Chapter Thirteen Rowan
Chapter Thirteen
Rowan
“Everybody, scoot down!” Eddie calls from the other end of the table.
Summer inches down the bench. I don’t know where she thinks she’s going to go, as she’s already in danger of falling off.
I circle one arm around her waist to steady her and then glance down at the row of people trying to squeeze together. “There is no more room. Stop pushing.”
We needed another table, but Freddie’s is packed tonight.
“I can go sit with the girls,” Summer suggests. I don’t like the idea any more now than I did the two other times she suggested it.
“There’s no world in which I’m making my girlfriend go sit somewhere else.”
She gives me that playful glare she’s so fond of, and my pulse picks up speed. “You should celebrate with your teammates. It’s not a big deal.”
I shake my head and bop her on the nose just for fun. I feel so happy and light. The game was a blowout and the crowd was great, and I’m not going to lie, looking over to see Summer rocking my name on her back and my number on her face had me smiling all night long.
“It’s fine. We got this,” I say when Vaughn on my other side presses into me again. He’s a big guy, and I am not enjoying being this close. I use the arm around Summer’s waist to pull her onto my lap.
She squeaks in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Making room.” I spread out and put some distance between me and Vaughn. “Much better.”
“This is not better,” she hisses. Her ass is on my thigh and she’s sitting sideways with her profile to me. The number ten on her face is in perfect view.
“Relax.”
Her entire body is rigid, and her eyes are wide. “How?”
“I don’t know. Maybe act like you don’t mind sitting on my lap so much though.”
Her features relax, but her cheeks take on a pinkish hue.
I don’t mind nearly as much as she seems to, but maybe that’s just because she’s a hot girl with her ass rubbing against me. “If you’re really uncomfortable, we can go sit somewhere else together.”
She seems to consider that, then shakes her head. “This is fine, but if you try to feed me…” She gives me a warning glare.
The idea makes me laugh. “Got it. No feeding you and no babe.”
“Thank you,” she says with a fake sweetness and relaxes a fraction more.
“Speaking of food, though. What do you want?” I ask.
“Umm…pizza?”
“Yes, but what toppings?” I study her closely. “You aren’t a fan of vegetables on pizza are you?”
“I am, but I’m guessing by the grossed-out look on your face that you aren’t.”
“Vegetables are fine…just not on pizza.” I shudder.
“Seriously?”
“It doesn’t make any sense. Pizza isn’t healthy. Stop trying to make it healthy…” I shake my head.
“Okay, so all the veggies for me.” She smiles all smug.
“Brat.” I reach over and tug her ponytail.
“I like everything except black olives.”
I keep my hand in her hair. The thick, red strands are smoother than they look. I wrap my finger around one curl and then let it spring free. When I meet Summer’s gaze again, she’s looking at me expectantly.
“Sorry, your hair distracted me.”
She laughs again and drops one hand to my leg to steady herself. “That’s one I haven’t heard before.”
“Really? I love your hair.” I move my arm back to her waist and curl two fingers through the belt loop.
For a second she stiffens again like she thinks I’m about to cop a feel, but then her body goes slack. “I like yours too.”
“Yeah?” I shake my head to let the long strands fly around my face. “I need a haircut.”
“I could cut it for you.”
“Really?” I look at her skeptically.
“Yeah. I used to cut Silas’s sometimes. My mom taught me.”
“Is she a hair stylist?”
“No.” She laughs. “She’s an office manager for an insurance company.”
“That’s cool. And your dad?”
“He owns a painting business, but he’s had to take a step back the past few years.”
I nod like I understand. My relationship with my own parents and their dedication to business above all else makes it hard for me to know what’s normal and what isn’t when it comes to this kind of thing.
“He has MS,” she says finally. “It makes it hard to work sometimes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” She gives me a small smile. “He’s on a new medicine that’s helping a lot and…” She stops. “Sorry, boring.”
“Nah, not at all. I don’t really know that much about you.”
She leans in like she’s telling me a secret. “That’s because we just met.”
“Lucky me.”
Her small responding laugh makes warmth spread through my chest.
Vaughn elbows me. I tear my gaze away from Summer and look at him.
“You know what you want?” he asks.
The server is waiting to take my order.
“Coke, a large pizza with pepperoni and sausage, and…” I glance at Summer.
“Water,” she says.
“Anything else?” I ask her.
“No, I’m not really hungry.”
