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I sit next to him—but not too close, bring my right leg up and turn so that I face him. “All right. What’s your plan?”
“You get letters on relationship advice all the time, right?” he says, and I appreciate that he doesn’t move closer. He’s giving me space. And I need it.
“Every day.”
“So, what if I wrote you once a week?” He isn’t finished, but I can’t help myself—
“Ready in Red?” I ask.
“Sort of. But you wouldn’t know it’s me. I’ll use a different email, make a plan, and ask for advice. You’ll give it your best shot, and then we'll follow your advice. Your advice, my plan.”
It would work for the column… but would it work for me? For Owen? I can’t help but feel like we are sculpting our own statue only to smash it to pieces later.
“Can you really do that, Owen? Follow love advice for you and me?” The whole thing sounds insane.
“Honestly?”
“Of course. I always want you to be honest.” But then, honesty has changed everything between us.
“Icando it,” he says. “And I’m hoping you’ll be willing to try.”
That’s what Kayla said to me. Are they in cahoots?
I nod. “Okay,” I say, but my voice is small. This is Owen—not Mr. Buttman—and that makes the risk so much greater.
40
Owen
Annie’s little apartment is immersed in the aroma of sausage and mushroom. She sits a purposeful two feet away from me. I itch to move closer, to reenact that kiss. It wasn’t planned, but it was perfect.
So, let’s try that again.
I know Annie felt something too. And with that fuel, I have become a man on a mission.
“So,” she says, looking up from her half-eaten slice. “How long?”
I don’t have to ask. I know what she refers to. “How long have I loved you?” I’m not afraid of the words anymore.
Annie clears her throat. “Let’s refer to it as Owen’s secret feelings.”
I chuckle. Even on edge, she’s still Annie.
“Okay. Well, I’ve had mysecret feelingssince the day you moved into town. Third grade, Miss Lloyd’s class,” I say matter-of-factly, then dive in for another bite.
Annie tosses a throw pillow at me—lucky for me, my forearm is up and ready to block.
“Not true. Come on, Owen. When?”
It sort of feels like I’m opening up a forbidden black box. But the release is welcoming. “The third grade isn’t far off. You brought in a collection of shark teeth for show-and-tell, and I knew then that you were someone special.”
Annie snickers. “It was my dad’s collection, I was just trying to impress.”
“It worked.”
“I remember that’s the day you asked to sit by me at lunch,” she says, her dark eyes searching my face.
“Yep.”
