Chapter 6
Rowan drove down Main Street pointing out all the buildings, including Harper’s Bar, where they were going to meet later. He made sure to let her know that it would be kid-friendly, especially since there were no sports games with hot rivalries on tonight.
Rowan pointed out the marina, and saw her sister walking with Gator, who was still effortlessly carrying the two children.
“Do you really think Sue Ellen and the kids will be safe with Gator? I mean, is that even his real name?” Nellie asked as they turned left onto another street, driving away from the marina.
“I have zero doubt that he can keep them safe. Gator, and his friends, Skeeter and Turtle, are good ol’ boys who firmly believe women and children will always be protected, no matter what.
They will never speak harshly to the elderly.
They will always bend over backward and give the shirt off their back to help someone else.
It’s just how they are. How I wish more people would be. Hell, I wish I were more like that.”
“From where I’m sitting, that is how you are. You’re giving me a place to stay, you lied to protect my sister, you patched up my nephew for free, helped us without any questions . . . you are that guy.”
Rowan swallowed hard. That meant more to him than he could say.
“So, here are my brothers’ houses. We live pretty close together.
I also stay at my sister’s old condo in downtown Charleston that my brother Wilder bought.
I stay there when I have long shifts or early mornings.
But I know it’s safer for you here. However, my sister Olivia lives here in Shadows Landing too.
Granger is her husband. She’s also a badass attorney and we can ask her for advice on how to handle your sister’s divorce papers. ”
Rowan pulled into the driveway and pressed the remote for the garage. He drove in slowly and parked next to his SUV. He could see Nellie growing nervous. “Is everything alright?”
She nodded to the SUV and her fingers twined together. “Won’t your wife be upset with you for bringing a random woman home with you?”
Rowan was surprised at first and then he chuckled. “No wife. No girlfriend. No time. The SUV is my other car. You can borrow it while you stay here if you want. Now, let’s get you inside. I bet you want a shower.”
He heard Nellie groan and knew he had the right idea. He hurried around the car, but she’d already opened the door for herself. “What?” she asked when she saw his frown.
“I was getting that for you.”
“I can get my own door, you know.” Nellie laughed and it was music to his heart.
“I know you can, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to show respect for you by getting it. My brother would kill me if I didn’t. Now, let me show you around.”
Rowan opened the door leading to the end of the hallway.
He’d bought a decent sized family home even though it was just him.
He had his primary bedroom on the first floor, and then upstairs, he’d turned one bedroom into an office and another bedroom into a gym.
Then he had one guest room that Penelope would use when she came to Shadows Landing and didn’t want to stay with Wilder.
However, since Wilder built his house to give Pen her own apartment, she’d been staying with him more.
“Laundry room is right here,” Rowan told her as he pointed. “Walk-in pantry since I like to cook when I actually can,” he told her before they got to the kitchen.
“This kitchen is a dream. I like to cook too, but it’s hard to cook for one.”
Rowan felt that. It really was hard since so many things came in family sized portions, not single person trying to eat real food without wasting-size portions.
“Well, look around and let me know if there’s anything I need to get from the grocery store. Sadly, we don’t have one here, so I’ll stock up tomorrow when I get done at the hospital.”
He felt awkward as Nellie took it all in.
He really hoped she liked his house and felt comfortable here.
“Okay. I’ll do that after the shower. Maybe I can cook for you so you’ll have some dinner to eat when you get done with surgeries.
You hit me as the type who takes care of other people over yourself. ”
“Are you sure my brother Damon didn’t send you to me?” Because right now she was the human form of everything Damon had told him he needed.
“Um, I don’t know how to answer that.”
Rowan smiled and shook his head. “Sorry. My brother has been on me to slow down, take some days off, and look after myself. Apparently, I’m not eating enough.
My sister-in-law Jordana is from Brazil and it’s like I’ve personally offended her when I miss a meal.
If you look in the fridge, you’ll see little containers of meals she’s made me. ”
“If it’s Brazilian food, I might have to marry you just to get her as my sister-in-law too. I love their food!”
Damon had to be punking him. Nellie couldn’t really be this perfect for him, could she? Besides the whole evil brother-in-law thing. But, considering who the rest of his family ended up with, maybe it was meant to be.
Rowan cleared his throat and continued the tour.
“Living room, and a patio with a fire pit, pool, and lounging area. Down that hall is a half bath and my bedroom. Your room is upstairs,” he said as he gave her a moment to look out back.
Then he headed up the stairs, showing her the office, gym, and finally her bedroom.
“My house cleaner put on fresh sheets a couple of days ago. There are towels in the bathroom and some shampoo and things that my younger sister, Penelope, left here. Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll go get you some clothes while you shower. ”
Nellie reached out and placed her hand over his. “Thank you, Rowan. I really appreciate you opening your house to me.”
Rowan smiled at her and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m happy to. It’ll be nice to have someone else here. Make yourself at home. Open cabinets, scrounge for food, and make me a list.”
“I will. Thank you, again.”
Nellie stood in the doorway of the guest room as he left. She didn’t close it until he was halfway down the hall. He pulled out his cell phone and made a call he knew he’d get shit for.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call,” Olivia’s smug voice said the moment she answered. “Granger told me you have a woman staying with you. A very pretty woman.”
“A very pretty woman who is on the run for her life with no clean clothes,” Rowan said, trying not to play into Oliva’s assumptions that were probably running wild.
“Got her out of her clothes already? When do I get to meet my future sister-in-law?”
“If I have it my way, in about fifteen minutes. Can you bring some clothes over for her to borrow for a couple of days?”
“Of course! Tell me more about her so I know what kind of clothes to bring.”
