4. Chapter 4
four
Rowan pulled into a spot in the ferry terminal parking lot. She could see the ferry coming. It’d dock in under five minutes. She turned off the truck and got out.
Leaning against the side of the truck, Rowan looked toward the town center across the harbor. She smirked as she pictured the blond guy who had tried to weasel his way into a free ride. She wondered if he knew how dumbstruck he’d looked when she’d left him in her dust.
How stupid did he think she was? Like she’d give a ride to a strange man through a lonely road with mostly forest surrounding. She could tell he’d been sure that she’d fall for his Adonis looks and white-teeth smile and open her truck door for him willingly.
Well, I wasn ’ t born yesterday.
She’d watched enough police-procedural TV shows not to take any guy at face value, however they looked. But she especially was extra careful with the good-looking ones. And the stranger— what did he say his name was? Chris? —was more than your run-of-the-mill handsome.
Nah. Handsome isn ’ t the word.
Rowan pictured him as he’d smiled down at her earlier. Windblown blond hair, sparkling deep-set hazel eyes, thick eyebrows, a straight nose, and plump lips. She’d call him pretty if he didn’t have the tall stature and the upper body of a person who weight-trains regularly. She wondered how that upper body looked without a shirt and felt a jolt running down her spine straight to her lady bits .
Rowan chuckled and crossed her legs to repress the startling sensation. Fantasizing about a bare-chested stranger should be the last thing on her mind. She’d gotten out of her relationship with Richard six months ago, and she hadn’t fully reacquired her taste for men. Those text messages from Richard to Kieran had made her stomach turn.
“Rowan’s place is next to me. What does she know about running an inn, anyway? I can take care of her if you’ll just convince her to come home,” Richard had written. “I’ll make sure she gets her old job back.”
Silent fury stomped on the bitter taste traveling up Rowan’s throat. She refused to let Richard’s words get into her head. Instead, she fought to regain the ridiculous thrill she’d felt seconds earlier and refocused her mind on the sexy stranger. Maybe she was ready for men again.
Chris.
What did he want? And why did he pretend he knew Kieran and me?
He obviously didn’t know who she was. Rowan was sure she’d never met him. Now she was more suspicious than ever. At first, she’d thought he was just some kind of creep, if not a serial killer. But now she wondered why he was there?
There were always realtors and developers who sniffed around their properties, trying to get them to sell some, if not all, of their land. Her grandparents had declined all generous offers. And her father had been as loyal to his parents’ wishes to keep the land in the family even when he hadn’t wanted anything to do with running a farm and an inn. The fact that he’d had to sell a big chunk to Connor Gibbes to rebuild had broken Neal Kelly’s heart.
“Ro!” Alex’s voice calling out her name brought Rowan’s gaze to the throng of people walking off the ferry. She saw her friend waving her arm frantically.
Rowan ran to Alex and hugged her with a laugh. “Finally! You’re here.”
They jumped around excitedly, still in each other’s embrace, forgetting they were in their early thirties now, not ten anymore.
“Gosh, it hasn’t changed much, huh?” Alex looked around.
“There’s a new restaurant in town. Kinda posh,” Rowan informed her .
“Really?” Alex rounded her eyes in disbelief. “Well, we’ll have to check that out.”
Rowan studied her vivacious friend, from her pixie blue hair down to the tattoos around one of her calves. She was a walking piece of art. She’d stand out like a sore thumb in Vinalhaven, but Rowan thought the island could use and handle an individual like Alex.
“Hey, O, meet my girl, Rowan.” Alex waved over a man carrying a duffel bag and a backpack.
Rowan noted his milky complexion stood out against his dark hair and deep brown eyes. And like Alex, he bore tattoos on his person, which seemed to be the uniform of young chefs these days. But compared to Alex’s firecracker personality, this man’s general aura felt like a soothing cool stream.
“This is my friend from culinary school who I told you about, Oliver An. He came all the way from Chicago to help me out with this event. He’s awesome with seafood, and it’s a plus that he also has all of his grandma’s Korean food recipes. You think the locals want to try kimchi ?”
“Let’s not rock the boat just yet. We just got here.” Oliver stretched out a hand to Rowan with a sideways smile on his face.
But Rowan bypassed the handshake and went straight for a hug. “You deserve a welcome hug for coming out here to help someone you don’t even know!”
He chuckled. “I am getting paid, aren’t I?”
“Chump change from what you’re used to in Chicago, I’m sure.” Rowan glanced at Alex for confirmation, “You offered him the amount we agreed on, right?”
“Yes. I was shocked he took it.”
Oliver just shrugged. “I’m between jobs, and this will feel like a vacation.”
“Well, let’s check out your new temporary home and get you settled. I’ll update you about the wedding on the way.” Rowan grabbed Alex’s bag and swung it into the cargo bed. Oliver followed suit, then they all piled into the cab.
But before Rowan started to drive, she exclaimed, “You have no idea how relieved I am that you’re finally here. Things are coming together now. I probably should’ve canceled, but she’s family. Her grandparents were married at Bright Head, and she wants to do the same. ”
“Meredith, Ro, and I grew up together,” Alex explained to Oliver.
“Yup, so we’ll make it happen for her.” Rowan laughed. “I’ve figured out most of the weekend, but not everything.”
“Don’t worry. Between O and I, we’ll get the meals and cake covered. We can also train servers and any helpers we have.”
“Right. Servers and kitchen staff are the ones I’m still working on.”
Alex and Oliver exchanged glances. Perhaps they started to wonder what they’d gotten themselves into. But Oliver smiled at Rowan, “We’ll find a way.”
Between his soothing voice and Alex’s confident grin, Rowan felt they could pull this wedding off.
“All right, then.” Rowan drove out of the parking lot. “Welcome to Vinalhaven!”
“Woohoo!” Alex whooped.
“I got a good vibe from this place,” Oliver chimed in as they drove north.