Yours Truly

21. Wasted Potential

Sera blinked. Once. Twice.

It felt like the breath was knocked right out of her, and her heart was about to beat its way out of her chest. It all came crashing down on her in the three seconds she followed Rowan into his office and closed the door; this is what Elena had apologized for.

God, she felt like an idiot.

"What do you mean?" Sera breathed, looking straight at him and not able to look anywhere else, she needed answers.

Rowan seemed pretty calm to her. Walking behind his desk but not sitting down, not really meeting her eyes. It scared Sera slightly, nothing good would come out of her father reaching out to him and she didn't even want to think of how did he know who Rowan was or how was he able to contact him this fast. Rowan's reaction scared her even more.

"Why didn't you tell me Ronald Wynn is your father?" He finally looked at her with an undeciphered look in his eyes.

"You knew my last name, I wasn't hiding anything." Her answer was sharp and angry, she was always like this when it regarded her family; defensive, on edge. Her and Rowan's last conversation didn't help her reactions either.

When all Rowan did was continue staring at her, she asked, "What did he want, Rowan?"

He sighed, ran a hand through his dark beard and then answered, "He invited us to dinner."

"No." Her answer was immediate, definite.

"Wh-.."

"My answer is no, and I hope that that was what you told him because I'm not going." She was getting worked up, and she felt it inside her chest. She angrily pulled back her curls from her face while still maintaining eye contact with the man in front of her, who just looked at her disbelievingly.

"I said yes, Sera. Because that's what a respectful man would say when his alleged girlfriend's father invites him to dinner to get to know him better. Or did you want me to have told him that his daughter was lying?" He mirrored her attitude back at her.

He had a point. But she was going to stand her ground and not show him that.

As she thought about it, it only made sense that her father had called Rowan and not her. She wouldn't have answered anyway but the thought of her dad preferring to call a complete stranger to invite them both to dinner instead of his own daughter felt so much like him and made complete and perfect sense.

She opened her mouth to speak but Rowan raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to continue arguing. She softened a little and dropped her head, looking at the ground.

"Lose the attitude." He warned.

Butterflies erupted in her stomach at his command and she bit her lip to hide a small smile that was about to escape. She had to remind herself that she was angry at him so she replayed the events of last week in her mind and just like that, her smile disappeared on its own.

"You know you don't have to do this." She mumbled, still not looking at him. "My family can be a bunch of assholes sometimes. I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I haven't even spoken to them in a few years, two actually." Guilt was eating at her, and she felt the need to explain herself to him. Sera was still not able to lift up her head or meet his eyes, fidgeting with her rings nervously.

"I could just call and tell them you're busy." She continued mumbling, "Actually no, I can't call. Maybe text?" She averted her gaze to the window in thought. "Either way, you really don't have to."

"Look at me." He demanded.

"I don't think I can at the moment." She pursed her lips.

"Yes, you can."

She forced herself to do so. His deep green eyes softer than they were before, and his brows were no longer furrowed in anger.

"Are you comfortable going to see them?" He asked, his voice gentle, a caress to her heart.

As a result, Sera's eyes stung with tears. This man touches her heart in the softest, most beautiful yet powerful way. She bit her lip to stop her tears, her sadness consuming her yet again.

"I have to." She whispered.

"Do you want to tell me why is it that your relationship with them is not good at least?" He didn't give her a chance as he continued, "So I know what I'm walking into."

She hesitated, "I can but..." She glanced around her, "But not here."

Truthfully, she didn't mind telling Rowan about it not one bit. Her hesitation was only due to them being in an office, but she hadn't even thought twice about being able to tell him or not. She knew she could confide in this man with her deepest, darkest secret, not one ounce of doubt in her heart. The thought only pained her more and filled her with sorrow, because they're relationship had so much wasted potential, and they were only left with the remains of it in every interaction they share.

"We can meet at my apartment after you're done maybe?" She suggested hesitantly.

"Sure." He nodded, still regarding her with a certain look in his eyes that Sera didn't understand.

"Thank you." He only kept staring at her so she clarified, "For going along with it, and I'm really sorry for dragging you into my family drama." She apologized for the millionth time by now.

Rowan finally broke eye contact and licked his lips before saying "I told you to stop apologizing, didn't I?" His voice was low, a dangerous hidden tone intertwined with it.

Sera was only able to nod.

"Dinner is this Wednesday, you're sure you're carrying through with this?" He asked.

She nodded again, "Even if I didn't, we kind of have to by now." She wanted to say more, explain. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted an explanation.

"I promise I'll explain. Tonight." She met his eyes to make her promise more meaningful.

"Okay." Rowan nodded, "I'll come by when I finish, I might be a bit late though."

"It's fine, whenever you're free."

He looked into her eyes one last time and then it felt like he forced himself to look away, "You can go home, you don't look like you're feeling well." He put his hand on his computer's mouse and busied himself with it. No longer paying attention to her but to the screen.

"No, it's-..." She wanted to say but was interrupted.

"I wasn't suggesting." His tone went back to the cold harsh one he used in the car. Sera was slightly taken aback and it seemed like he re-ignited the same fire he had distinguished only a moment ago.

"And I'm not leaving." She fired back.

His eyes slowly went back to her, and the glare he met her with made her falter a little, "What did I say about the attitude?"

She felt like all her comebacks and responses had clogged up in the back of her throat, formed a lump, and prevented her from speaking any further. One glare from him had her completely silenced.

"I'll see you tonight, Sera." He repeated with finality. When he felt her about to argue again, he added, "Please." There was something in his tone that made her want to listen, something sad and vulnerable that she couldn't detect.

"Fine, but you're not being fair." She mumbled and was about to leave when she heard his voice again.

"That attitude better be completely gone before tonight, Sera." A low, promising warning.

She turned her head to look at him, their eyes met and her heart beat faster, she could hear it in her ears. Neither of them blinked, a challenge between two extremely stubborn people. She knew that every time she would look at him now, at her forest man, her heart would ache for a story that died before it was even able to start.

She didn't respond and walked out of the office.