Rowan

Chapter 12 | Rowan

The cafe was dim, much like the weather outside its walls. But it was warm, and she slipped her jacket off by the door, folding it over her arm and shaking the rain from her loose hair.

And then she looked up, trying to appear inconspicuous, like she wasn't looking for someone. Like she wasn't secretly hoping for them to be there. Except she was.

The tables were mostly empty, and the absence of the person she'd really been expecting to see was so blatantly obvious that she couldn't quite wrap her mind around it. She really thought he would be there.

Trying to shove down the disappointment that surfaced, she moved quietly to a table in the back. She silently watched as a few people came and went; the dreary weather seeming to cling to them.

"What can I get you, dear?"

She looked up at the voice. It was a waitress she'd seen a few times before; an older woman who had a streak of blue in her hair. But she had kind eyes, and that's mostly why the younger woman remembered her.

Rowan smiled halfheartedly. "I'll just have a hot chocolate, please."

"You know, sometimes it helps to have a nice warm cookie."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

The woman held up a finger. "Hold on."

She disappeared through the doorway leading into the kitchen and was back a few minutes later. She was carrying a mug of hot chocolate and a big chocolate chip cookie, which she laid down in front of Rowan. "It's on me," she said, winking.

Rowan felt a real smile tug at her lips, and she let out a surprised laugh. "Thank you."

"Sometimes the sad fact is that boys will be boys. Or men will be boys, in this case." She smiled at Rowan's expression. "I've seen you with that man- the one with the pretty eyes. I think he's just a little lost."

Rowan set down her mug, her hands shaking. "He left."

"He'll be back. You'll see. In fact, maybe you should try to reach out to him. Sometimes men's logic just doesn't work."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." She hesitated. "How did you know?"

She was met with a mischievous grin. "I'm a mom. We know these things when we see them. And like I said, I've seen the two of you together. I can't help wanting to support what could be a beautiful relationship if the two of you would just take that step."

•>•>•>

"Hello?" The voice was deep and just a little bit rough, just as she remembered, and a jolt of nerves shot through her.

"Hi, it's Rowan. I-" she paused, struggling for words. "I just wanted to apologize about the other night. When I grabbed your hand."

It was silent for a moment, and she was beginning to wonder if he was still even on the line when he spoke again, and his voice was different. "God, Rowan. You're apologizing for that? I grabbed your hand first, remember? And then I left." He sounded frustrated. "It's me who should be sorry, and I am. I'm a coward."

Something akin to sympathy washed over her. "You're not a coward. You're just...you don't know how to trust people, do you?" She internally cringed. "Sorry, I don't know where I got that from. I just have this sense that that is part of the issue. And that sounded even worse. I'm not crazy, I swear."

A rough laugh sounded from the phone. "No, you're right. Of course you are. I knew you were different." They were both silent, and then he spoke again. "Will you see me again?"

"Yes." The response was instantaneous. She couldn't lie to herself-of course she would see him again.

"How about we start where we met?"

She couldn't hold back her smile, or the relief that settled over her. "The cafe it is."