Page 6 of No Place Like Home (Orlinda Valley #3)

Summer

T onya and Diane left soon after we toasted Rowan with a free round of drinks. Thank God. I loved them both, but Tonya—she’s loud, and always takes over the conversation.

“Alright, y’all,” Rowan said, “it’s been great being here, but I’m beat and have had more than my limit of alcohol. I’ve gotta get home. If I beat Summer, I get the bed and she’ll be on the couch.”

I snapped my head toward him. “Bullshit. We’ve already discussed this. That bedroom’s mine. The couch is all yours, buddy.”

Kora laughed. “If it makes you feel any better, Rowan, it’s a comfortable couch. And, again, if you don’t like it, you can always go to your mother’s. She would love to have you.”

“True,” Rowan agreed. “But I’m not ready for that tonight.”

Trevor stood. “Well, y’all didn’t drive here, not that either of you’d be in any shape to drive home, so I’ll take you. You can fight out who gets the couch on the way.” He started toward the bar. “Just give me a minute to check on things and I’ll meet you outside at my truck.”

It wasn’t long until we were pulling into the driveway of Kora’s little ranch house .

“Thanks, Trev.” Rowan reached for the door handle but didn’t open it. “Want to come in and get a coffee? It’s still early.”

“No thanks, man. I’m going to get home. Five a.m. comes early.”

“You still taking care of your grandpa’s cows?”

“Yep. Sure am. I’ll see you soon. Stop by sometime.”

“Sure will, man.”

I pushed on Rowan’s shoulder. I’d had too much to drink and really needed a cup of coffee. “Can you open the door and get out already? Y’all two can talk later. It’s not like you’re going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Okay, Summer.” Rowan chuckled as he opened the door. “Thanks again, Trev. I’ll call you.”

I left Rowan at the truck as he and Trevor said their goodbyes. You’d think it’d been forever since they’d talked. Well, maybe it had been. Whatever.

I unlocked the door. The tequila and random other drinks I had were getting to me and my head was a bit fuzzy. I put a coffee pod in the Keurig.

When I heard the kitchen door close, I asked, “Row, want a cup?”

“I’d love one. Make sure it’s strong.”

“You got it.” My cup finished brewing and I put another pod in the Keurig and got the half-and-half and sugar while Rowan found popcorn and threw a bag in the microwave.

Once coffee was made and popcorn popped, we got comfortable on the couch, the bowl between us.

We sat together silently, sipping coffee and munching on popcorn.

My head calmed a bit as the caffeine, salt, carbs, and fake butter hit my stomach and filled my veins .

I watched Rowan turn on the television and search for something on one of the streaming services. His face was a bit flushed from the alcohol, but he looked good. Happy.

“Damn, Row, you’re making a mess.” I picked up popcorn that fell on the couch and tossed it in my mouth. “You might have gotten older, and I’m sure a bit stronger, but your popcorn eating habits haven’t changed at all. You’re still a slob.”

“Not true.” His eyes never left the television. “We used to eat popcorn with Coke. Now it’s coffee.” He lifted his mug. “My habits have changed.”

I thought about what he said. We used to eat popcorn and drink Coke just about every Saturday afternoon on his parents’ couch. It was our thing. Sometimes we’d even go to the movies just for the popcorn, drenched in movie theater butter. “Popcorn’s better with Coke than coffee.”

“Yeah, but coffee’s now a necessity.” He gestured to the TV. “Check it out.” The Conjuring was on. “Brings back memories. This movie scared the shit out of you when we saw it in the theater.”

The main character opened the basement door and fear clenched my stomach.

“Yeah, can’t say much has changed.” I turned my body so I was totally facing Rowan and tucked my legs up under me.

There was no way I was watching this movie.

“So, you couldn’t tell me you changed your entire life’s goals?

You had to treat me like just another one of your friends? I thought we were different.”

He turned to me and waited a bit before he spoke, his gaze traveled over my body. I resituated myself on the couch, suddenly uncomfortable .

“Not like I had a chance to say anything. You took me off-guard dancing around in a towel when I walked in, then we were interrupted by Kora and Kai.” He turned back to the show.

I wasn’t going to let him ignore me and I didn’t want to hear the music from the movie, so I leaned over him and grabbed the remote before he could react, pushing the power button to shut off the TV.

“Hey! What the hell, Summer. I was watching that.”

I threw the remote onto the carpet. “Now you’re going to talk to me. If you’re here for more than the next two weeks, what are we going to do about this living situation?”

“Your house should be finished soon, right? Then you’ll be gone, and I’ll be here. So, technically, I think that makes you the guest and I should get the bed, as this is my house.”

My eyes narrowed. Was he serious?

