Page 63 of Make Your Save

Standing in my bedroom, I stare down at my bed, listening to the sound of the white noise coming from Lucy’s room. She was laid down an hour ago and I took some time to clean the house up before retreating to my room.

The last night Rowan was home, I spent it in his bedwith him. Last night, I fell asleep watching a movie on the couch, and now tonight, it just feels weird climbing into this bed. It’s been where I’ve slept since moving in with Rowan, yet now it feels foreign.

The sheets are cool against my skin and I settle in against the pillows on my side. Something about it just doesn’t feel comfortable and I roll onto my other side, attempting again. Shaking my head in defeat, I roll onto my back, staring up at the white ceiling as I listen to the sounds from Lucy’s room again.

Abruptly, I sit up, throwing the covers away from my body before exiting the room. I slip into the hallway, my eyes landing on Rowan’s door, and I let myself in. His bed is still a mess from the way we left it the morning before he left. It smells like him and I close my eyes, absorbing the scent before I open them and pad across the floor to his bed.

Without a second thought, I slip between the sheets, enveloping myself in every fiber of fabric that his smell clings to. It’s not him, but it’s as close as I can get. I shouldn’t be missing him as much as I am right now, but I think the impending date of me moving is really weighing heavily on my heart.

I’ve gotten comfortable in the confines of his home with him. I’m used to waking up every morning to the sound of Lucy cooing and the aroma of coffee as Rowan starts his day downstairs. Everything has just become normal to me. It’s the familiarity I crave.

Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I see there’s a notification for an unread email on the screen. It’s already close to eleven o’clock, so I’m not sure what itcould be at this hour. When I open the app, I see the first unread message and it’s from the one leasing company in the city.

I was approved for the apartment I wanted to rent there in California and they are willing to do it on a monthly basis with me.

Disappointment washes over me and I frown as I look at the contract for me to sign attached to the email. I needed this to happen for me to successfully move without having to stay in a hotel room for an extended period of time. This is the next step in my life and it’s everything I was hoping for...so why the hell do I feel so damn sad about it?

I exit out of the email, figuring I will deal with it tomorrow, and as I lock my phone screen, it goes black. And then a fraction of a second later, it lights up and a message pops up.

Rowan

Are you awake?

Hadley

I am.

Rowan

Oh good.

I wanted to see how your day was and how Lucy was.

I smile as I read over his message. Rowan checked in this morning and it seems to be a habit of his while he’s on the road. He does a quick check-in in the morning and then again before I go to sleep.

Hadley

It was good and she’s always good :)

Rowan

Are most babies like her?

Hadley

My experience is limited to newborns, but I think you may have gotten lucky.

Rowan

I think I may have too…

There’s a less-than-a-minute pause and as I’m about to type out a response, another comes from him.

Rowan

I can’t stop thinking about you, outlaw.

My heart stumbles in my chest as warmth floods the bottom of my abdomen. He’s not alone in the way he’s feeling. After he left, I was left with the memory of his lips on my skin, his hands traveling along my flesh. I haven’t been able to get him out of my head since.

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