Simple Man

- THIRTY -

   Rowan hadn't yet closed the door to his room when the yelling began. It wasn't so loud that those who were already asleep would wake up, but it was loud enough that those still awake at least heard the muffled shouts coming from down the hall. Rowan realized who was shouting almost immediately. His curiosity was peaked but he knew eavesdropping was wrong so he was conflicted. It might kill the cat but curiosity still won out as Rowan's feet took him back down the hall toward Meghan and Liv's door.

He wanted plausible deniability should either of them open the door so he slipped into the small laundry room that was just next to there attached studio. Their shouts became clear as he hid near the dryer. He felt this wasn't full blow anger but he could hear definite irritation in both their voices. Of all the things he thought they would fight over, what he heard next wasn't even on the list.

"It might! It might kill you too! He's a movie star and I already explained to you how that threatens our cover!"

That was Meghan.

"What are the chances Iyana? Seriously? The paparazzi didn't follow him here obviously and we would have to be exactly at the wrong place at the wrong time for them to snap a photo of us!"

He knew that was Liv. But Iyana? Who's Iyana?

"I wouldn't want to take the chance regardless! It's not worth it! And it's not just that either, there's still more you don't know!"

"What? What else don't I know? Please help me understand why you can't be human and not a U.S. Marshal for five seconds and go out on one stupid date with him!?"

U.S. Marshal?

It grew quiet for only a moment before he heard Meghan—or Iyana—say, "Rowan is Isaac's half-brother, they share the same mom, a woman if she were still alive would be your grandmother. That makes Rowan your uncle. Getting close to him in anyway can jeopardize our safety. So any level of familiarity with him no matter how nice I'm sure he is is just too close for comfort.

  If Rowan thought it was quiet a moment before he had no idea what quiet truly was. He wasn't sure what happened behind the wall of the laundry room but he didn't stand there long enough to find out if anymore was said—too much had already been said. This was... he didn't even know. He felt at a loss for words. He had a niece? Isaac had a daughter? If Meghan was really Iyana then was Olivia not the girls real name either? What was her name? She had to be a Wolfe if she was Isaac's child. Were they hiding from Isaac? What did he do?

   Rowan's head was spinning and he felt sick to his stomach.

   No one knew he was here but now it made sense why Meg—Iyana—or whoever she was wanted nothing to do with him. She was protecting his niece. What had Isaac gotten his daughter involved in? Who was her mother and where was she? Was his brother okay? He couldn't concentrate on any one question as he numbly walked back to his room. Having already unlocked the door minutes ago his hand went for the handle to turn it and push it open. He closed it softly behind him, leaned back against it and took a deep breath through his nostrils.

   He needed to occupy himself right now. He had grabbed his clothes out from his side saddle earlier and threw them on the bed to deal with later. Now was later. There were enough hangers in the small closet to hang two shirts and a pair of jeans. As if on autopilot he took the hangers and started hanging his clothes on them before putting them back in the closet. It took no time at all before that was done, his extra clothes he folded and put away in the top drawer of the dresser next to the bathroom. He then went to sit on the end of his bed, just staring ahead of him with all this nervous energy and nothing to do to expell it.

   Rowan hated this. It wasn't like he could confront them, then they would know their cover was blown and they would leave. He didn't want that. He had to keep calling Iyana—Meghan. I like the name Iyana came one errant thought and Rowan shook his head. Was he for real? It was complicated enough already with his past trauma and his present celebrity, now he finds out the woman he's interested in is a full-blown U.S. Marshal. What was going on? Was this really his life right now? Despite the lack of logic, his interest was piqued even more. But how could he hope for it to ever work? Rowan's job was to be seen, hers was to be hidden. Iyana was doing the responsible thing keeping him at arms length and now that he knew that he would keep his distance too. It was better this way, he thought, a strong woman like her wouldn't tolerate the insecurities of a damaged man like him—nor should she have to.

   Just then his Nokia rang, startling him as he scrambled to grab it from his jacket that was draped over the armchair. He knew who it was before he answered, "No Edmond, I'm not coming back yet."

   Edmond replied and Rowan looked stunned, "Wait, you're here? In Juniper? Shit! Where?"

  Rowan grabbed at his hair as his anxiety spiked, not yet ready for his past and present to collide like this, "Magnolia Inn? Well, yes it's the only hotel in town. Edmond how did you know? Does anyone else know!?" Rowan asked, panicking as he thought of Iyana and—his niece... Wow, he was an uncle and that felt weird to think about so he just as quickly unthought about it.

What was with this timing? He just found all this out and can't tell anyone and now Edmond decides he's going to drop in on him at the last place he wanted anyone from his life in Los Angeles to see. "Raul is with you? Are you sure no one else knows? Please tell me it's just you two. Shit. I'll let you in, I'm coming. Yeah, yeah—bye."

   Rowan hung up and threw his Nokia on the bed before flying out of his room and down the stairs. He had to be experiencing something out of body because no one's life could be this complicated. Why couldn't things just be simple or at least more simple? He was slowing coming realize that running from his problems only simplified so much in the moment he left but it also complicated his life so much more later on. The ripple effect of his decisions were now coming into sharper focus as he made his way to the door where his friends stood just beyond. He unlocked the deadbolt and the chain and open the door to the familiar freckles of his boyish-looking manager and the suave coolness of Raul. Edmond's face wasn't set in his default public relations smile but in a sheepish grimace as he meekly said "Surprise?"