Page 87 of Bossy Romance
That distance alone endears them to me way more than if they’d tried to prick and pry at me like a patient getting a blood transfusion.
Plus, the food here isamazing.
I inhale the flour tortillas that Sunny Hastings, Darrel Hastings’ wife, made. I try not to eat too much processed wheat in general, but I think I’ve found my Achilles heel.
Laughter breaks out from the kids. I stop inhaling the tortillas long enough to glance around the Hastings’ sprawling backyard.
Rowan is standing in a circle of children. He’s smiling and laughing, clearly having a great time. The other kids seem bright and engaged too.
There are three girls and two boys. One of the boys has glasses and the other has dark hair and a moody expression.
The girls have diverse skin tones, from the youngest—who’s pale like a little cherub to the oldest—who’s got intelligent hazel eyes and tawny-colored skin.
Sazuki’s daughter, Niko, is among them. I found it fascinating to watch how the other kids interact with her. Niko signs, scribbles on her tablet and uses body language to communicate with her friends.
I was surprised to see the kids signing in return.
It made my cold heart thaw a little.
Another burst of laughter explodes from the kids and, at the center of it, is Rowan. He’s telling them a joke. Or so I assume. The more he moves his mouth, the harder they laugh.
The iceberg in my heart turns to a puddle.
I thought he’d be shy and ducking behind his dad when he got to the farmhouse.
And I was very wrong.
Rowan marched into the Hastings’ backyard with the confidence he had the day he barged into Adam’s house. The moment he saw the other kids, he went right up to them and made a place for himself in their tribe.
I’m not surprised that he was accepted so easily. Rowan might have a hard exterior with Adam, but with other people, he has an easy affability. Something about him is magnetic and warm. It invites people to come just a little closer.
I bet Rowan was a heartbreaker back home.
Just like his dad.
“What are you looking at?” Adam whispers.
I almost choke on my tortilla when I realize my boss’s face is close to mine.
I’ve been trying not to look directly at him. An absolutely impossible task given how charismatic and eye-catching he is.
“Rowan seems to be fitting in well,” I mumble, nodding at the kids.
“Oh, yeah.”
“He’s way more friendly than I thought.”
“He mentioned he had a lot of friends back home.”
“I believe it,” I murmur.
The conversation stalls. Mostly because Adam’s eyes are burning into me. The intensity of which reminds me of the hot air that blasts me whenever I step out of his air-conditioned lab and into the summer sun.
I clear my throat, trying not to squirm too much. “The food is good.”
“Yeah.” His voice is subdued.
“Do you need anything else?”