Page 62 of Entangled
“Good thing we’ve got a two-hour ride.” She slaps my knee. “Now, tell me what happened with Rowan, and why it’s ripping you apart.”
26
ROWAN
Mood Music: “Easy on Me” by Adele
I stareat the unfamiliar auburn-haired man looming in my doorway. “Who the hell are you?”
He furrows his brow and points to the logo on his jacket. “RPS, ma’am. You have a delivery.”
Right. My clay for the pottery projects I have planned.
He takes a few steps back when I lean out the door to look behind him. “Where’s Henry?”
He shrugs. “No idea. The boss told me to cover Flynn’s route.”
I glance at the name on his jacket. Fitzgerald. “And you are?”
“Seamus.” He shifts in place and motions to the box he’s holding. “I need you to sign for this, please.”
“Yes. Of course.” I scrawl my signature on his tablet.
“It’s kinda heavy. Would you like me to set it on the table?”
“Please.” I step aside so he can enter, fighting back tears as he places the box on my kitchen table. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Happy holidays.” Smiling, he gives me a wave and heads back to his truck.
I close the door behind him and slide to the floor, unable to stand beneath the weight of my sadness and disappointment. I waited all day for Henry’s arrival, pacing the kitchen like it would make him show up faster. I need to apologize for the way I behaved yesterday—he didn’t deserve my outburst—but he must want nothing to do with me if he switched routes with a coworker.
Resting my elbows on my bent knees, I let the tears come. It feels like I’ve done nothing but cry since I sent him away. I ruined what we shared because I don’t know how to move beyond my grief. Eugene pads over and weaves through my legs, rubbing his face on my shins.
I stroke his silky fur. “Love you too, buddy.”
Maybe I’m destined to become an old cat lady, shut away in my mountaintop tower. The realization that I won’t have Eugene forever hits me like a battering ram. What will I do once he passes and I’m truly alone? The tears fall harder as I pull my massive feline into my arms. For once he doesn’t shy away from my affection. I wonder if he senses that I’m falling apart.
Hours later, I force myself to take a hot shower and eat the soup I made. No sense in starving. Besides, food still brings me joy.
Grabbing my phone, I settle on my bed and bring up Henry’s text message from yesterday afternoon.
Henry: I’m sorry for upsetting you. It was stupid of me to plan something without talking to you about it first. It won’t happen again.
Does he mean it won’t happen again because he’s done with me? Or am I once again overanalyzing things? Either way, he doesn’t seem like the type who’d ignore an apology attempt. I need to let him know how sorry I am. It’s not his fault I’ve kept him in the dark.
I dial his number and hold my breath as it rings. Once. Twice. Three times.
He picks up on the fourth ring. “Rowan, hi.”
“Hi.” I stiffen when a female voice in the background reaches my ears. “Am I interrupting something?”
“No. We just finished making cookies.” He laughs. “My sister doesn’t like the way I use a cookie cutter and feels the need to give me shit about it.”
That’s right. I forgot his sister was coming to visit. Maybe he wasn’t avoiding me after all.
“I noticed you weren’t at work today.”
“Yeah, I originally planned to pick up Dahlia after work, but she changed her flight to an earlier one to bypass a storm that’s gonna hit New York.”
