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Like Nina and Rowan were about to do.
The day before, they graduated high school. Miss Jeffries had seen them through to adulthood like no one else could have.
Rowan had worked her ass off to win a scholarship to the University of Texas. With her grades, glowing recommendations from Miss Jeffries, Mrs. Chambers, and several charities she volunteered for – she was going to get a college education.
Nina had chosen to try her hand at acting in New York City so they soaked up their last few days together. Neither knew when they might see one another again.
Rowan was on her way to a future she never thought she’d have when she was ten. Her birthday was an arbitrary date determined the day she was found.
In reality, she had no clue how old she was.
No matter. She planned to celebrate her official embarkation into adulthood by giving Gage her virginity after a year of veritable torture.
Nina demonstrated how to get out of the house before leaving herself. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, Rowan asked, “Where areyougoing?”
“Out and about, my young friend.” Nina winked. “I wonder if you’ll still be sittingright herewhen I get back.”
“Well...I won’t be and you’d better not make us late for the bus station in the morning. My bus leaves at nine and my job at the bookstore near campus starts Wednesday.”
Laughing, Nina pulled her hair into a ponytail and straddled the windowsill. “I know, Miss Rowan. You’resucha good girl. It’s going to keep you from experiencing all the cool shit the world has to offer.”
Sighing, Rowan said, “You’re probably right...but I’m really going tonight.”
“I guess we’ll see. Later, Rowan.” Then Nina was gone.
For half an hour, she stared at the open window nervously. She’d never broken a rule. She hated seeing a look of disappointment on Miss Jeffries’ face.
Even when it was directed at one of the other girls.
Finally, she stood up and walked to the window while she gave herself a pep talk. “You’re eighteen now. A high school graduate. Tomorrow, you leave for college. It’s now or never. You and Gage made promises to each other and he’s waited all this time for you. Don’t be such a stickler for the rules.”
Then she put her first foot out on the roof.
Chapter One
1995 - Age 18
Rowan couldn’t believe she wasfinallysneaking out to see him. Terrified about breaking the rules, certain she’d get caught, she prayed the dogs on the property next to them didn’t start going crazy.
Hounds could be heard for a damn mile.
Climbing from her bedroom window on the second floor, she used the maple tree that grew beside the back porch to make her way to the ground like Nina showed her.
The scariest part was running across the cleared yard to the fence then moving quickly in a crouch along it to the road.
Out in the country, the only light was the moon. It made the fields on either side of the road glow. Rowan wasn’t afraid of much. For eight years, she’d been a mystery to herself and others.
Tonight, Gage was going to show her a piece of herself that no one else ever had. Given her general mistrust of people, she doubted anyone else would touch her for a long time.
She wondered if she’d ever see Gage again once she left for school. Something told her she wouldn’t and that was okay.
Rowan had no illusions that Gage was going to be her happily ever after. She wasn’t naïve. She just wanted one memory to be with someone who knew what they were doing. Someone who wouldn’t hurt her or make it awful.
A man who knew her and genuinely cared about her.
It was a pretty low bar but she imagined most girls didn’t have such a chance. She wasn’t going to let hers slip by.
