Bryson's POV
I'm settling into my new job at the bookstore pretty easily. Working with Michael is fine - he's laid-back and doesn't micromanage, which I appreciate. But reconnecting with Rowan has made everything even better.
Our friendship picks up as if no time has passed at all. She's funny and direct, the kind of person who says exactly what she's thinking without a filter. Within a week, she had become my closest friend, the one I actually talk to about things instead of just having surface-level conversations.
After my morning classes, I head to the shop for a quick shift before practice. Rowan's already there, restocking the poetry section.
"Your stepbrother situation is so weird," she says without looking up.
I groan. "Can we not?"
"I'm just saying, living in th
