scoffed, disgusted by the casual tone of his voice. “Does it bother you?”
“Not me, but it bothers me you’re breeding a gender stereotype and using your looks to get something from people.” The champagne was going down easily, so I held my glass in the air and put on my brightest smile.
“It works for you, too,” Rowan mocked, refilling my glass. “My looks, hey?” He leaned back in his chair, looking over the fountains as he twirled the stem of his glass between his fingers. “I didn’t think you noticed.”
Something about Rowan’s tone, the darkness of his blue eyes as he stared ahead, left me wishing I’d stayed in my hotel room or that stupid Ezra wasn’t still in his. I couldn’t have been nervous around Rowan. I couldn’t stand him on most days, but after two more glasses of champagne that he paid for, I decided today wasn’t one of those days.
“Relax, Meredith. I’m not going to make a move on you.” Today was officially one of those days.
I wasn’t a beast to Rowan for the entire meal, especially not when he paid for it and walked me back to my hotel. Promising me he’d stay out of my hair in the morning, I gave in and thanked him for treating me.
“Listen, Meredith,” he put his hand on my doorknob, keeping it closed as I slid the card, “I owe you a thank you.”
“Uh…” I rolled my eyes up to his, definitely experiencing a new side of Rowan Ellis. “Gratitude looks good on you, but I’m not sure what it’s for.”
The corners of his mouth twisted up as he scratched his jaw, lifting his other hand from the doorknob. “Nobody bugged me when I was with you. It was… Nice. I could think for a minute and enjoy someone’s company.”
Tapping his nose, I laughed and opened my room door. “If you keep buying the good stuff, I’ll be your bodyguard.”
“Thanks,” he mocked, rolling his eyes. “What’s so funny?”
“I find it amusing that the,” I poked his chest, “big, beefy baseball guy needs me as his bodyguard. Wouldn’t you have one of those already now that you’re literally everywhere downtown?”
His fingers wrapped around mine as it accidentally lingered too long on his chest, Rowan giving a quick tug that made me fall into him. Looking up at him, my eyes blurring from the ceiling light and the champagne, I watched his lips twist into a grin as I couldn’t help but inhale the scent of his cologne. Trapped between Rowan and my door, I blinked to make sure I was not in a nightmare, or a dream… a really, really weird dream. He lowered his face to mine, so close the sweet flavor of champagne was still on his breath, his smile consuming his chiseled face.
“Goodnight, Meredith,” he winked, letting go of me. As he walked away, I reached for my doorknob and watched him, telling myself it was Vegas, the drinks, the night, and not me, making me wonder more about just how close our mouths were.
Embarrassed and exhausted, I closed the curtains in my room so the flickering Eiffel Tower and spotlights wouldn’t keep me up before I crashed into the bed, still wearing my dress and heels.
The next morning, I ordered dark coffee at breakfast while nursing a headache. Ezra woke from his hangover coma and met everyone. I kept to myself while they all battled each other to be the funniest, loudest, whateverest.
Aubrey and I escaped the dude fest for a trip to the salon after that. She was halfway through telling me about her night, the one Rowan stole from me, when she suddenly stopped.
Aubrey twirled her blond hair between her index and middle finger, something she did when over-caffeinated and excited.
“Stop doing that,” I grumbled, watching her next to me in the salon.
“It’s just,” she whimpered, dropping her hands in her lap and looking at me, “I want to tell you all about last night, but you’re mad about Rowan, and I don’t want to make you mad at me.”
Rolling my eyes, I turned my gaze to the quiet woman pampering my feet. “Tell me about your night.” I tried my best to pretend I was excited about the date Rowan set up for them, the one that left me stranded with him.
It was “magical”, according to Aubrey. I could never afford the things Rowan was already gifting them with, but I tried not to let my jealousy show. Happily pampered, Aubrey and I went back to the pool while Ethan, Rowan, and Ezra went golfing. Knowing they would not be around until at least dinner meant I had my best friend to myself. For real this time.
Aubrey nestled into the lounge chair next to me once she finished spraying her legs with sunscreen. “Did I tell you some of my students are coming?”
“That’s adorable,” I agreed, turning from my stomach to sit on the chair. “Tell me it’s the kids I chaperoned on your trip to the Emeralds game, and not the students I had to pull from the toilet at the art museum.”
“When you put it like that,” she giggled, “I wonder how I still teach.”
