Chapter 62

Rowan leaned back in her chair, her fork halfway to her mouth as she studied the two of them. She set it down slowly, her brows furrowing as if she’d just noticed something she couldn’t ignore.

“Are you two always like this around each other?” she asked, her tone casual on the surface but edged with something sharper underneath.

Celeste and Naomi both turned to look at her, caught mid-laugh from their playful wrestling match. For just a heartbeat, the air thickened between them before they answered at the same time, voices overlapping.

“Like what?”

Rowan’s eyes flicked between them, narrowing slightly. She gestured with her hand, motioning toward the space between them as if that alone was evidence. “This. The way you joke, the way you touch, the way you… you look at each other. It feels… different.”

Naomi leaned back in her chair with exaggerated nonchalance, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She smirked, trying to downplay the heaviness of Rowan’s words. “Different how? We’ve always been like this. She’s my best friend. Don’t start writing soap operas in your head.” She popped another fry into her mouth, eyes deliberately on Rowan as if daring her to push further.

Celeste chuckled softly, though her fingers fidgeted with the straw of her drink, spinning it in lazy circles. “Yeah, Rowan,” she said lightly, her tone somewhere between teasing and defensive. “This is just us. You’re overthinking it.”

But as the words left her mouth, Celeste’s gaze lingered on Naomi for a beat too long eyes tracing her profile, the small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Naomi felt it, glanced quickly back at Celeste, and then away again with a faint, almost shy grin she covered by taking another sip of her drink.

Rowan caught the exchange. Her stomach twisted, but she forced her expression neutral, pretending to cut another piece of steak. “Maybe I am overthinking,” she murmured.

Then, almost as if she couldn’t stop herself, Rowan looked back up, her voice quieter but pointed. “Are you sure there’s nothing going on?”

The question hung heavy in the air.

Naomi froze for half a second, then gave an easy laugh that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Positive. If there was, trust me you’d know. Celeste can’t keep a secret to save her life.”

Celeste raised her brows, leaning back in her chair with a smirk that masked her tension. “Really, Rowan. There’s nothing like that between us.” She took a sip of her drink, deliberately casual. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Rowan lingered on the silence for a moment, her fork scraping lightly against the plate as she toyed with the last bite of steak. Her eyes flicked up, meeting both of theirs again. She let out a soft huff, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh.

“Okay,” she said finally, her tone light, though her gaze stayed sharp. She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms loosely. “But even if there was…”

She paused just long enough to make them both look at her, waiting. Then Rowan smirked, her voice dipping with playful confidence.

“I would definitely be a third.”

Naomi nearly choked on her drink, coughing as she slapped a hand against her chest. “Excuse me?!” she blurted, wide-eyed.

Celeste’s head snapped toward Rowan, her lips parting in shock before a disbelieving laugh escaped her. “Rowan!” she exclaimed, her voice somewhere between scandalized and amused. “You did not just say that.”

Rowan shrugged innocently, though her eyes glittered with mischief. “What? I’m just saying. Hypothetically.”

Naomi pointed her fork at her like a weapon, shaking her head. “Girl, you are wild for that. Hypothetically my ass.” She leaned back in her chair with a dramatic roll of her eyes, though her smirk gave her away. “You really just said that out loud, huh?”

Celeste buried her face in her hands, laughing into her palms. “I cannot with you two.” She peeked through her fingers, her cheeks warm, still smiling despite herself.

Rowan leaned forward on the table, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes trained on Celeste. “Don’t act like you’re not flattered.”

The table was still buzzing with laughter from Rowan’s bold comment when Naomi leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She studied Rowan for a long second, her lips curving into a sly grin.

“Alright then,” Naomi said suddenly, her tone daring. “Come and kiss me.”

Rowan’s head snapped toward her, eyes wide. “What? No!” she sputtered, nearly dropping her fork.