“Or,” he raised his brow in a challenge. “We could always share the bed. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Not happening. Not this time, anyway.” There were times, back when we were in high school, when I would be at his house and wouldn’t want to go home.

After my parents’ divorce, my mother often drank too much and yelled a lot.

I’d stay at Darlene’s and Kora’s most nights, but sometimes I’d just crash at Rowan’s.

My mother never asked where I was, and as long as my father wasn’t bothered by me, he didn’t care what I did.

My parents were so wrapped up in their own shit—mom drinking away her depression and dad fucking any woman who would take him.

I had to have an escape, and, luckily, I had amazing friends with great families.

The nights I was at Rowan’s house, we’d both sleep in his bed, but he’d sleep on the top of the covers with me under them. We were always clothed, but it made me feel safe to be able to be there with him.

I walked to the closet by the front door.

“I was the first person here, so this is my place, and you’re the guest. My house will be ready in three weeks.

Until then . . .” I pulled out an extra pillow, a sheet, and a blanket.

“You’ll need to get comfortable right here.

” I threw everything at him one item at a time, then turned and left him sitting there with the grin that always grinded its way into me.

“Come on, Summertime. You look angry. Don’t be. It’s me.” He spread his arms wide, and his grin broadened.

That damn grin. It always irritated the hell out of me. It was the grin that would get all the girls chasing after him, but it just pissed me off.

Until now. The slight flutter deep in my gut surprised me just enough to piss me off more. I groaned in frustration. “Good night, Rowan.” I turned and walked away, but his chuckle followed me.

***

“Dammit.” I had been tossing and turning for I didn’t know how long. This was ridiculous. I flopped on my back and plopped my arms down hard on either side of me. I stared up at the ceiling. “It’s just Rowan, and this bed is plenty big enough.”

I threw back the covers, plodded heavily toward the door, and opened it. “Hey, ass, are you awake?”

“I am.”

His voice didn’t even sound remotely tired. How irritating.

“I can’t sleep. Want to talk? We can sit up in my bed and watch TV. ”

“You want to sleep with me? Summertime, I don’t know if that’s a good idea. We’re just friends. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression.”

Even though I heard the joking tone in his voice, a rock lodged in my gut.

What was I thinking? “Whatever. I was just offering, but if you’re stuck on being a dick, you keep your sorry ass on that hard couch.

” I slammed the door and cursed under my breath.

I might not have been able to sleep, but that didn’t mean I was in a mood to deal with his sarcasm, which of course he thinks is cute. I think it’s fucked up.

I fluffed the pillows behind my back and turned on the television.

I’d found a rom-com and had just gotten comfortable when the door to my room opened.

“Summertime, you need to relax and not take everything so seriously.” Rowan joined me on the bed and threw his legs on the comforter.

He was wearing blue flannel lounge pants, a white T-shirt, and carried two bottles of water and a package of my favorite chocolate chip cookies.

He handed me a water and opened up the cookies.

“You’re not going to eat those in my bed.”

“Technically, not your bed. And, yes, I am.” He popped an entire chocolate chip cookie in his mouth and exaggerated chewing it.

The sound of the crunchiness grated on my nerves. “Don’t you dare get any crumbs on the sheets.”

“Of course not,” he said with his mouth full. “That’s why I put the entire cookie in my mouth at once.” He took a drink and grabbed another, shoving that one into his mouth whole too. Then he offered me the bag.

I sighed heavily. “So, you’re eating in my bed. Are you going to sleep here also? ”

“You did ask me, so why the hell would I say no? I’ve never turned down a beautiful lady.” He brushed my hair over my shoulder and wiggled his brows.

I chuckled as I took a bite of the cookie. “That, I believe.”

“Saying I’m a ho?” he asked, feigning shock. “If so, I’ve got to say, I’m offended.”

I rolled my eyes and focused once again on finding something to watch. “I doubt that offended you, but you’ve never hurt for a lady’s attention.”

“Well, there’s one lady whose attention I’ve never had in that way.”

I froze as my heart did a slight stutter, and I stared at the screen without registering what was on.

I turned slowly toward him, my eyebrows raised.

“Excuse me?” I asked. If I gave off my typical air of not giving a shit, maybe he wouldn’t realize how that statement affected me.

How my heart picked up speed and my stomach did that churning thing again.

Our eyes locked for a brief second before one corner of his mouth turned up. “You seem a little shocked. You should know I’ve always thought you were beautiful.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, and you look good too. Stating the obvious means nothing. That’s how we could be friends all these years.” I turned my attention back to whatever the hell was on and took a bite of the cookie.

Damn him. If he thought I was going to give in to that sexy grin and his come-fuck-me eyes, he was so wrong. Now to get my body to climb on board.