Free Tempting Rowan (Trace + Olivia #3) by Micalea Smeltzer

course it wasn’t open in the winter months.
    Jude picked a booth in the back corner. I took the seat across from him, looking around.
    “You’ve never been here?” He asked.
    “No,” I shrugged, running my finger along the shiny lacquered tabletop. “I don’t have extra money to go out to eat at nice places like this.”
    “Row…”
    I looked up and flinched when I saw the pity in his gaze. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I wasn’t ashamed that I was poor. Lots of people were. But I hated when people looked at me like I was missing out on stuff because of my lack of money. I already knew I was and I didn’t need to see the reminder in their eyes.
    “Just the two of you?” A waitress appeared beside our table, glaring at Jude. Geez, I couldn’t go anywhere with guy. Had he slept with everyone?
    “Yeah, just the two of us,” Jude replied, leaning back in the booth with an easy grin.
    She dropped the menus on the table and the plastic made a smacking sound as it hit the table. “What can I get you to drink then?”
    “Water,” I answered.
    “Same,” Jude replied, smiling at the waitress.
    She rolled her eyes and turned sharply on her heel.
    “She’s so going to spit in my drink,” I grumbled.
    Jude chuckled, pulling off his beanie and running his fingers through his hair. “Nah, she won’t bother you. It’s me that’ll be drinking her spit.”
    “Ew,” I wrinkled my nose. “Anyway,” I picked up the menu, “what’s good here?”
    “Everything,” he replied.
    “That’s real helpful, Jude.”
    “Hey, it’s the truth,” he chuckled, scratching his stubbled jaw.
    Since I was starving and running out of time before I had to get to work, I ordered a turkey club sandwich. Jude ordered the same and cheese fries for an appetizer.
    “Uh…Rowan?” He leaned forward with both his hands on the table, looking at something over my shoulder.
    “Yes?” I responded, inspecting my water for any foreign substances.
    “Do you have a boyfriend?”
    “God no, Jude! You know that! And no, I’m not going to date you!”
    “Hey,” he raised his hands in defense, “I know you’re not interested in me, that’s why we’re friends. But that dude over there is glaring at me like he wants to rip my balls from my body.”
    “Thanks for that disturbing visual, Jude,” I groaned.
    I looked over my shoulder to see who he was talking a bout, but couldn’t see anything, because the top of the booth blocked my line of sight.
    “Did he leave?” I asked.
    “Nope,” Jude picked up the wrapper from his straw and began playing with it, “he’s still staring. I think he’s planning to kill me and trying to figure out the best place to hide my body so no one finds me.” He reached across the table and took my hand. “If I don’t make it out of this alive, please tell my mom I love her.”
    “Are you sure you’re not studying to be an actor?” I pulled my hand from his grasp.
    “Oh, fuck,” Jude paled, sitting up straight, “he’s coming over. I think he’s pissed that I held your hand.”
    “Hello, Rowan.” Both words were said through gritted teeth, telling me the person who spoke them was beyond mad.
    A shiver danced down my spine as I recognized the voice.
    “Hi, Trenton.” I tried to keep my tone light and sound unaffected, even though my whole body was humming with pleasant zings at his close proximity.
    “Yo u know this guy?” Jude asked me, his mouth falling open in shock that I might possibly know someone other than him that possessed a penis.
    I nodded. There was no way I could deny it, and I didn’t want Trent to cause a scene. Well, an even bigger scene.
    “Oh, she knows me better than I’m sure she knows you,” Trent smiled—and there was nothing pleasant about it—as he slid into the booth beside me. “Who are you?”
    “You don’t have to say anything,” I warned Jude, taking a sip of water.
    Trent glared at me.
    Jude swallowed thickly, looking like a deer caught in