Rowan’s POV

I sat in the back of the car, staring out the window, my hands clenched into tight fists. The Arizona sun beat down, casting long shadows over the cracked pavement. The heat seemed to mirror the turmoil boiling inside me. I hated this feeling—the helplessness, the guilt gnawing at my gut. I hadn’t seen Sia in months, hadn’t been able to get close enough to even look her in the eye. Bret had made it clear that my presence wasn’t what she needed right now. And maybe he was right. The last person Sia probably wanted to see was me.

As Bret slid into the car, shutting the...