Page 95 of Breakaway Hearts

Owen beams so much when Granddad mentions a player named Dallas James, you’d think he raised him. I’m about to ask if he’s related to Savannah when Granddad cuts in with, “Didn’t he go to your school?”

“Not that I know of.” I shrug, trying to convey how bored I am of this conversation, but I regret it when I see how excited my grandfather is.

“Graduated the year before I got there.” Owen sighs with regret.

“You never got to see him play?”

“Not at Wynchester, but on TV, like everyone else, and their stadium isn’t that far from here.” He pauses like he’s debating whether he should share more, but ultimately decides against it.

Granddad asks about Wynchester’s current football team, but I’ve successfully avoided all sports – except this season’s hockey – and Owen admits he hasn’t been paying enough attention this year.

“Is that the time?” Granddad asks in shock when he sees it’s dark outside.

“Wasn’t your ride supposed to be here at seven?” I press.

“I cancelled when your friend showed up. Don’t worry, I’ll call me an uber.” Granddad winks, having absolutely no idea how to do that. I shake my head and smile.

“Where are you heading?” Owen asks, all innocent, like it’s just out of curiosity.

I see it happening and want to put an end to it more than anything…except that would mean worrying about my grandfather until he gets to his hotel, where he won’t text me to say he got in, or answer his phone…

“It’s out of your way,” I tell Owen, then turn to my grandfather. “I’ll call an uber, they’ll drop you off, and then they’ll bring me home.”

“That’s insane when I’m right here and offering.”

“You came almost an hour ago, and we’ve wasted your entire night. I’m sure Jason is done with whatever⁠—”

“Madison,” Owen says my name so softly I feel exposed, as he moves his head so he can look me in the eye, like he’s trying to figure out how serious I am about this, or if I just don’t want to put him out.

“Don’t be silly, Maddie, if the boy’s offering…”

I shoot him a death glare as I say thank you and my grandfather chuckles.

I let Granddad take the front seat, and after a sly comment about Owen really being good friends with Jason to do all this for him, I let them talk sports while I watch from the backseat. The smile on my grandfather’s face more than makes this worth it, but I also find myself watching Owen. The way he keeps his eyes on the road, but has his body tilted just enough that it feels like he’s giving my grandfather all his attention. How he smiles every time he catches me watching him from the rearview mirror. Or, I assume, when Granddad says something silly, but that man mumbles, so I can’t hear, I just feel Owen’s eyes on me and look.

I’m out of the car before Owen, and walk Granddad to the entrance of his hotel.

“I like him,” he tells me, looking back and waving to Owen.

“It’s not like that,” I say with a sigh.

“He wants it to be.”

“He’s…we would never work.”

“If you say so.”

He gives me a kiss on the cheek and goes inside, while I go back to Owen’s SUV, and take a deep breath to brace myself for the next twenty minutes.

“How were you able to keep up with my grandfather’s football knowledge?” I ask when I get in the car, before Owen can steer the conversation to us. Either apologize for commandeering my evening, or explain how this doesn’t constitute meeting each other’s people and therefore doesn’t break the agreement.

“How many points would I get if I’d stayed up all night studying to impress him?”

“None, because it would be creepy that you orchestrated this, and you’d be lying.”

“I come from a football family. We play every Thanksgiving, or whenever we all get together.”

“How did you get into hockey?” I tell myself it’s so he won’t ask about me, but I want to know.