I take a left onto Spruce Drive, and I park my truck in the driveway of the fifth house on the right, entirely relieved that there’s only one other car parked on the street. I don’t think I could have handled a bunch of people eating while they commiserated over what a fine woman my grandmother was, in true southern mourning tradition.

Yet, I’d allowed Rowan to deal with it. Guess that’s one more thing to add to my list of important things to apologize for.

Fishing my key to the house out of my coat pocket, I take in my surroundings. The place has been kept up, and there’s a black Camaro in the drive. A red racing stripe runs from hood to trunk.

I blink. That’s Tony Johnson’s car. Okay, so it’s a majorly improved version of the rat bastard’s car. Still…What. The. Ever-loving. Fuck.

Piper Ross comes around the corner of the house, a casserole dish in one hand. Her face pales when she sees me, and she stumbles as she tries to avoid crashing into me. I catch her before she goes ass over heels into the flower bed.

“You okay?” I ask gently. The girl has always been easy to spook, but she’s sweet, too. Her standoffishness is completely related to an obvious lack of self-assuredness. Something Rowan possesses in spades. I have yet to meet a woman more confident than Rowan.

Her gaze slides to the house, and then back to me. “Yes.”

“Thanks for including me in the funeral arrangements.”

She smiles shyly. “I’m glad to be of help. I know it must have been hard to be in Jacksonville while everything was going on here.”

With a little smile, I let her go and try to get a look into the dish. “You could have left that on the back porch, I would have gotten it. A man’s got to eat supper, and I haven’t had time to get groceries yet.”

Piper’s eyes get so big that I start to feel sorry for her. “You’re buying groceries?”

“Yeah. Figured staying here was cheaper than getting a hotel.” Plus, this was my home. I need to say good-bye before I sell it.

“You’re staying here?” She almost wheezes.

“It is my home,” I say evenly and take a step forward.

Her five-foot-nothing hundred-pound self moves slightly to block me. Color me surprised as shit. “Oh, yeah, it is, but um, with…everything, don’t you want to…stay somewhere else?”

My bullshit detector goes off. “Why would I want to stay somewhere else?”

She bites her bottom lip. “Because I heard you went ballistic when you found out about Mrs. Gardner’s passing. I’m sorry.”

Gossip spread faster than an STD in this town, especially when the gossip was juicy and false. “About what?”

“Your loss.”

“Thank you.” Weariness seeps into my bones suddenly. I run a hand through my hair. “What is Tony’s Camaro doing here?”

“It’s always here,” she says evasively.

“Really?” And my bullshit detector’s back on. There’s no way Rowan would let him within five feet of this place.

“Yep,” she says firmly, then starts to nibble on her bottom lip. “Except when it’s not.”

Well, that clears everything up. I’d have better luck asking the car why it’s here. Then it hits me, square between the eyes and right in the nuts. “She still lives here, doesn’t she?”

Piper smashes her lips together, making me admire her a little more. Her loyalty, although misguided, is commendable, and it’s more than I can say about her best friend’s.

“You don’t have to say a word. Rowan and I have it all worked out.”

Her eyebrows shoot to her hairline. “Y’all talked after the funeral?”

I nod.

“Okay.” She pats my arm. “I really am sorry. I’m glad you and Rowan worked everything out. She’s missed you, you know.”

Yeah, Rowan used to miss me, but I’d made sure to disabuse her of the notion that I could ever give a fuck about her again. “Have a good night, Piper.”

“ ’Night,” she says and then continues on her way.

So, Tony Johnson’s Camaro is in my drive, and Rowan is in my house. Only one of those things belongs to me, and I intend to claim what’s mine.

Rowan

The back door slides open and I frown. “I told you to go home, Piper. There’s nothing left to do.” I fuss gently, turning around to escort her outside. She’s been at my side for the past week, tirelessly helping me with funeral arrangements.

Instead, I run into the door. Well, if the door was a warm, living thing made of Seth. “What the hell are you doing here, O’Connor?” I practically shout.

“Still my home,” he says and holds up something shiny. “Got a key and everything.”

“Nice story.” I take a step back and hold out my hand, palm facing up. “Hand it over so I can put it back under the rock you should be living under.”

Seth grunts. “Not on your life, Ro.” He pockets the key and I purse my lips at him in annoyance. “Besides, that’s not a safe place to keep a spare.”

“Like you care about my safety,” I snap and then smash my lips shut. Don’t let him see you like this, not one tiny bit of emotion. Be a glacier. An ice queen.

“I care,” he says simply. Sincerely.

Nonplussed, I stare at him. “Anyway, what do you want? If it’s leftovers—I’m happy to fix you a doggie bag so you can be on your way.”

“Maybe in a little while.” Turning slightly, he shuts the door and locks it. “Never know who might be skulking around here.”

Yeah, someone like you could be prowling around. “I can take care of myself.”

His black eyes flash. “I know you can.” He takes a step forward and then another and another until my back’s against the wall. I can smell the beer on his breath, but he’s in total control as he surrounds me. He holds my head in his hands and leans in, his coat touching me while his body remains only inches away.

He searches my face. My body prickles with awareness, seeking him, like it’s the most natural thing in the world for me to do.

I hate it. “See something you like?” I taunt.

He cocks his head to one side, his gaze drifting to my lips. I lick them. “Yeah. Damn,” he murmurs. “I didn’t know. This close. Yeah, I like what I see.”

Confusion sends me off-kilter. “That makes one of us,” I reply in a breathless voice that makes me sound weak.

His gaze jerks upward. His dark eyes burn into mine as he slowly eases away. “I fucked up, Rowan.”

My heart slams against my chest. “Well, we all can’t be perfect.”

“I made you feel like shit when I sent you away.”

The reminder of the day he left me all alone in the visitation cell sends me over the edge. I want to hurt him. “I never felt freer,” I say softly, peering up at him under my lashes. “You did me a favor. So, thanks. And now that we all feel better, you can go.” I pat his arm a couple of times and wait for him to move.

“I’m sorry,” he says as if I hadn’t said anything at all. “I was full of hate and anger. I’m sorry.”

Tears prick hard at the backs of my eyes. I shove my finger into his hard chest. “You do not get to be sorry. You do not get to walk back into my life…my house and apologize.” I have to look away. My chest painfully squeezes in on me like a vise. “You have no right, Seth. None.”

I feel his hot breath on my cheek. “I know, but I’m here anyway.”

I have nothing to say to that. The old Seth I knew would have, well…he wouldn’t have screwed up in the first place. “Fine. You’re forgiven. Get the hell out.”

He laughs. “That’s my girl.”

I glare at him. “I was your girl. Now, I’m my own woman.”

His body straightens, his arms falling to hang loosely at his side. “Fair enough.” He shrugs out of his coat and hangs it over one of the kitchen chairs. “What is Tony’s car doing here?”

The change in subject combined with his casual demeanor makes my head spin. “It’s mine.”