Page 34 of No Place Like Home
Summer. It wouldn’t be so bad getting to see her. I finished the pancake that was on my plate before I said, “How about I take you to get your nails done, and we see if Summer wants to go to lunch with us?”
“Yes.” Her eyes got wide, and her face lit up. “Summer is so much fun, and I bet she can tell me a lot about you, Uncle Rowan.”
I bet she can.
“Well, I’m going to go see what Ruth’s up to. We have our book club meeting tonight.” My mom gave us both kisses on the head. “You two have fun, but make sure to rest, little girl.” She had almost left the room when she turned around again. “Oh, before you leave, Rowan, please clean the kitchen. See you later!”
I watched my mother leave, then glanced around the kitchen. There were bowls and pans everywhere. “What did you two do when you made breakfast?”
Darcie shrugged. “I did all the mixing. Grandma did the cooking.”
Yeah, I could see that. “Help me clear off the table, princess, and I’ll get this cleaned while you find your shoes. Is that good?”
“Yep.” She hopped up, helped me clear the table, and skipped off through the house while I cleaned up the mess.
It was a short drive to Shear Perfection Salon, which kept me from thinking too hard about my first meeting with Summer since our rocking night together.
From how she acted this morning, I was sure she going to blow things off. Act like it was just sex and put her shields in place, which were more like iron-clad curtains erected to keep out the enemy—the enemy being me, a man who has feelings for her.
Unfortunately for her, I knew her too well and was familiar with how she shuts and locks tight that gate to her heart.
“Uncle Rowan, are you listening to me?” Darcie asked from the back seat.
I glanced in the rearview mirror and had to chuckle. The look she gave was atry-meglare. So much like Jamison’s. I’d seen that look many times growing up. “Of course I was listening, princess.”
“Then do you?”
I guess I should have listened. Shit. Do I what?—or more importantly, what would I be agreeing to if I said yes? I pulled into the parking lot of Shear Perfection and parked next to my mother. Of course she was here. Where else would she be? And she made me clean her kitchen because she had somewhere “important” to get to. Ha! Luckily, I could use her as the scapegoat. “I don’t know, Darce. Why don’t you wait and ask Grandma?”
I heard aclick, and then she forced her way between the seats and onto my center console. “Umm, are you allowed up front?”
“The car’s not moving, Uncle Rowan,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’s safe. Duh.” She rolled her eyes and held her hands out, palms up, like the sassy five-year-old she was. “But you really want me to ask Grandma?”
My hands got sweaty. Why was this miniature grown-up making me sweat? I was the adult here, so I needed to put my foot down. “Yes, Darcie, that’s exactly what I want you to do.”
I held the door open, and she jumped out and huffed out a breath. “Fine.” She stalked toward the door with her nose high in the air.
“What the hell did I agree to?” I asked under my breath as I closed the door and jogged to catch up with the little fireball of a niece I had.
“Grandma!” Darcie swung her arms dramatically as she walked toward my mother, who was sitting in Kaye’s chair. Kaye leaned on her station, an amused expression on her face.
“Hello again, my favorite granddaughter.”
Darcie held up her hand and my mom sat tall and pinched her lips together.
Diane and Kaye giggled.
Mrs. Ledbetter, who had been one of my teachers in high school, sat in Summer’s chair. “Rowan, welcome home,” she said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Ledbetter. It’s great to be home.” I smiled at her, then at Summer, who suddenly became uber-focused on doing her client’s hair and ignored me totally.
“Hey, Summer,” I said, refusing to be ignored. Besides, it would be weird if I didn’t acknowledge her.
“I’m working,” she replied, not looking up. “I talked with you this morning.”
“Grandma, I asked Uncle Rowan a question in the car, and he said I needed to ask you.” Darcie crossed her arms over her chest. “I just think he wasn’t listening to me and needed someone to pass the buck.”
Laughter filled the room. “Baby girl, where do you get these words?” my mother asked.
