Chapter 21
“I did end up inviting Beckett. I hope that’s not weird.” Rowan leaned in to hand Juniper a bag of marshmallows.
Juniper was busy at work in Rowan’s kitchen, putting together trays of snacks for Wren’s bonfire demand. As usual, Juniper had done too much and gotten way too much food.
“The General?” Juniper shot back curiously as she arranged some marshmallows on a large divided platter with graham crackers and chocolate bars.
“Well, you know we’ve had a couple beers together since the Council meeting. Did you know she was a pilot in the Army? Part of some secret ops team or something like that.”
“Really? I did not know any of that. I’m glad you took her up on her offer. I think that’s great,” Juniper said as she smiled at Rowan.
“Thanks.”
Rowan shifted to rest her back against the counter right next to Juniper and smiled back.
This felt perfectly domestic, in a way Rowan could have never anticipated.
Mostly, Juniper was at the heart of all of that.
She felt at peace, and almost giddy, watching Juniper move around her space, the edges of her wildflower-print sundress lifting slightly as she twirled around from refrigerator to cabinet to kitchen table.
Rowan thought Juniper looked like she had sprouted up from the ground like a wildflower herself, new life beckoning her way toward the sky, stretching herself to be fed by the sun.
The one wildflower Rowan wanted to pick day after day, year after year.
So much had changed in the last few months, and it didn’t scare Rowan anymore.
Rather, it made her feel like she actually was at home.
She imagined catching the side of Juniper’s sundress and pulling her in close.
Twisting Juniper around to put her between the counter and herself.
Getting a chance to hold her unreservedly, kiss her soft lips ardently but unrushed, taking her time to study and appreciate each and every instance of what others might consider evidence of life’s ‘imperfections’ across her body, running her hands up those thighs that she knew would tease her the rest of her life.
Noticing she was white-knuckling the counter, she pushed away a little too forcefully and pretended to busy herself with straightening plates and utensils until Juniper’s next request came through.
“You’ve done a lot. Can I get you something?” Rowan finally asked, unable to quell her nervous energy for too long.
Juniper squeezed Rowan’s forearm as she brushed by her to set the final dish on the table. “No, I appreciate that though. I think I’m almost done. I just need to put the drinks in the cooler and take it outside.”
“Let me do that,” Rowan blurted out.
If she didn’t move quickly enough, Juniper would already be halfway done with whatever task loomed ahead.
Plus Rowan needed to separate herself momentarily until the skin on her arm, and the other areas Juniper had brushed against, stopped tingling.
And she definitely, definitely needed to occupy her hands.
She was not in the mood to be quick, and they had already been expecting company for the last 15 minutes.
“Wren’s here,” Juniper called out, moving to open the front screen door to let her in. “Oh, you look cute! Do you have on lipstick?” Juniper’s baffled face sniffed the air. “Is that new perfume?”
Wren, in a red matching shorts and crop top set, blew Juniper a kissing face instead of answering her questions and had barely made it through the door before she started firing away with her own.
“Damn Rowan, this is really nice. Like really nice. I haven’t been in any of the new housing developments. How did you luck out like this?” Wren’s eyes were wide, scanning the living room area that opened into the kitchen.
Juniper was still side-eying her cousin’s appearance.
“I can’t believe it, honestly. It was all Theo,” Rowan responded as she put the last of the drinks into the cooler.
“Junie, you should just move in here. This has to have at least 3 bedrooms, huh?”
“Oh, umm, I don’t…” Juniper stumbled.
“Does it?” Wren asked, this time directed at Rowan.
Rowan cleared her throat before answering. “It does. My bedroom and bathroom are on the other side of the kitchen, and then two bedrooms down that hall right there share the other bathroom.”
“Can I have a tour?”
The Banks women were nothing if not absolutely direct.
Rowan chuckled and flared out her hand. “Of course.”
Rowan led them down the hall to the other two bedrooms. One bedroom she had been using as a sort-of office, with an entire wall of bookcases filled with books already. The other bedroom, however, was completely empty.
“Damn, why no curtains?”
“I was just thinking about nailing up old blankets, that old Indian way.”
Wren’s high-pitched laugh squeaked out, and it made Rowan laugh even harder.
“Juniper!” Wren bellowed out.
“Aye, I’m right here in the hallway.” Juniper grimaced as she leaned her head in.
“Maybe get your friend here some curtains, huh?” She winked.
Why would Wren say it like that?
“Do you have a lease?” Wren asked as she paced the empty room and opened the closet door to check for space.
