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“She threw up twice and then passed out,” Theo said, his voice rough.
“How much did she have to drink after we left?” Rowan asked, brushing the short black hair from Poppy’s face.
“One more of the same drink she’d had all night. Then some idiot insisted she take shots with him. I dropped off Lauren around one and then Aiden. By the time we got back here, Poppy was slurring her words. I figured she’d rather come to her studio than inside. I tried to get her to drink water, but then she got sick. I couldn’t leave her.”
Theo looked like he wanted to be sick himself.
“How was Lauren when you dropped her off?” Rowan asked.
“Tipsy, but judging by how much she and Aiden were bickering, she seemed fine. Shit, I didn’t even think to check on her. I don’t have her number. She didn’t take any shots that I saw.”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Rowan said, but she looked worried.
“Let me check Poppy,” I said, crossing the room to kneel beside Rowan. I lifted Poppy’s wrist and measured her pulse. Her heart rate and breathing were steady. Her skin didn’t feel clammy or appear blue. I sat her upright and snapped my fingers in her face. Poppy opened her eyes a slit, groaned, and shut them. I laid her down on her side. “She’s going to feel terrible when she wakes up, but I don’t think she needs to go to the hospital. Rowan, you should stay with her in case she gets sick again.”
Rowan nodded.
“I’ll stay,” Theo said, pacing back and forth.
I had a feeling he’d done that a lot over the past few hours. Rowan put her hand on my shoulder to steady herself but stood on her own and walked to Theo.
“Thank you,” she said, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “You’ve taken really good care of her, but I know my sister. She’s going to be embarrassed when she wakes up, and if she sees you here, she’ll feel so much worse. I promise to stay with her, and if you give me your number, I can text you updates, if you want.”
Theo fumbled in his pockets and pulled out his cell. “Here,” he said handing it to her. “Text yourself so I have your number too.”
I didn’t even have Rowan’s number. A fact that bothered me more than it should. I lived right down the street and saw her in the office twice a week. Chris’s number was one of my top contacts since he walked Skye. Hell, I even had Poppy and Rose’s numbers. I could reach Rowan anytime I wanted.While she’s here.My chest tightened.
Rowan sent herself a text from Theo’s phone. It buzzed in her purse, and I fought the urge to hand her my phone as well. She gave Theo his and pulled him into a tight hug. “She’ll be fine,” Rowan said. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. They stepped apart and he ducked his head.
“Come on, brother,” I said, standing. “You can crash in my guest room for a couple hours before Chris’s training. Go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
He nodded and left the shed without a word.
“He was pretty shaken,” Rowan whispered. “Honestly, Poppy seems fine to me. I might have slept beside her with a trashcan on the floor, but I wouldn’t have stayed awake all night.”
I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “He’s been taking care of Aiden and me for years when we’ve had too many. He knew exactly what to look for to know she wasn’t in serious trouble. And you’re right, with us he’d have just rolled us on our sides and slept nearby. He must really like her.”
Rowan nodded. “The fact she let him bring her here speaks volumes. She doesn’t allow any of us inside her studio. After I check on Lauren, I’m 100% snooping around. I love seeing Poppy’s works in progress, but she refuses to show us anything until it’s finished.”
I took Rowan’s face in my hands. “Well, don’t let me keep you from your snooping,” I said, placing a soft kiss on her mouth.
I wanted to ask when I could see her again. Monday was too far away, and I didn’t want our next meeting to be at the office. Part of me wanted to make the most of the time we had before she moved on, but a larger part told me to keep my distance. She needed to understand that things between us were casual. “I’ll see you,” I said.
The smile slipped from her face momentarily, but she forced it back with a nod. My stomach sank as I closed the shed door behind me. When I reached the street, I found Theo standing by his truck, waiting.
“I’m going to head home,” he said. “I’ll be wrecked for work later if I get up and train with y’all. Tell Chris I said hi.”
“You sure? We could grab Skye and take a walk first.”
He chuckled and opened the door, the interior light illuminating his tired face. “Those Stevens sisters,” he said. “I’m a shit substitute for Rowan.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I said, walking around the front of his truck to stand beside him. “I thought you might not want to be alone after staying up all night worrying about a girl you obviously care about. I thought maybe you’d want to spend time with Skye to calm down. I did not invite you back because I needed the company. Forgive me for giving a shit.”
“Admit it,” he said, leaning into my face. “You like her, and that scares you to death.”
“Rowan and I had sex. Big deal. I know you’re not into casual hookups, but it works fine for me.”
Theo nodded. “Keep telling yourself that, brother.”
