Page 88 of Tempting Promises
Not to mention we’re both vying for the contract that he shouldn’t even be eligible for.
“It’s almost midnight,” Rowan says softly as I start to drift to sleep.
“Hmm?”
“My birthday is almost over.”
I nuzzle more into his embrace. “I used to love my birthday.”
“Used to?” he asks.
“My mom was the best at birthdays. Our day was whatever the birthday girl wanted. If we wanted cookies and ice cream for breakfast, we got it. It was the day of ‘yes’ and we looked forward to it every single year. I would always pick the same thing for breakfast, waffles with ice cream, and for dinner it was steak.”
“Steak, at six?” Rowan laughs. “And now you run a dairy farm where it’s basically steak everywhere.”
“My dad loved steak. I did it because I knew he wanted it.”
Rowan rubs his scruffy cheek against my neck. “Always doing for others.”
Story of my life. I take care of everyone so they stay, only to end up alone. It’s really working out well for me.
“Better than being selfish.”
“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it. I like the selfish life.”
I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see it. “Says the man who moved back here when his mother died to help raise his sister.”
“Touché.”
I yawn, feeling tired and comforted at the same time.
“I should probably leave before the clock strikes twelve.”
I smile and twist in his lap, trapping him. “Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”
“I think you’re more Cinderella than I am. I was worried you’d grow horns or something hideous.”
Such an ass. I get up, pulling the blanket with me, and he jumps as the cold air hits him. I giggle and he rushes after me and he doesn’t leave for another two hours.
twenty-one
CHARLOTTE
“What about this dress?” Faye asks as she lifts something I would never wear off the rack.
It’s practically see-through and way too short.
“Are you drunk?”
“I might be.”
I smile and shake my head. “Keep looking.”
We go through the rack and I remember I have something for Faye in my bag. “Oh! I got you something. As a thank you for shopping with me.”
She laughs. “You never have to thank me for shopping, it’s my favorite thing in the world.”
This is true. However, since my adventure in the woods and the fact I keep using the salve I made on bruises, cuts, and pimples, I keep making it. Of course, now I have added a few extras to make it smell divine, used a couple of different oils instead of the crappy olive oil we had, and found someone local in New Hampshire who sent me some really good pine sap. It’s actually really therapeutic and a lot of fun.
