4:24

Rowan finished off the last of the dark ale Gareth had handed her an hour before. It was warm and had a bitter taste, but she supposed that was fitting given the day’s events.

“I gotta go, dude. Y’all gonna be ok? I kin come back later if’n that’s what needs to be dun. Easy-breezy, that’s me.”

Gareth smiled but shook his head and then brushed the hair back from his eyes. “No. But thanks,” he said a bit too quickly. “I guess I gotta deal sometime, huh. But I appreciate it. Christ, I appreciate all of it. I never really expected this much hassle and drama.” Gareth closed his eyes as just how much drama was yet to come started to add up in the back of his mind.

“Say, how about we hook up tomorrow after lunch and I can give you a progress report or something.”

“Sure thing, cowboy,” Rowan said brightly. “I’d like that.” She put down the empty bottle, and as she walked to the door she stretched her arms way above her head and let out a long contented noise. At the door she turned and let the smile drop from her face. “You call, right? You damn well call if’n this all started to skitter sideways. Ah mean it!”

Gareth nodded. “I’ll call. Promise. But it’s going be ok now. It’s all gonna be ok.”

A quick, sharp nod and she was gone. And Gareth stood, alone in his apartment, staring at the closed door and wishing she hadn’t left.