Chapter 34
Stumped – to be confused and/or surprised, which may cause a person to act like a complete and utter idiot
Isit on the sofa and wait for Rowan to return home from work. I’m wearing a sweater dress and boots. Matching leather boots because someone got her cast off today! I can’t wait to tell Rowan. Sexy times will be way more sexy when he doesn’t grunt at me to put my boot back on the second he finishes climaxing. I wish I were exaggerating, but Rowan takes managing my recovery to the next level.
Rowan strolls into the house and I jump to my feet, but before I can shout ta-da, he’s dashing toward me.
“Be careful. Jumping is bad for your ankle.”
I push him away. “No, it isn’t. Have a gander for yourself.”
I begin marching around while doing high kicks. Maybe not high kicks. Who besides bubbly teenaged cheerleaders can do high kicks? Not this drama geek.
“You got your cast off?”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
I beam up at him, expecting him to pick me up and whirl me around, but he doesn’t move. His lips turn down and his nose scrunches. What the hell?
My smile falters as I continue to stare at him. I can’t read whatever emotion is swirling around in his eyes. Shit. Did I read this situation all wrong? I thought— I shake my head. It doesn’t matter what I thought. This is not the happy ending I was expecting.
“I guess I’ll go pack.”
When Rowan still doesn’t speak, my shoulders slump and I dash toward our bedroom – no! not our bedroom, Rowan’s bedroom – before the tears can fall. I slam the door behind me and collapse against it. I rub my fists in my eyes. I will not cry. I will not let him see how devastated I am by his reaction.
With my tears successfully held at bay, I scurry around the room throwing all my things in my suitcase. I swipe the vanity in the bathroom and throw all my bits and bobbles in a trash bag. Five minutes later, I survey the room to make sure all remnants of my presence have been removed. They have. I swallow down my dismay at the thought of how easily I can be erased from Rowan’s life and open the door.
Rowan’s standing in the living room rubbing his neck. He raises his head when he hears me approach, but he can’t look me in the eyes.
“Let me drive you home.”
He jingles the keys to the golf cart, and I nab it from him. “Thanks. I’ll return the cart later.” Later as in when I damn well feel like it.
He doesn’t stop me when I trudge out of his house and throw my things in the cart. In fact, he doesn’t bother following me out of the house at all. What the hell? Was everything we said to each other a lie? Why is he acting this way? What happened? Is he done with me now he doesn’t need to take care of me?
My breath hitches at all the thoughts rolling around in my brain, but I will not cry. At least, not yet. I switch on the golf cart and zoom away with my heart breaking the further away from Rowan’s house I get.
I slam to a stop in front of my old apartment. The golf cart, which by the way, I’m not returning – if Rowan wants his cart back, he can darn well get off his ridiculously gorgeous ass and come get it – shutters as it stalls. I grab my things and stomp into the place I share with my sister.
I drop my bags inside the door before rushing up the stairs toward my bedroom. The first tear falls as I reach the top stair. By the time I make it to my bedroom, where I collapse face first on my bed, I’m all out bawling.
I don’t know how long I lay there before someone knocks on my bedroom door. “Ash? Are you okay?” Juniper asks.
“What are you doing here?” I ask my pillow.
“Rowan messaged me. He thought you might be upset.”
You have got to be kidding me. I roll over and jack-knife out of bed. “Might be upset?” I explode. “Might be upset!”
Juniper holds up her hands and backs away from me. “Whoa, zombie girl. Don’t eat my brains.”
“I’ll eat more than your brains. I’ll tear your hair out,” I promise as I march toward her.
“Eek! Help!” she screams as she runs away.
I rush after her until we reach the living room where she hides behind Aspen. Unfortunately, Aspen’s not alone. Ellery and Lilac are here, too.
“Awesome!” I throw my hands in the air. “It’s always been my dream to have my sisters around to witness my heartbreak.”