“I might be out of my cast by then. I’m hoping the doctor can move my next appointment up.” Rowan doesn’t respond, so I nudge him. “If I can finally get this thing off, I’ll be back home with Juniper.”
“There’s no hurry to rush home on my account,” Juniper’s quick to say.
I glare at her. She already won the when will Ashlyn and Rowan get sweaty between the sheets bet. Why doesn’t she want me to come home? I groan. Don’t tell me there’s another bet. A bet she’s sure to lose.
Mom and Lilac enter the room and set platters of fried chicken, coleslaw, and green salad on the table. “Dig in, everyone.”
While everyone else dives on the food like they haven’t eaten in years, I narrow my eyes on Juniper and mouth I will get you back.
She wiggles her fingers at me, completely unconcerned. She should be concerned. Two can play at this game. And I happen to know there’s a game afoot with Juniper. A game she thinks I don’t know about, but I do.
“This chicken is delicious, Ruby,” Rowan mutters between bites.
“Thank you, Rowan. You’ll have to join us for Sunday dinner again. Family’s always welcome.”
Lyric chuckles and I kick his shin. “Ow. What did I do?”
“You exist. Does there need to be a reason?”
He throws an arm around Aspen. “You’re right, Sunshine. Sisters are worse than brothers.”
“I don’t know. Brothers can be a pain in the ass, too,” Rowan says.
“How is Cedar?” Dad asks.
Rowan shrugs. “It’s Cedar.”
Everyone around the table nods as if they understand because we do. Cedar is Rowan’s little brother. He was in Lilac’s grade in school, although he barely attended any classes. Cedar was always difficult to pin down.
Last I heard, he’s traveling around the country in an RV. I have no idea how he pays his bills, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rowan subsidizes him. Rowan was always helping Cedar out of scrapes when we were growing up.
Everyone returns to their food and conversation is limited to small talk about the weather and how much cheese the goats of Lyric’s brother, Phoenix, can produce. The goat cheese is in high demand especially now with Aspen selling it in the bookstore. It sounds weird to sell cheese in a bookstore, but Aspen’s tourist corner sells all the local produce and it’s doing remarkably well.
When we finish the meal, I can’t get out of here quick enough. Navigating conversation with Rowan sitting next to me is equivalent to skipping through a field filled with landmines. Especially since I don’t want anyone to know about our last conversation. The one when he broke my heart.
I’ll tell my sisters eventually, but not until I can have the talk without breaking down into big, blubbering sobs. No one likes an ugly crier.
I say the one thing I know will get Rowan to leave. “I should probably go rest my ankle.”
As expected, he jumps out of his chair and motions to the door. Before I can make it there, Mom pulls me in close for a hug. “He has his reasons for hurting you, darling girl. Find out what they are and eliminate them.”
How does she know he broke my heart? Is she psychic? I should know better than to try to keep secrets from her. She always finds out everything. Dad’s parents are the Soviet defectors, but I swear Mom is the spy genius. Her talents are wasted on being a high school principal. Those poor students.
“Whatever,” I mumble since I have no plan to tell her how Rowan’s in love with his ex-wife.
Unfortunately, I can hardly ‘eliminate’ Sandra, although I admit the idea has appeal. But what if I could help Rowan get over her?
Dang it. Now I’m considering how to help Rowan. Stupid girl. You aren’t a heroine in one of Juniper’s romcom movies. You can’t ‘cure’ the hero.
I wish I could say I’ll heed my own advice, but I probably won’t.