Chapter 18
Rowan
WI$HLIST BY TAYLOR SWIFT
The sun and the sand are so hot it nearly burns my feet, so when I plop down on my chair, I hurry to pull them up. I stretch out in my bikini, sunglasses on, pretending I live in Coconut Beach and don’t have to go back to real life of bills, small town drama, and everyone meddling in my life.
I'm dreading going back to real life in Wisteria Cove, but excited to see my sisters and mom. And my plants. I hope they keep my plants alive while I'm gone.
A woman with long blond hair and a floppy straw hat drops her bag on a chair a few feet away, and a few seconds later, she leans over with a sheepish grin.
“You mind if I sit near you? All the good spots are taken, and I really don’t want to sit next to the guy wearing socks with sandals over there. ”
I snort. “Yeah, you’re safe here. No sandal socks over here.”
She grins. “I’m Savvy.”
“Rowan.”
Within five minutes, we’re chatting like we’ve known each other forever. She’s a licensed mental health therapist from Arizona, who just broke up with her boyfriend of three years, and she came on their planned trip solo.
“I figured,” she says, shrugging, “if I already paid for the flight and the hotel, why should I waste it? Might as well enjoy the pina coladas and the view.”
The view she’s looking at right now is Cal. That makes me smile. He’s a good guy, big flirt, but he’d be good for her if she wanted a weekend fling. If she were to have a little Coconut Beach fun, Cal would be the one.
I let out a laugh. “Honestly? I love you already. And yeah, girl, you deserve better than some guy who can’t see a good thing when it’s right in front of him. I can’t believe some of the stuff you’ve been telling me. Where is this guy? I want to have a little chat with him.”
She raises her drink toward me. “Back in Arizona enjoying his single life. To better.”
I clink my drink against hers. “To better.”
A little ways down the beach, Finn joins Cal and a few other locals. They’re tossing a football around, all tan skin, easy laughter, and absurdly hot in the sun energy going on. Every time Finn laughs, my stomach does a stupid, fluttery thing I keep pretending isn’t happening.
Savvy glances at him, then back at me. “Sooo… where did you order that one from? Send me the link.”
I roll my eyes, fighting a smile. “I didn’t order him. He just… kind of showed up and never left. He's been my best friend since we were teenagers.”
“Uh huh,” she says, grinning. “When did you stop being just friends?”
“This week.” I grin at her.
She nods with approval.
A few minutes later, Finn strolls toward us carrying two drinks in coconuts with umbrellas, and a grin that should be illegal.
“Ladies,” he says, handing over the drinks. “I thought you and your new friend could use fresh drinks. I tried to order a snack, but you weren’t on the menu," he says as he leans down, pulling me in for a kiss.
I laugh and kiss him back. “Finn. That was a terrible dad joke.”
“Thanks,” Savvy says as she watches us in fascination.
“Yeah, but it made you laugh,” he says, winking before heading back to Cal and the others.
Savvy fans herself dramatically. “That one could go in the boyfriend hall of fame.”
I watch him rejoin the guys, the sun catching in his hair. He tips his water bottle up toward me, winks like he knows exactly what he’s doing. Flirting with me. It’s working.
“I have no idea what I did to deserve Finn,” I say quietly. Because I know how good I have it.
What I don’t say is that I don’t know if I’ll ever be enough for someone like Finn.
Someone steady, and who looks at me like I hang the damn moon.
Because at the end of the day, he’s literally perfect.
And I’m Rowan. Who struggles with my deep thoughts and black cat personality.
I’m fierce, loyal, and direct. And sometimes I struggle to make friends.
But sitting here with Savvy has shown me that I can make friends.
I have barely thought about Jessica this week.
We were supposed to be here together. And we probably would have had an okay time.
I don’t understand how we could just drift away like that and I’ve blamed myself.
But now that I’ve been here with Finn, I know that isn’t true.
Something shifted in Jessica, not me. She decided to partner up with two mean girls who used me, took my business model and made it into their own, which was fine.
Like I’ve said, there’s room in Wisteria Cove for more than one fitness studio.
But the way they treated me, I didn’t deserve.
And when I go home, I’ll set up my classes and go on about my life because I’m glad that I know what kind of people Marilyn, Vanessa, and Jessica are. Not my friends.
“So, what are you going to do about your ex?” I ask Savvy, trying to change the subject.
“When I go back, I’m moving out of our apartment and starting over,” she says as she sips her drink.
