Chapter 8 #2
"I know how much you need your space." She was used to sharing everything when she was a kid. So now, she was reluctant to allow anyone into her apartment, including friends.
"What are you going to do then? Will the landlord put you up somewhere else?"
"I don't have to pay rent while they're fixing it, but I don't have any insurance or anything. I'm kind of stuck. But Rowan insisted I stay with him because that's what a good fiancé would do."
She nodded. "He's probably right about that. Not that I've ever been engaged."
I laughed. "That's because you don't let anyone in."
She raised a brow. "And you do?"
I smiled. "We're quite the pair."
"So you've decided to live with your fake fiancé."
I let out a breath. "I have. At least until I can figure something out."
"You should probably stay until your apartment is fixed, assuming that's after the opening of the brewery. You can save some money."
My nose wrinkled. "I was hoping you'd say I needed to stay somewhere else."
"You got yourself into this crazy situation. You kind of deserve whatever you get," Meg said.
I laughed, knowing Meg was so blunt and loving her for it. "You're such a good friend."
"If you'd come to me before you agreed to this arrangement, I would have told you to run."
"There was no time. Jane was talking about some contest, and then Rowan was saying I was his fiancée. I didn't have a chance to figure out what was going on, much less argue about it." In front of the reporter, no less. That would have been far worse.
"I assume Rowan's returning the favor by offering you a place to stay?"
I nodded miserably. "It's so nice. It's this cozy cabin on the property just past the brewery. The walls are wood logs, and there's high ceilings with beautiful beams. I just want to crawl under the quilt and never leave."
Meg knew exactly what I was talking about. Home was supposed to be about safety and security, but it hadn't been for us. "This is worse than I thought. You're going to get used to his cabin, his family, and then it's going to be hard to leave."
"Used to? I'm worried I'm going to fall in love. You've seen my apartment. There's no comparison."
"That place is awful. But you said it was just temporary so you could get the truck. Your business would take off—"
I winced. "I mean, yeah, that's the plan, but so far I'm barely making ends meet."
She patted my hand. "You'll get there. Starting a new business is hard."
"I'm wondering if buying the truck was a mistake. It was a huge risk, and now my apartment is unlivable."
She waggled her brows. "Maybe you should take advantage of this arrangement and hook up with Rowan."
"Did you not hear the part about us being childhood friends? We don't think of each other like that." But that was a lie. There was that kiss. I couldn't ignore the effect it had on me.
"I thought you pulled away when you were a teenager? That was before you had a chance to develop feelings. Besides, you have no idea how he might have felt. Maybe he's been in love with you this entire time."
I rolled my eyes. "That's ridiculous."
She leaned closer. "Have you had any close encounters since you stayed there overnight? Maybe running into him wet and naked in the bathroom."
"We have our own bathrooms."
She raised a brow. "Have you brushed against him in close quarters?"
"I made the mistake of touching him when I was making a point—" I probably shouldn't have admitted that.
She snapped her fingers. "That's what I'm talking about. Was there any heat between you two?"
"I felt something—" There were tingles, and my heart had fluttered dangerously too. What did it mean? Was I attracted to my childhood friend?
"I can work with that. If you feel something, you could enjoy each other and go your separate ways when it's over."
"I'm worried about falling in love with him and his family, remember? There could be repercussions." Meg tended not to develop feelings for anyone, so she wouldn't understand my fears.
"When was the last time you let yourself get close to a guy?" Meg asked pointedly.
I couldn't, and that was the problem. I always kept myself apart from others. I didn't want them asking questions. For a long time, family life encompassed everything and made any relationships difficult.
When I didn't answer, Meg said, "You'll be fine. You won't let yourself get close to him."
"He's so nice, Meg. He got up early to clear the lane so I could get my truck out. I'm not even his real girlfriend."
"There are lots of nice guys, Hattie. That doesn't mean you fall in love with all of them." She gave me a look. "But to be clear, you shouldn't fall in love with any of them, especially nice guys. They can't be trusted."
Was that true though? I knew that Meg was jaded by her experiences. She didn't trust easily. But it couldn't be true that nice guys weren't real. It was just that I didn't deserve a man like that. One who'd want to be involved in his fiancée's family.
I couldn't be that girl for him. Not that he was even thinking about that. This was just temporary. "So you think it's fine to stay at his place."
A smile curved over her face. "I'd say enjoy it while it lasts: the cabin, the protective man, and whatever else he has to offer."
I rolled my eyes, because she was clearly talking about his body. "You're ridiculous."
"Life is short. You have to enjoy it."
"That's true." I just wasn't sure that getting involved with Rowan physically was a good idea. I should have known that this would be Meg's advice. But I couldn't go to Clara to talk about my fake engagement to her brother.
I was on my own in this. I had to hope that everything worked out, and I didn't end up with a broken heart.
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