“But you never—”
“Things were different then,” he said.His hands tightened on the steering wheel.“You made it clear you were leaving town.”
Oh.
I chewed on my lower lip.But what he didn’t say—because maybe he didn’t want to remember—was that he was dating Gretchen.The brainiac with the perfect GPA like him.
“And you had a girlfriend.”
“Not exactly.She liked me more than I did her.And I didn’t know how to say no.”
“You went to senior prom together.”Why did I sound bitter?
He cut me a glance.“I didn’t think you’d go.”
His voice softened, like it mattered.Like he’d wanted to ask me… and didn’t.
That caught me off guard.
And I didn’t go.I stayed home because no one asked and I played it off like it was my choice.
I said nothing else as I stared through the windshield like I could will myself into composure.
But something settled deep inside me—quiet and certain.This wasn’t casual.It was going to mean something.Maybe not to him.But definitely to me, because suddenly I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it.
And that was a staggering—no, sobering—thought.
“Are you changing your mind about tonight?”he asked, voice quiet in the car.
“No, I’m…” My words trailed off.I wasn’t ready to share those intimate thoughts with him yet.
“What?”
I swallowed hard.“I like you, Owen.”
Four simple words that held more meaning than he could ever know.
He reached for my hand across the console and laced our fingers.“That’s good to know.”
Then he lifted my knuckles to his mouth and kissed them.A little sizzle went straight through me, right into my heart.
He kept my hand in his for the rest of the way.
When we pulled into the drive, Owen cut the engine.
For a long moment, neither of us moved.We sat there staring at the house—the porch light glowing yellow, washing the steps in soft, familiar gold.June bugs and moths dive-bombing the light like the deranged insects they were.It looked so normal.So quiet.Like nothing strange or magical or downright unhinged could possibly be waiting inside.
Then I pushed open the door and stepped out into the night.
Owen followed, keys in hand, and together we climbed the steps.A minute later we were inside, the front door clicking shut behind him.
And there, sprawled on my sofa like she paid taxes here, was the Red Queen eating Cheez-Its out of the box while watching QVC.
Willow was perched on the arm of the nearest chair, her golden eyes peering at us with boredom.
We both halted and stared, then exchanged a stunned look.It had completely ruined the moment.
I didn’t even know what to say.