“Good for you. And the best part is that you get to go back all tanned, relaxed, and he’s going to see that you’re just fine. And I bet he’ll hate that.”
“He’s totally going to hate that. I found out he was going out with other women and told me they were just friends. Do I look dumb?” she says rhetorically. “All the gaslighting was terrible.”
I groan, dramatic enough to shake the entire damn table. “Oh my God. I hate him even more for you. Like… full-body hatred. Even my spleen hates him.”
Savvy snorts into her drink. “Good. Because the last straw? He took my car out and I found a pair of women’s panties in the back seat.”
I slap the table so hard the silverware jumps. “IN YOUR CAR? No. Absolutely not. Straight to jail.”
Savvy wheezes laughing. “It was a whole crime scene, Rowan. I had my car detailed after that.”
“He didn’t even have the decency to cheat in his own car? He used YOUR car?” I shake my head, disgusted and personally offended. “Sir. Have some shame.”
She grins. “Honestly, that poor woman had no idea he was taken.”
“Oh, for sure,” I say. “She probably thought he was single, and not a human red flag with feet. She was duped. Hoodwinked. Bamboozled.”
Savvy cackles. “She probably left pantie-less, unsatisfied, and confused after it was over.”
“Absolutely,” I say, nodding aggressively. “Meanwhile you’re discovering Victoria’s Secret CSI-level evidence in your back seat.”
Savvy clinks her cup against mine. “To being single.”
I hold mine up. “May we heal, may we thrive, and may your ex suddenly go bald.”
She chokes laughing. “Oh my God, yes.”
I grin. “Tell me everything. I’m ready to hate this man on a professional level.”
Savvy wipes her eyes. “You know what? I think we’re going to be great friends.”
I tip my chin up at her. “We already are. You should plan a trip to Wisteria Cove.”
“It sounds amazing, I’d love that. And if you have more men there like Finn, let me book my trip now,” she says as she leans back and places her hands behind her head.
“You have a master’s degree?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “Yeah, in counseling.”
I shake my head “Girl, you have a MASTER’S DEGREE.
You are crying over a guy with probably only a birth certificate.
This man's biggest achievement is memorizing his Chipotle order. He’s the type of guy who borrows his neighbors Wi-Fi.
And you have multiple degrees. Meanwhile, he's likely still proudly sharing his participation trophy from little league. Who is this guy?” I demand, pulling out my phone. “I need to see what he looks like.”
She takes my phone and pulls up his profile, and I look at it, realizing he’s already sharing some pictures with a brunette woman. “He's a guy who peaked in high school and he’s what, almost thirty now? The only thing he did was waste your time. You are a straight up catch, Savvy.”
She looks teary eyed. “Thank you. I’m so glad I sat next to you. I know I deserve better, but I was too scared to leave.”
“I'm glad you're here. You're pretty great, friend. I have a feeling you’re going to be better than fine. Without him weighing you down, you’re going to find a nice man that you deserve.”
Later, as the sun dips lower, we all end up in a loose circle near the bonfire pit with Cal, Finn, a handful of locals, me, and Savvy, who is absolutely not subtle about making eyes at Cal. And Cal? He’s grinning back at her like a man who likes her back.
We start a ridiculous drinking game that someone learned at a bachelorette party. I lose every round because I’m too busy laughing, which means I’m definitely way too drunk by the time someone suggests karaoke or streaking and I happily volunteer for both.
Savvy’s also tipsy and leaning against Cal’s shoulder. I’m sitting between Finn’s legs on a towel, my head resting against his chest. Everything feels warm, blurry, and perfect.
I tilt my head back and announce to the group, “This is my Finn.” I poke his chest for emphasis. “The best guy I know. He even does electrical work. Like… an electrician. Why they don’t call him a Power Ranger, I don’t know.”
Everyone erupts in laughter, including Finn. He shakes his head, then in one smooth, stupidly hot motion, scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing.
“Okay, that’s enough out of you, my spicy little comedian,” he says, laughing as the world spins around me.
“I’m making a speech!” I protest upside down.
“Your speech is over, baby.”
“Hey!” I argue, though my words are slurred from laughing too hard. “I was just telling everyone how much I love you.”
“Yeah,” he says with a chuckle. “I love you, too. And you’re mine. Prize secured. Bye, everyone!”
The group waves as he carries me away down the beach, his arm firm around me. The night air is warm against my skin. My heartbeat won’t calm down. Not from the alcohol. From him and how I feel about him. God, I love Finn so much it hurts my heart to think about if I were to ever lose him.