Rowan hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. He raised an eyebrow, about to reply, when her phone started ringing.


    The phone was on the bed between them, and both of them caught the caller ID.


    It was Tanya Foster.


    It was the middle of the night–if nothing was wrong, Tanya would never be calling now. Elissa snatched up the phone and answered, “Hello? Tanya, is everything okay?”


    “I just got back,” came Tanya’s muffled voice, thick with emotion–she sounded lost. “Why aren’t you home?”


    Elissa shot upright. “I–I’m at Rowan’s. I’lle home right away.”


    Rowan’s expression soured. He pressed her back down by the shoulder, refusing to let her go.


    “Who’s more important to you, me or Tanya Foster?”


    What was this, some grade school drama? Elissa sighed. “Do you want the honest answer?”


    Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah.”


    “Right now? Tanya Foster.”


    She felt his grip cken. Worried Tanya really was in trouble, Elissa hurried off.


    Rowan watched her leave. His shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly as a sh of self–mockery passed through his eyes.


    Right now, it was Tanya Foster.


    But before? It had been him.


    He’d once been the most important person to that girl he’d practically raised.


    But not anymore.


    Back home, Elissa kicked off her shoes and spotted Tanya sitting on the carpet, knees drawn to her chest, leaning against the edge of the sofa–a posture that screamed insecurity.


    Hearing Elissae in, Tanya nced up, red–eyed, drained, but still couldn’t resist prying: “You and your ‘brother‘… there’s something going on, isn’t there?”


    173


    <b>11:38 </b>


    Chapter 187.


    Elissa blinked, then decided to justy it all out. “We’re together.”


    She left out the part about being lovers. No reason to bring up the past and make Tanya connect the dots–she’d only feel worse about what happenedst time.


    “What the-?”


    Tanya perked up instantly, all gloom forgotten. “Is Rowan out of his mind? You’re his sister! Don’t tell me he’s been scheming this whole time-”


    “Stop, stop.” Elissa padded over barefoot, plopped down beside her with a bag of snacks, and tore it open. “We didn’t talk for eight years. How exactly would he have been plotting anything?”


    “Well, you never know! Maybe eight years ago he already-”


    Even Tanya realized she was being ridiculous. Eight years ago, Elissa had only been sixteen. Besides, Rowan never struck her as the type to go for that “raise–your–own” stuff.


    She switched gears, her imagination running wild. “Wait, three years ago–was that why he wouldn’t let you marry Frank? Because he had feelings for you?”


    “And then you insisted, so he cut you off for three years out of spite?”


    “Give it a rest.” Elissa stuffed a cookie into her mouth. “You think this is some romance novel? Real life doesn’t have those kinds of plot twists.”


    Nobody plots for years for someone else–not in the real world.


    Especially not Rowan.


    He was proud and reckless, and with his temperament, if he’d really felt that way, he’d never have circled back to her after all this time.


    His ego wouldn’t allow it.


    CIS F


    Whatever he felt for her, at best, it was just a fleeting whim from a spoiled rich boy.


    Tanya crunched a potato chip, finally admitting to herself that she’d gone a bit too far with her theories. “So, just now, at his ce…?”


    Elissa felt her cheeks flush and changed the subject. “Why did youe home so suddenly? Was it your parents again, or did your brother do something this time?”


    “Don’t even bring it up.”


    Just mentioning it made Tanya’s voice grow tight with frustration. “They’set me up on


    <b>11:38 </b>


    a blind date. Said if I go along with it, I’ll get a $68,000 wedding fund. Add in what they’ve scraped together, and if I chip in a little, it’ll be just enough for the down payment on a nice apartment for my brother.”