Naomi tilted her head, smirk growing wider. “Why not? I thought you just said you’d definitely be a third.”

Celeste froze mid-sip of her drink, choking out a laugh as she covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes darted between the two of them, half entertained, half mortified. “Oh my god, Naomi…”

Rowan’s cheeks flushed pink as she leaned back in her seat, pointing at Naomi. “I was joking! You really think I’m about to just—” she waved her hands dramatically—”get up and kiss you? In front of Celeste? You’re crazy.”

Naomi shrugged like it was the most casual thing in the world, still grinning. “You sounded pretty serious a second ago. Don’t go backing out now.”

Rowan narrowed her eyes at her, then glanced at Celeste like she was searching for backup. “You’re just trying to mess with me, aren’t you?”

Celeste raised her hands in mock innocence, though her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Don’t look at me. This is between you two.”

Naomi leaned forward on her elbows, voice dropping into a teasing lilt. “That’s what I thought. Big talk, but no follow-through.”

Rowan huffed, grabbing her drink and taking a long sip to hide her flustered expression. “You’re ridiculous,” she muttered, though the faintest smile tugged at her lips.

Naomi sat back triumphantly, tossing Celeste a quick wink. “Told you she couldn’t handle it.”

Celeste shook her head, still grinning as she finished another bite. “You’re impossible,” she muttered to Naomi, though her eyes gleamed with amusement.

“Impossible?” Naomi echoed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “No. Just honest. Rowan here talks a big game, but she can’t follow through.”

Rowan slammed her cup down, standing up so fast her chair scraped loudly against the floor. Both Celeste and Naomi blinked at her sudden movement.

“Oh, I can follow through,” Rowan said, her voice low but charged.

Before either of them could ask what she meant, Rowan slid across the small space, planted herself right on Naomi’s lap, straddling her with sudden confidence. Naomi’s eyes went wide, her mouth parting in shock.

Rowan smirked, leaning in close. “You wanted a kiss, right?”

And before Naomi could get a word out, Rowan closed the gap, pressing her lips firmly to hers.

Celeste’s jaw dropped, her fork clattering onto her plate as she stared at them in disbelief. Naomi froze for a half-beat, then instinctively kissed back before pulling away just slightly, breathless and stunned.

Rowan leaned back just enough to meet Naomi’s stunned expression, her smirk still tugging at her lips. “There. Follow-through.”

Celeste covered her mouth with her hand, torn between laughing and screaming. “Oh my god… what the hell just happened?”

Naomi blinked rapidly, trying to catch up, her voice half a laugh, half a gasp. “You’re insane, Rowan…”

Rowan only shrugged casually, still perched on her lap. “You dared me.”

Rowan slid off Naomi’s lap, settling back into her chair with a satisfied grin, while Naomi adjusted herself, still a little dazed. Celeste shook her head, still staring between them like she couldn’t believe what she’d just witnessed.

Naomi finally smirked, breaking the silence. “Well, I’ll give you this, Rowan you’re a good kisser.” She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest, her tone playful but edged with warning. “Careful, Celeste. I might have to steal your girl but not girl.”

Celeste narrowed her eyes, her jaw tightening, though she kept her composure. “Funny.”

Naomi turned her head, meeting Rowan’s gaze directly, her expression softer now but serious enough to make her point. “But you… you might not want to do that again.”

Rowan tilted her head, curiosity flickering. “Oh yeah? Why not?”

Naomi leaned in just a fraction, her voice low and confident. “Because I have a superpower. And if I kiss you again, you’ll definitely fall in love with me before you even realize it.”

The room went quiet for a beat, the tension humming just beneath the surface. Rowan blinked, her smirk faltering, and Celeste shifted in her seat, watching the exchange with a mix of disbelief and something darker simmering beneath her calm exterior.

Rowan finally gave a short laugh, trying to play it off. “We’ll see about that.”

Naomi only smiled knowingly, picking up her glass and taking a slow sip.