“She seems pretty low maintenance. She is the school psychologist for the high school in a small town about forty miles from here. But I wanted to ask you about her sister. Did Granger tell you that her attorney was killed today?”
Olivia stopped teasing him. “He did. I told Granger I don’t practice family law.
It’s a completely different beast from what I handle.
So, I don’t want to mess up taking down this asshole judge by not knowing the right moves.
However, I do know someone who does. He’s expensive though. Like, my level expensive.”
“He physically abused his wife and son. I’ll cover the legal expenses.”
“I’ll help,” she said seriously. “I’m sure the others will too, unless Damon or Hunter just go ahead and kill the ex first to save time. You know how they feel about men who abuse women and children.”
“Yeah, I’m having thoughts that aren’t very friendly to my Hippocratic Oath,” Rowan confessed as he heard the shower turn on upstairs.
“I’ll get you out of jail if you do. I’ve got a bag packed. I’ll be there in just a minute.”
“Thanks, Liv.”
It only took her five minutes to show up at his front door with a bag in hand.
He looked down at her baby bump. He still couldn’t believe his sister was going to become a mother.
She was such a badass it was easy to forget how maternal she’d been to him growing up.
She would be a fierce mother who raised smart children with impeccable manners and knew they were loved every moment of their lives.
“How’s the pregnancy going?” It was probably more stressful for Rowan than for Olivia since he knew everything that could go wrong. He tried not to let his nerves show and he certainly never told her the statistics running through his head.
“Really well. I’m over the morning sickness and have a lot more energy now.” He took the bag from her as they went into the living room.
She was through the worst of it. If something happened, he could probably keep the baby alive in the NICU. That let him relax a little.
“I’m glad. I’m surprised Damon doesn’t have you wrapped up in bubble wrap.”
“He and Granger tried. But, I can be pretty persuasive,” she teased. “Which is how I got the attorney I mentioned to call me back in an hour.”
Rowan heard Nellie coming down the stairs and then heard her gasp at the same time his mouth dropped open. She stood at the bottom of the stairs with wet hair and wearing nothing but a towel.
Olivia just laughed. “You are in so much trouble,” she whispered to Rowan.
Rowan couldn’t care less. He was still staring at Nellie, who was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in a towel.
There was a soft swell of her breasts, her flared hips, her perfect neck that he wanted to kiss his way down . . .
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you had company. I just didn’t want to put on those dirty clothes again.”
“Oh,” Olivia said with a delighted smile. “I’m not company. I’m his sister Olivia. You met my husband, Granger, earlier. I come bearing gifts of clothing.”
Olivia elbowed him in the side. Rowan coughed to cover it up and remembered the bag he was holding. “I asked Liv to bring you some clothes. Also, she has a phone call later with an attorney who might be able to help your sister.”
Nellie took the bag in her hand and turned to Olivia with excitement. “You think he’ll help?” she asked hopefully. “Or if he could get me off the murder charge I might have slapped on me the next time I see Ingram.”
Olivia laughed again and turned to Rowan with a grin. “So much trouble,” she said, turning back to Nellie. “I can’t help your sister, but I can help with the murder thing. I don’t know why, but I tend to make prosecutors cry.”
Nellie smiled, her eyes crinkling with true pleasure. “I like you.”
“I believe I like you too. But that won’t stop my brother’s fate.”
Rowan groaned as Olivia waggled her eyebrows at him.
“I’ll see you tonight with more information for your sister,” Olivia said. “I’ll also let the sisters know you all need clothes. What size are you and your sister?”
“I’m a ten, and she’s a six, but I think the stress is keeping her weight down. That and her husband and his family demanded she be perfect all the time. I think she’d probably be closer to my size if she’s allowed to eat what she wants.”
“Gotcha. Okay, we’ll put together an array of sizes then. If she’s staying with Gator, he’ll be feeding her the best low-country cooking you can imagine. I guarantee she’ll put on some pounds whether she wants to or not. You wouldn’t think it, but that man is a genius in the kitchen.”
“Soooo,” Nellie asked slowly and very seriously, “you trust him with my sister and her kids?”
“Yes,” Olivia replied instantly. “People like to judge him based on his job, his name, and his overalls, but that man is a true gentleman. Plus, most people don’t know he tags alligators and works with several universities on how to maintain the tidal ecosystem.
He and Turtle, who I am sure you’ll meet tonight, both do. ”
Rowan could tell Olivia’s opinion meant a lot to Nellie.
Olivia was telling her that Gator was both honorable and trustworthy with women and children.
That’s a very specific assessment of a man’s character that only a woman could make.
Rowan didn’t take it personally. He was sure Ingram’s buddies would say he was a great guy but women knew there was more to judging a man’s character than what his friends had to say about his golf game.
“Thank you, both,” Nellie said, raising the bag. “It was great meeting you.”
“You too.” Olivia and Rowan watched Nellie go back upstairs. When Olivia turned to him, she was smirking. “So much trouble.”
Then she walked out and probably texted the family about meeting Nellie.
Rowan took out his phone and called the hospital. He was on hold with surgical scheduling when Nellie walked downstairs looking gorgeous in one of Liv’s sundresses. She’d even included a pair of sandals.
“Dr. Townsend,” the assistant said over the phone. “I want to make sure I heard you correctly. Did you say you wanted to take some time off?”
“That’s right and I need to know what surgeries are on the schedule.
” He covered the phone as the assistant said she didn’t understand since he’d never taken time off before.
“Nell, wow. You look beautiful. I have to handle this call before taking a quick shower. Make yourself comfortable and if you want, make me that grocery list. There’s a pen and paper in the drawer by the coffee maker. ”
Nellie nodded and he loved the way she’d blushed at his compliment. He didn’t want to admit it, but a lot of feelings were happening, and maybe during his time off he could figure them out.