Part 21 (2/2)
”Wow, well, all sorts of independent business owners at the table,” Sierra says with a laugh. ”You know, Rowan actually owns-”
”I'm aware,” my father says flatly, cutting her off. ”A bar,” he says with a disdainful look, his brow shooting up as he spears some salad with his fork.
Rowan clears his throat.
”Well, Silas,” my father looks up from his plate. ”You and Milton should talk. He's coming to town in a few days to begin his courts.h.i.+p of Eva.”
”Courts.h.i.+p?” Ivy says quietly. Silas subtly shakes his head at her.
”Yeah, he sure is!” Rowan chirps up loudly, grinning. ”Eva here is pretty excited. She is a little nervous, though,” he says with a glancing look at me.
”What?” I nervously clear my throat. ”No, I'm not.”
”Which is why I've been helping her.”
I freeze, the blood draining from my face as I slowly turn to stare at him.
He's insane.
He's going to blow this whole thing up in front of everyone and humiliate me.
”Helping her,” my father says flatly.
Rowan grins widely. ”You bet, Leonard! I've been giving her relations.h.i.+p advice.”
The entire Hammond family snorts out a collective laugh. Ivy throws her head back, crowing a laugh and wiping at a tear, and Silas is all but doubled over as he shakes his head at Rowan.
”You?”
”Oh, har har, har,” Rowan chucks his napkin at his friend. ”I'll have you know, I can actually be an excellent teacher.”
I freeze, a s.h.i.+ver jolting through my whole body.
Why?
Because Rowan's just put his hand on my knee under the table.
I swallow the gasp in my throat, my head whirling to stare at him as he calmly just grins at the table.
”I think she wants advice on how to keep someone around, Row, not the opposite.”
The Hammond family dissolves into more chuckles, the likes of which I've never seen at a family dinner table.
”You guys suck,” Rowan says with a grin. ”Don't be shocked if those cannoli's come home with me.”
”Afortable and making me feel like you're about to ruin my life?”
”Besides these little one-on-ones I get for my efforts?”
I glare at him.
”You really want to know.” He leans against the doorframe.
”Yes.”
”Because I've never seen a cuter blush, that's why.”
My face reddens.
Of course.
Rowan grins. ”Yeah, like that.”
”I don't know what you're talking about,” I say quickly.
”Yes you do.”
”You just enjoy being an a.s.shole to me.”
”Nah, trust me - it's all about that blush.”
Why.
Why am I still standing here?
If I had any sense at all, I'd just walk away from this. I'd go back, get the cauliflower sauce, sit back at the table, finish dinner, smile at my parents and then leave.
If I had one single bit of sense, I wouldn't still be lingering here in the back hallway with this man waiting for my father to stumble onto this scene.
”You like making me blush? That's it? Why?”
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