“Such a gentleman,” Silas says with a slight twinkle in his grin as he shakes his head at his friend.
Rowan beams as he turns back. “Yeah, no problem. The whole thing was real transparent once I got a good look at it.”
My eyes dart to his and realize he’s looking right at me with that grin on his face.
I shiver.
Transparent.
He’s talking about my shirt, and I know it.
“That’s where you get the bruise?” Ivy frowns as she looks at the bump on the side of Rowan’s head. “From a pipe?”
My brow furrows, and I’m about to open my mouth when he shoots me a quick look.
“Yep.”
He holds my eyes for another second before he turns back to his sister and takes a sip of beer. “Yeah, it’s fine though.”
I’m in the kitchen after dinner and after Ivy and Silas leave, helping to put dishes put away, despite Irene insisting that we leave it be.
I told her it was my southern roots that wouldn’t let me not help.
Chastity said something about the kitchen being a woman’s place that left a bit of an awkward silence.
“Need a hand?”
Rowan’s voice behind me sends a shiver through me.
No, not a shiver. A tingle.
I think that’s worse.
“We’re fine,” I say quickly, standing up on my toes to push a salad plate up onto the higher shelf. Rowan ignores me, reaching up over me to pluck the precariously held plate from my hand and place it where it belongs.
“You’re welcome.”
“Oh, Row,” Jacob comes into the kitchen, and Rowan immediately steps away from me.
“You sure you can’t make it tomorrow?”
“Hands are tied Dad. Monday’s have been good.”
“People drink on Mondays?” Chastity says with disdain in her voice.
“All day,” Rowan tosses back, leaning forward to grin past me at her. Chastity looks scandalized.
“You still think you can part with some sodas and cups for the crews?”
He nods, sipping his beer. “Yeah, totally. I ordered extra for the week.”
“If there’s any way you could load the truck up tonight, we need to be there early tomorrow.”
Rowan shrugs. “No problem, Pop.”
“Great, thanks.” He turns and starts to head back to the living room where my parents are when he turns. “Why don’t you ladies go over with Rowan after dinner and give him a hand?”
“To the bar?” Chastity balks disdainfully after Rowan’s father leaves the room.
Rowan turns to her. “Hey, do you know much about poles?”
“What?”
I glare at him and he grins. “Nothing. And yes, we’re going to the bar. You can even meet my employee.” He leans close to Chastity, wagging his eyebrows. “She’s a lesbian, just as a heads up.”
Chastity’s eyes go wide. “A gay?”
“Big, big gay, yeah,” Rowan nods, and poor Chastity pales as she whirls back to me. “I am not setting foot into that den of filth, Eva. And if your father knew about this, there is no way he’d-”
“Climb on in and join the twenty-first century, sweetheart,” Rowan says with a roll of his eyes. “The water’s great.” He turns, nodding a chin at me. “You still in?”
“Yes.” I say it without hesitation, and he grins as Chastity gasps in horror.
“I’m going to grab my dad’s truck out of the garage. Meet you out front.”
“Eva!” Chastity gasps in horror after he’s ducked out of the kitchen.
“Chas, we’re getting soda and plastic cups. I don’t think my mortal soul is in any sort of danger.”
“Your father says the devil is in the details,” she says icily, scowling at me.
“Right, but not the Diet Coke.”
Her lips thin. “I worry about you, Eva.”
“Chastity, I’m just going to get some refreshments for tomorrow, okay? I’ll be just fine.”
“No, it’s more than that. It’s ever since you got back from Korea. It’s ever since you broke up with Joseph.”
My eyes narrow. “I didn’t break up with Joseph, Chastity. He left me for someone else. There’s a slight difference. And please don’t tell me you’re with my parents on that whole thing about how I should have done more to ‘keep him’.”
She bristled. “And if I am?”
“Then keep it to yourself,” I spit back. “Now, if you’re really not coming, I’m going to go do this and try not to get dragged into purgatory by way of a case of root beer.”
“Fine” she hisses. “And I’ll be in my room, praying for you.”