“It’s month to month.”
“Oh, interesting,” Wren hummed, circulating back to the door.
Juniper nodded and raised her eyebrows up and down.
That had actually been Rowan’s choice a couple months ago when she moved in. She’d had the option of a longer-term lease, but this had been a way to protect herself. She certainly wasn’t going to willingly add that to this conversation.
“You need a little art in here, to liven it up some, make it feel more like a home that’s lived in,” Wren continued as she now led the tour herself back out into the living room.
“You think? I brought some stuff with me from my old apartment, but my space was so much smaller there. It seemed like a lot until I finished unpacking and realized how much bigger this place is.”
“Definitely, there are some really cool local artists I could put you in touch with. The wall over the back of your couch is begging for a statement,” Wren rubbed the underside of her jaw then pointed to the vast expanse of bare white wall.
“Couldn’t you paint me something instead? ”
Wren turned toward her and smirked. “Just so happens that I am one of those really cool local artists I plan to put you in touch with.”
Rowan shook her head mirthfully. “Got it.”
They made their way back across the home to Rowan’s bedroom.
“I think she needs your help in here, Junie.” Wren started laughing to herself. “Have you helped her out in the bedroom yet?”
“Go find something to do out back,” Juniper shot back.
Wren wiggled her hands out in front of her as she scooted backwards to the door. “You haaave, I see. You sexy little sluts.”
“Wren, are you on something?”
She shrugged. “No, just kid-free for the night.”
“Okay, understandable.”
As the other few guests arrived, the party naturally transitioned out to the bonfire.
The mismatch of folding chairs and camp chairs was so reminiscent of the camping they’d done as kids at their own Tribe’s powwow that they all launched into telling old stories while roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.
“I have a game,” Kyle said enticingly as he leaned in to put his elbows on his knees and rest his face in his hands.
“Ohh, what is it?” Wren asked excitedly.
“Which celebrity was your gay awakening?”
“I’m not gay though,” Wren laughed.
“Oh, right. Sometimes I forget. What a shame. Anyways, for you then, who was your first celebrity crush?”
“Love it. Let’s play!” Wren settled into her chair and crossed her legs.
“Okay, who wants to go first? Rowan, what about you?” Kyle prodded.
“Easy.” Rowan interjected immediately. “Rihanna.”
“Yesss!” Kyle laughed in excitement.
“The ‘Pon de Replay’ video — yeah, I was very awakened to my full gayness,” she laughed.
“We were in high school then?” Juniper cut in, eyeing her from across the fire.
“Sophomores,” Rowan confirmed as she met her gaze.
Something else was on the tip of Juniper’s tongue that she wasn’t saying. As she waited, Rowan watched the outlines of the vermillion flames between them dance across Juniper’s face and then upward to caress the sky.
“Hmm, makes sense,” Juniper finally added.
“Why is that?” Rowan leaned forward slightly.
The thought of how Juniper might answer this question intrigued her. The idea of Juniper fantasizing about someone was causing Rowan’s internal heat to spike. What are her fantasies she hasn’t told me about like? She had to cross her legs in an effort to dull the thumping between them.
“Didn’t you secretly have a poster of her at the back of your locker?”
Rowan smiled with a visible tinge of self-consciousness. “I did.”
“I should’ve known,” Juniper smirked.
A desire within Rowan burned deeply to turn that smirk into something else.
“Who was yours, Junie?” Kyle asked, turning toward her.
Juniper finally broke eye contact with Rowan. She looked over at Kyle who had a suspicious look on his face.
“Taylor Hanson,” she answered without a hint of irony.
“What?!” Wren exclaimed as she threw her body forward in her chair.
“Aren’t you like, not into men at all?” Kyle asked in disbelief.
“No, I get it,” Rowan announced to their group, “The MMMBop video?”
Juniper threw her head back and laughed.
“Ohh, I think I get it now,” Wren joined in her laughter.
“If you know, you know,” Juniper shrugged.
“I’m confused as hell,” Kyle said as he threw his hands in the air.
Wren turned their attention back to the game. “Beckett, you’re awful quiet. Why is that?” She challenged in her direction.
Beckett leaned forward, put her elbows on her spread knees, and stared directly at Wren. That felt a little intense for the moment. But when Rowan glanced over at Wren, she had matched the energy.
“I’m a little older.”
“So? How old are you?” Juniper butted in.
“I’m 42,” she confirmed, never breaking eye contact with Wren, despite answering Juniper’s question.