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Chapter Twenty-Nine

RUTH

R owan’s familiar truck pulls up in front of where I’m sitting on the wall that rings the front of my building. I can see him arguing with a blond man in glasses who sits in the passenger seat. As I approach, the other man throws his head back in laughter while Rowan leans across him and pushes the door open. “Move,” Rowan says.

“I was here first!” he protests through his laughter.

“You’re in her seat.”

“I always sit up front!”

As I get close, I can see Rowan has unbuckled this guy’s seatbelt and is attempting to bodily shove him out. “You’re usually the only one here. Now you’re in the back.”

“Traitor,” he whines as he drags himself out of the car. As he straightens, he spots me standing next to him and a slow grin spreads over his features. He’s tall and slim built, like a swimmer, with long arms and wide shoulders. We size each other up a little before he laughs and slides into the backseat, muttering something I can’t hear but that has Rowan scowling.

“Hop in,” Rowan calls to me, adding when I don’t move, “come on, we gotta hit the road.”

I get in next to him, staring straight out the windshield as I buckle my seatbelt. I’m not ready to look at him just yet, reliving the last time we were in this truck.

“You good?” he asks. I glance over and give him a quick smile before going back to looking at anything but him. He snorts out a laugh. “Okay, you just let me know when you’re done.”

“Done?” I ask.

“With whatever’s going on over there.”

“Nothing’s going on. I’m fine,” I squeak, not at all convincing.

“Sure,” he scoffs. “Just tell me when you’re done.”

Asshole. He sits in the driver’s seat all smug, thinking he’s got me figured out. I jump as a blond head pokes its way between the seats.

“Hi,” the guy says, sporting a shit-eating grin. “I’m Trevor, since my friend hasn’t bothered introducing me.”

“Figured you’d jump right in,” Rowan says under his breath.

“I always do,” he says brightly.

“Don’t I know it?”

I take in the pair of them, the way that they banter, how Rowan’s face seems softer than it was around his teammates. There’s an ease between them, that specific intimacy that can only come from years of trust and cohabitation. It’s what I’ve always had with Georgie.

“I’m Ruth,” I cut in, holding my hand to shake. Trevor has to twist to take it, maneuvering around the odd angle, but when he does, he gives me an enthusiastic squeeze, his grin somehow getting bigger.

“I know. This guy doesn’t shut up about you.”

“He doesn’t?” I try to hide a smile, my voice teasing even as I try to snuff out the bubble of hope in my chest. We’re friends. Thinking about anything more is pointless.

“Thanks for that, asshole.” Rowan’s knuckles go white on the wheel. He shoots me a look out the corner of his eye. “I mentioned you once. Now he asks about you every fuckin’ day.”

Trevor’s hand appears from the back to smack Rowan on the arm, hissing at him like a mother chastising a child. “Rude!”

“Sorry.” His response comes out automatically, if a little sullen. Clearly, he’s used to this.

“Are you coming with us?” I twist around, trying to change the subject. Rowan didn’t mention anything about Trevor joining.

“Nah, going hiking.” He leans over and digs out a plastic bag from under the seat next to him. When he pulls it up, I can see a pair of boots inside. “Ro’s dropping me at the trailhead.”

“Is that safe? Going by yourself? Where’s the rest of your stuff?” I frown. He seems woefully underprepared, and it’s damn hot today.

“Ah, don’t worry about me, sweet cheeks.” A scoff comes from the man next to me at the nickname. “I got all my gear in the back.”

“Can you keep a lid on it for one God damn hour?” Rowan sounds exasperated.

“I am!” Trevor sounds affronted. I can’t help but smile, thrilled to watch all this play out.

“You promised not to be an ass.”

“I’m asking questions! I’m getting to know your new friend!”

In all their bickering, the thing my mind sticks to is you promised . They talked about me? I picture Rowan laying down the ground rules for this road trip, telling Trevor not to embarrass him or say anything weird. Was he nervous about the two of us meeting? The thought warms my stomach in a way it absolutely should not.

“You know exactly what you’re doing.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The fuck you don’t-”

“Hey,” I cut in, stopping them before this turns into a full-blown argument. “It’s not a big deal. Trevor’s not bothering me.”

“See.” Trevor smirks.

I frown over my shoulder. “But you’re bothering him, so maybe lay off a bit.”

His eyes widen, brows furrowing as he looks between me and Rowan. “Oh God.”

“What?” I ask.

“It’s happening.” He covers his eyes in affront. “I’m that weird third wheel where you’re basically my parents,” he groans, flopping to the side until he’s sprawled across all three back seats. “I’m your son!” The boot bag clatters to the floor amidst his dramatics.

“Can you get it together, man?” Rowan growls.

Tension creeps back into the car, and I can’t tell if Trevor is winding us up on purpose or if he just accidentally put his foot in his mouth. Does he know about what happened? Did Rowan say something to him? I imagine Rowan going home and telling his friend about the crazy girl who kissed him out of the blue.

“Sorry.” He has the sense to look suitably ashamed.

“Stop saying stupid shit, or I’ll leave you in the wilderness.” Rowan sighs.

I twist around again, wanting to change the subject. “Did you not want to come to the game?”

“He already had plans-”

“Absolutely not,” they answer at the same time.

I look between the two of them, waiting for someone to clarify.

“You couldn’t pay me to spend a day with Keith,” Trevor continues.

“Trev.” Rowan sighs as if they’ve had this conversation before.

“Who’s Keith?” I press.

“My dad.”

“A self-aggrandizing, patronizing fuck,” Trevor says matter of factly.

“Jesus.” Rowan looks like he’s ready to run the car off the road.

“Really?” I ask.

“You may not have noticed this, Ruth, but I’m a pretty awesome guy.” Trevor winks and somehow manages not to look like an asshole doing it. “If even I can’t get along with somebody, it says a whole lot more about them than me.”

“He’s really that bad?”

“Worse.”

I turn to Rowan. “Is that why you needed a buffer? So he can’t be an ass?”

“He’s just a little abrasive.” Rowan shrugs. “He can get kind of opinionated at the games.”

“I’ve literally never met a worse human being,” Trevor mutters, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to face out the window.

“It’ll be fine. He’ll be on his best behavior with you there,” Rowan says.

I slump down in my seat, wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. “I’m really not as charming as you seem to think I am.” I force a laugh.

Rowan’s eyes snap over for a split second, and I don’t miss the groove between his brows.

“You don’t need to be charming,” says Trevor. “Keith just needs an audience and he’ll be a good boy.”

I give him a quick smile. They don’t need to see my nerves. I usually do alright on a first impression. It’s typically when people get to know me that they find out everything they don’t like.

Rowan doesn’t acknowledge Trevor. His hand reaches across the gap, the backs of his fingers bridging the space to give my knee a tap. “We don’t have to go. I know I kinda sprung this on you,” he says quietly.

His offer’s sweet, but I’m in this now. Rowan’s been showing up for me ever since we met, I’m not going to bail on the first chance I get to show up for him.

“No way.” This time, when I smile at him, it’s with a confidence I don’t quite feel but that I need him to see. “We got this.”