AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He turned to me, slowly nodding as a small smile met his lips. “You’re growing on me, Meredith.”
Bashfully curtsying, I sat down as Ezra and Heather walked up to the patio with us. She was gushing about the kitten and, rightfully so, Ezra. He was in love after the minute they’d been together, and anyone could see it. His eyes never left her, his laugh was meant for her, and even the way he sat was to protect her. Thinking of how lucky they must’ve felt, I risked a glance at my fake boyfriend.
“Ten games from the divisional series,” Ezra broke the stare that seared my conscience.
“Oh!” Heather cooed, placing her hand on Rowan’s thigh in excitement. “And it’s almost the team’s sweetest day contest!” He chuckled, probably amused at my eyebrow raising at her hand on him. She pulled it away to reach for her wine, which was good because I didn’t like that I even cared. A month ago, someone touching Rowan would’ve grossed me out. Now, I wasn’t sure if the heat on my neck was August or envy.
“You’re going to win,” Ezra added. “No doubt. You probably can’t see it from the field, Row, but people are going wild over how perfect you two are.”
“Well,” I cleared my throat, “just a matter of time before you’re in the World Series and you can take a well-deserved break.” From baseball, from us.
Heather asked a little about Aubrey and Ethan’s wedding, but something distracted me. I tried looking away, but he was always there in my periphery, being gorgeous or being gorgeous and looking at me. Stepping down to the garden, I shook out my hands. I paced between the rainbow of blooms and tried to tell myself that I loved my job, that this conflicting pain in my heart wasn’t worth it.
“Ezra’s in the bathroom and then they’re leaving,” Rowan told me, coming from behind too quietly that it left my heart pounding. “I’ll take you home then. If you want.”
“Please.” I nodded, embarrassed that I didn’t want to look at him anymore. Ezra called out to us from the backdoor and I joined him, resting maybe a little too long in his hug because it was honest.
The car ride home was quieter than others. I thanked Rowan for taking me with him when I climbed out of his car.
“Do you want to get breakfast tomorrow?”
It was too much. All of it. I replied honestly, “I think I need a day off.”
He shifted in his seat, his eyes widening slightly. “I didn’t mean as fake. I just meant, like, as us. Friends.”
“Another time.” Closing the door, I waved goodbye to him and turned before he could pull me back into his trap. He didn’t leave until I turned the light on in my apartment, so he wasn’t all that horrible. His newfound chivalry didn’t make things any easier.
SIXTEEN
October
The baseball schedule ramped up as the season ended, with the Emeralds securely in the running for the World Series. We were going to travel to Seattle for a championship series game against the Mariners, but I choked. The last time I saw Rowan was when he dropped me off after the Willamette State dinner two weeks ago. He called me to ask if I could watch his cat, but I made Aubrey do it. He’d only find out if she brought baked goods for the neighbors.
Sitting across from her at a coffee shop early on a Sunday morning, I couldn’t hide it from her much longer. “I need to tell you something,” I began.
“Is it your bridesmaid dress? I knew you hated it.”
“Not at all. Men will die watching me walk down the aisle in that.” I tried to make her smile. I couldn’t forget how fragile she was just three months from the wedding. “It’s about—”
Aubrey picked up my ringing phone, waving it at me with a stupid grin plastered on her face. “Lover boy.” She answered it, bubblier than detergent. “Hi! It’s Aubrey. I’m with her now. Yep. Oh. You’re,” she covered her gasp, “amazing.” Handing my phone to me, Aubrey looked like she might cry.
Trying not to groan too loudly, I took the phone and stepped away from the table and went outside.
“Hi.”
“What’s going on, Meredith?”
“Nothing.” Total, one hundred percent, complete, utter lie. “Sorry about the game last night.”
“I need you,” his tired voice croaked through the phone. “I’m striking out for the second time since college because you aren’t here.”
“I’m not your actual girlfriend. I don’t have to be there.” What’s wrong with me? Rowan deserved my grief when I hated him, but not now.
“Maybe I want my friend here?” Rowan snapped, his voice no longer a sexy crackle of exhaustion but a livid monster. “Are you always this ungrateful and distant when people need you?”
“I have a lot on my mind,” I quasi-confessed. Rowan sighed quietly, and I daydreamed about what he looked like, what he was wearing. It was early, so he was probably in bed, his hair a mess and his body perfectly warm. “You’re going to make it to the series, Rowan. That’s your dream. Don’t let me distract you.”
Aubrey was waving at me from inside, so I eased up on the aggression, knowing it would only hurt me more in the long run. “Aubrey’s waiting for me,” I told him.