I make sure the server heard that and then give her my full attention. “You have to try the pizza here. It’s the best.”
“No. The best pizza is at Momma Vi’s.”
“Let me guess, in Oakley?”
She flashes me a smug smile. “Of course.”
I hum and narrow my gaze. “I’m doubtful, but you’re on.”
“I’m on?”
“We’ll try the pizza here and at this Momma Vi’s place and then we can cast our votes.”
I can see her considering it carefully, as if I suggested we get matching tattoos or play seven minutes in heaven.
Now there’s an idea. My gaze inadvertently drops to her mouth.
Her bottom lip is fuller than the top, but the smaller one has a cute little bow that makes it stick out a tiny bit.
Very kissable. Aaaaand now that’s all I can think about.
“Fine. Deal,” she says, bringing me back to the moment. “But we have to get Momma Vi’s veggie lover on thin crust.”
She makes a small moan, which does nothing to stop me from thinking about kissing her.
* * *
The following day, I meet Summer at the career center. She’s already at the front doors waiting for me.
“Morning.” I hold out a paper bag to her. She eyes it suspiciously.
“It’s a doughnut,” I say, taking a bite of the strawberry frosted with sprinkles in my other hand.
“Oh.”
“Take it, Lindsey. I’ve already had two. Save me from myself.”
With a small laugh, she accepts the bag. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I open the door for her. “Have you been here before?”
“The Frost Lake Career Center?” she asks like the idea is ludicrous. “No, have you?”
“No, but you seem like the type.”
“To need a job?”
“To plan your future.”
She steps ahead of me into the center without reply. There are already a few other businesses set up for the fair and I spot Kristy in the back corner.
“This way.” I grab Summer’s hand and lead the way.
Kristy is placing the emerald FLU runner over the table as we reach her. I drop Summer’s hand in order to help straighten the cloth on the other side.
“Thanks,” Kristy says, then smiles at both of us. “Good morning. Sorry to get you out of bed early on a Saturday.”
“Sum’s been awake for hours by now. Already done her homework and ran two miles.” I’m guessing, but I doubt I’m far off.
“Well, I appreciate it,” Kristy says, then glances to the plastic tubs behind the table. “I’m going to help you set up, and then I need to run back to campus for another event. Are you two good to handle things here?”
A whole day with Summer? Hell yeah. I grin. “Absolutely. We have everything under control.”
* * *
“Does FLU have a women’s studies program?
” the guy standing in front of the table asks.
He’s maybe mid-forties, in a gray sweat suit complete with a headband and carrying a pickleball paddle like he’s on his way to the court.
I really hope there’s one next door and he doesn’t just walk around everywhere with the paddle attached to his hand.
So far, he’s asked about premed, computer science, marketing, and now women’s studies. He’s either trying to solve the answer to his midlife crisis or making a list of every program at FLU.
I open my mouth to attempt to answer his twelfth question, but as with all the others, I have no idea.
“Yes. And there’s a list of courses on the website to give you an idea of what’s required to complete the degree,” Summer answers like she memorized the handbook. Actually, she might have.
Before he can ask anything else, I shove a pamphlet at him.
“Here you go. There’s a list of all the programs and links to all the department websites. You can scan the QR code.”
He stares at it, then hesitantly takes it, glances at Summer one last time, and walks off.
“Rowan,” she admonishes when he’s a few feet away. “He wasn’t done asking questions.”
“He can Google.” Plus, I’m fairly certain he just wanted an excuse to talk to Summer.
To my surprise, Summer smiles. “I’m going to tell Kristy on you.”
“She would have shoved a pamphlet at him too.” Probably sooner than I did.
I lean back in my chair and Summer does as well.
Aside from Mr. Pickleball, it’s been quiet today.
A few people came by and picked up free swag or asked about the admissions process (I also couldn’t answer those questions, but Summer, unsurprisingly, could).
Otherwise we’ve been sitting here, smiling and saying hello when a random person walks by.
Summer absently picks up one of the pamphlets and reads the back. “Do you know what you’re going to study in college?”
“Business, maybe, or finance. I haven’t given it a lot of thought.”
“FLU has a good business program.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard,” I say dryly.
She eyes me like she’s trying to make sense of my tone.
I let out a sigh. “The Blakenship College of Business.”
Her mouth falls open.
“Yeah.” I nod. “Weird, right?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I mean, yes, but that’s so impressive. You should be proud.”
