Page 98 of Breakaway Hearts

“Anytime,” he tells me, and I think he really means it.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Owen

Worthy of her

“Madison isn’t coming?” Tab asks, getting into my SUV on Halloween. We’re all meeting at Sarah’s to go trick-or-treating with the littles.

“Did you invite her?” My confusion turns to panic.

“No…”

“Then why would she be coming?” I’m about to call Katie and ask what the hell she was thinking when I see my sister’s smile. “Hilarious.”

“You are getting pretty close.”

I want to say ‘we’re just friends’, but Madison made it clear that we are not. So I say nothing.

“Mom was asking about her. I said I know her as someone I sit with at games, not as your⁠—”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Special friend.”

“Can you make it sound worse?”

“I definitely can. Fuck buddy, lady lover⁠—”

“I take it back,” I stop her, but she’s laughing like she clearly thinks she’s clever. “I don’t date.”

“Of course not.”

Even though she’s agreeing with me, I feel the need to tell her she has no idea what she’s talking about. But I also want to ask her what she knows, which I wouldn’t be too proud to do if this was after seeing the family, not before.

“If Madison decided that she did – date – would she be here today?”

“No,” I say with confidence.

“I believe that.” She furrows her brow at me. “Guess you do have some Dad in you.”

“Or I’ve learnt my lesson, and I’ll bring a girl to meet the family once there’s a ring on her finger.”

Instead of telling me that’s stupid, my thoughtful sister calmly points out, “People get divorced, too,” like she didn’t just deliver a gut punch.

“When are you bringing someone?”

“Hopefully, once I’m in the sorority I’ll be able to mingle at their parties.”

“You’re at all of ours.”

“And which of your teammates would you like me to sleep with first?”

“Point taken.”

“Your situationship is more exciting anyway.”

“It’s not a situationship. We have very clear parameters—” that I keep breaking.