Page 28 of Second Chance for the Grump

Time sped up again, letting everything happen at once.

The kitchen timer flew across the barn. Charlie barked.

I screamed. It seemed like the most logical thing to do while I watched the man I had just admitted to loving get attacked by an ex.

Rowan sidestepped Jonathan as if they had practiced it. Jonathan missed him completely. His momentum kept him going right into the support post he had Charlie tied to.

The old barn groaned, and the support pole leaned a little to the left. The entire barn seemed to shudder in an aftershock. Something above us cracked.

“Oh, no,” I whispered. “We have to get out of here.”

Rowan nodded and jumped into action, untying Charlie with one hand while he kept his other free for Jonathan.

Charlie barked as Rowan slipped him free. The big, hairy dog ran toward me and gave a big lunge once he got close enough. I did my best to catch him, but he stood almost as tall as me on his hind legs, so I just tried to stay standing as he crashed into me.

“Hey, buddy. I missed you so much,” I said, rubbing my face into his fur so the tears didn’t cloud my vision. Charlie was here. With me once again.

His warm body rested against mine as he licked my face, and I swore my heart might thump out of my chest in excitement. Everything felt right in the world again.

“This is such bullshit,” Jonathan said as he stared down Rowan. He had his back against the wobbly support post.

I moved Charlie to the side to keep him safe while giving me the space to yell at Jonathan for being such a dumbass. “That’s not a smart place to stand.”

Jonathan stared at me and then at the post. “Oh this? This one? You don’t want me to stand here?” He pushed on the post, using all his might.

The barn groaned again.

“Jonathan, stop it!”

Rowan walked toward me slowly—too slowly for my liking—shaking his head. “He’s a moron. Where did you pick this one up?” he asked once he reached me.

I shrugged. My aunt set me up with him when she said I had to “get over that loser from Alaska,” but now didn’t seem like the best time to bring it up.

“The entire building is going to come down!” I yelled at Jonathan.

He pushed harder. “Let it.”

Rowan sighed. “I can’t let him kill himself. Also, I doubt he’s going to be able to bring the whole thing down. She’s old but not that unstable.”

Jonathan grunted as he heaved his weight at the support beam and then rubbed his shoulder for the effort.

The absurdity of the moment broke me.

I laughed. Actually laughed. It was half hysterical and half relieved. Like the emotions from the last few days tumbled out of me at the worst time in the worst way. All my worry and adrenaline had nowhere else to go.

Rowan stared at me, but a second later, he laughed too. The sound surprised me. It was deep and warm. Real. My Rowan.

He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me tightly. “Wanna get out of here?”

“Yes, please.”

He hugged me for a moment, making no move to leave until Charlie shoved his nose between us, demanding attention. It drew another round of laughter from me.

Together we turned toward my car. Jonathan was still pushing all his weight against the pole, but the barn didn’t budge.

I had no idea what came next, but I knew I planned to face it with Charlie and Rowan by my side.

Three days later, my world came falling apart again.