“Why? I didn’t do anything.”
She tips her chin down to give me a pointed look.
“Well, I didn’t.”
“Did your parents go to FLU?”
“Yeah.”
“My parents didn’t go to college. Well, my mom did two years, but she quit when she got pregnant with my brother. And my dad says it wasn’t for him.”
“If I’m honest, I’m not sure it’s for me either.”
“What do you want to do instead?” she asks like it’s no big deal. It’s the first time I’ve said the words and not gotten push back.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t have any ideas? What about soccer?”
I shrug. “I like playing, but it isn’t like I’m going to make a career out of it.”
“Why not?” she asks, voice defensive like I said she couldn’t.
“I’m not hardcore like you or Vaughn or Austin.” Or Amanda, but it doesn’t feel like a good time to mention her.
“Are you kidding me?” Her smile turns into a wide grin, and she laughs.
My brows lift while I wait for her to explain what’s so funny.
“Rowan, you are…” Her voice trails off and she shakes her head again.
I keep staring and waiting.
“You really have no idea,” she says with another small chuckle. Summer shifts in her chair, angling her body toward mine. The movement makes her knees press into my thigh. “You have so much natural talent, it’s unbelievable.”
“Yeah. I’ve heard that before. It’s the nice way of saying I play well for someone who doesn’t put in a lot of effort.”
“No. That isn’t what I meant,” she says in a firm tone that doesn’t leave room for arguing.
Her hand drops to the top of my leg now, and a pleasant tingle spreads through me from her touch.
“The things you can do on a soccer field can’t be taught.
You see things others don’t and move your body in ways that shouldn’t be possible.
And the risks you take… I could never pull them off.
You have something that is rare and special.
You don’t have to want to do anything with that natural ability, but you should at least acknowledge it.
Why do you think Silas hates you so much? ”
My body hums with pride and a twinge of embarrassment. I’m not sure anyone has ever delivered me so many compliments in a row. And she’s the last person I expected to do it.
My lips curve into a goofy, happy smile. “Because I’m a prick who shit talks on the field?”
Her laugh is quick but heady. “Because you’re good and he knows it.”
“He is too,” I admit freely. I’ve never had a problem giving him his props when it comes to talent. It’s his attitude that sucks.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell him you said that.” Summer grins.
“Hey, I’m back.” Kristy comes to a stop in front of us, breathless like she ran here.
It takes a beat for me to remove my gaze from Summer, but when I do, a slow smile tips up the corners of Kristy’s mouth, and her stare is locked on Summer’s hand draped over my thigh.
When Summer realizes it, she pulls back and faces forward.
“Hi!” Summer quips, voice a little too high to sound natural.
“How’s it been?” Kristy asks.
I sit forward and scan the mostly empty career fair. “Slow.”
“Yeah, I was afraid of that. There is a pickleball tournament next door at the YMCA, and parking is a nightmare. Plus, it’s gorgeous out. Everyone is enjoying the weather.”
“We handed out quite a few brochures and the key-chain flashlights were a hit,” Summer adds like she thinks her ability to drive people to the table is going to impact her performance review.
“Great. Thank you.” Kristy smiles in that endearing way teachers sometimes do with their star pupil. “Well…I think we should call it and enjoy the rest of the day. I appreciate both your help.”
“No problem,” I tell her.
“I can stay and help clean up,” Summer says.
“No. I got it. I’m going to put my audiobook on and savor the next hour of me time before I get home and my kids start asking what’s for dinner.” She pulls out her AirPod case as if to prove the point. “I’ll see you both in a few weeks at the next event.”
Summer and I stand and say our goodbyes, then walk through the empty career center. Most of the other vendors are packing up too. Outside, the sun is high in the sky, and I squint as my eyes adjust from being inside for so long.
“What are you doing later?” I ask as we cross the parking lot to our vehicles. “Some of the guys were planning to go out to the lake.”
“I have to work this evening.”
“Double shift today, yikes.” I can’t believe she agreed to help today. No, actually I can. She works harder than anyone I know.
“What about tomorrow?” I ask.
“I have some homework.”
“There is no fun in your weekend, Lindsey.”
She laughs and I get the feeling this is just the standard for her. Work, work, work. Good thing she met me.
“Meet me at the soccer field at two.”
“Why?” she asks, shooting me a skeptical glance.
“Just do it. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” I wink and then get in my truck.