Loving Rowan by Ariadne Wayne Page A

door.
    “Rowan, open up.” Kyle’s voice came from the other side. My stomach turned at the thought of what he had seen when he had walked in without knocking before.
    “Rowan, let me in before your parents see me out here.”
    I pulled myself up on the door handle, opening the door to let him in. He stared at me as I turned my face away from him.
    “What’s going on? Why are you upset?”
    I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
    “Oh hell, Rowan. Is this about Andrew?”
    I closed my eyes and shrugged. This was about Andrew, about Charlie, about me. Even about Kyle. My head was swimming with emotions and what my mother had just thrown at me.
    Kyle gripped my arms, shaking me gently until I looked at him. His eyes were full of emotion, and I knew he wanted to protect me. That’s what friends do for each other.
    “Rowan, if this is about today and Andrew marrying Charlie, that part of your life is over. They don’t deserve to have you as a friend. You are so much better than that, sweetheart. So much better than them. You would never have treated them the way they’ve treated you.”
    All I could do was to stand and look at him, trying not to sob. I couldn’t find the words even to thank him for what he’d said.
    “Baby, you are a beautiful woman. So smart, and sweet, and gentle. Any man would be an idiot not to be crazy in love with you. Charlie is a crap friend for not asking you to be her bridesmaid, and Andrew is just as bad for not doing anything about it. They’re not your friends, Rowan. Please tell me you see that.”
    I let go of the sob, collapsing into his chest as I felt his strong arms around me. I breathed in the smell of the aftershave he always wore. Safe and reassuring. At that moment, I didn’t want to be anywhere else but in his embrace.
    He picked me up, placing me gently on the bed and lying down beside me. There wasn’t much room but I lay on my side, just looking at him while he made himself comfortable. Face to face, he stroked my cheek as the tears rolled down. His eyes seemed to search my face, looking for something. I hated him looking at me with so much pity, but I couldn’t turn away.
    “Don’t cry. It’s not worth it,” he finally said.
    “It just hurts so much,” I whispered.
    “I know it does. But, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need them. Not the way you used to. You’re all grown up, and need to get on with your life. Don’t live in the past, Rowan.”
    I couldn’t say anything more.
    “What they did was hurtful and rude. You should have been right up the front with your friends. If not in the bridal party, then as family.”
    “Charlie wouldn’t have wanted me in her photos,” I sobbed, “I would have just ruined them.”
    He sighed. “Sweetheart. What makes you say that?”
    “I don’t fit in with them, Kyle. I never did. I was always the odd one out; it just took me a long time to see it. Andrew and Charlie are such beautiful people, and I just tagged along the whole time.”
    “Rowan, you are beautiful. Do you really think that little of yourself?”
    I couldn’t answer. If I did, the tears would start again, and I didn’t know if I could stop them.
    “You really have no idea just how spectacular you are. Charlie has such a generic look. You have so much more character. For what it’s worth, I am crazy about your freckles.”
    My heart pounded as we continued to just look at each other. Could my mother be right?
    “There are a lot of men out there who love the way you look. Me included. Rowan. You do these things to me I can’t even begin to describe.”
    All the right words were coming out of his mouth, and I ached for him to kiss me, touch me. Give me what I needed. Because he needed it too.
    “I don’t know about that,” I whispered.
    “You are amazing. Andrew is an idiot for choosing Charlie. I would never make that mistake.”
    He rolled me onto my back, and I looked up at him. His eyes were searching my face,