Page 125 of Unexpected Entanglement

Chris did. He was a big believer in taking chances, but not when someone dear to him might be on the line.

“I do, Rowan. I just want us to take every precaution to prevent something like this from happening again,” Chris said.

“And I will. Kieran, Rae, and I will discuss it,” Rowan said.

Chris blinked at her answer. Something didn’t sound right to him.

“You don’t have to worry about it. It’s not your problem,” she continued.

“What are you talking about? Of course, it’s my problem.”

“No, Chris,” Rowan insisted. “It’s my problem. You’ve done enough. You can go home now. I can take care of this mess. I’m sure Kieran and Rae will help, but I’ll handle it.”

“Rowan, if you think I can leave while you’re dealing with this, you’re out of your mind,” Chris said, flabbergasted.

Rowan sighed. “Let’s not make this harder than it already is. I’ve kept you long enough from your other commitment. Your dad is waiting for you.”

“My dad can wait,” Chris argued.

“For how long?” Rowan gave a short laugh. “Take it from me who just lost her dad unexpectedly. Don’t waste time thinking you have plenty of it, because we don’t know how long we have.”

“Rowan, that’s why I need—”

“Go home, Chris. See what your dad wants,” Rowan interrupted. “You are overdue.”

Chris stared at her, confused. “Are you telling me to leave for my dad, or do you just want me gone?”

Rowan pressed her lips into a straight line and didn’t answer.

“I see,” Chris said bitterly. “You’re done with this temporary arrangement between us.”

Not rising to the bait, she simply said, “We agreed on two weeks. And two weeks are up.”

Chris had never felt his jaw this tight as he tried to swallow Rowan’s dismissal.

“I got used to having you around too much,” Rowan explained. “I hope you understand it’s not because I don’t appreciate what you’ve done or what we had. It’s because the longer you stay, the more dependent I am on you. I need to learn to do this on my own. It’s easier if we rip off the band-aid as fast as possible.”

He’d done the same thing with his dad, where he’d broken off from The Sullens Hotels to go off on his own. Though he didn’t like it, he begrudgingly got where she came from.

“I understand,” he said finally.

Rip off the band-aid, Sullens.

“I can catch the three-fifteen ferry with Walt and Jane,” he added.

A tear rolled off Rowan’s eye as she stepped closer to him. “I’m sorry, Chris.”

“You and I are not done,” Chris said, unable to help himself. “You may need time, but…”

Rowan gave him a bemused smile, as if he was out of touch with reality. She cupped his face in her hands. “You gave me two weeks I’ll never forget. Let’s leave it at that. Our worlds are too far apart. The entire world is your playground. While this place is my life.”

“Rowan…” Chris shook his head, not wanting to accept her reasoning.

She put a finger on his lips, and with her eyes pleading, she asked, “Just kiss me one last time.”

forty-three

“You two call me if you ever need anything,” Chris told Alex and Oliver as they hugged goodbye. “I’ll be happy to have you on my team.”

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