Chapter Twenty-eight

Charlie

“You’re in a good mood today.” Amy opens the box of donuts I brought into the office.

“I am,” I agree. “Which is surprising since I didn’t get much sleep last night. I get a little cranky when I’m tired.”

“Were you getting a little something else?” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I laugh. Before I can tell her no, my dad comes into the office and we both stop talking about where I was last night. I don’t know Amy well, and the fact that she’s slept with Owen weirds me out, but she’s nice and I get along with her just fine.

Though it seems like Owen has slept with most of the women in this town, so if his ex-lovers weird me out, I’m going to be limited to talking to only those he’s related to. But the past is in the past, and I can’t hold that against him.

He asked me what changed my mind about being together and I couldn’t give him a clear answer. Because I don’t really know, and when I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.

I thought things would only work if he changed and wasn’t the same Owen Dawson that he used to be. But after last night, I realized he was the same Owen Dawson that he used to be…and that’s the man I loved back then.

Can’t it be the man I love now?

Owen was thoughtful, kind, caring, and devoted back then. Well, until he wasn’t and broke up with me. And this is as far as I get in my logic without being tripped up. But last night wasn’t the first time he stopped me from taking things further in the bedroom. It would have been all too easy to sleep together last night, especially with the way I was throwing myself at him.

But he didn’t want me to regret it in the morning, just like he did when we were teenagers. That’s Owen, though. He might seem like he puts himself and his pleasure first, but he doesn’t. At least not when it comes to me.

We broke up because he didn’t want to get married and have kids. That was years ago, and I’ve seen the way he is with his nieces and nephews. He’ll be a perfect father—someday. I need to be upfront with him this time.

I still want to get married.

I still want to be a mom.

Not tomorrow. Not the next day. Or even within the year. But it is what I want, and if settling down isn’t for him, then we’ll forever be star-crossed lovers destined to want what we can’t have.

But I have a good feeling about things this time around.

“Does the drive-in still play movies?” I ask Amy. “It’s been years since I’ve gone.”

“They do.” She takes a bite of her donut. “Are you thinking about going?”

“Maybe. Since I’m staying in Eastwood, I figured I should know the ins and outs of this town again.”

“There’s not much to know. Though we do feel all sorts of modern now that there’s a Starbucks in town.”

“I do appreciate that. Though the diner coffee is still the best in the county.”

“I totally agree.” She smiles. “Whatever kept you up all night is good for you.” She gives me a wink and Dad whirls around, looking at me in question.

“Ohhh, it’s time to get up to my desk,” I say, forcing a smile. “See you at lunch, Dad.”

“Right,” he mumbles, shaking his head. He doesn’t want to know, I’m sure. Grabbing a donut, I leave the break room and go into my office. I’m sharing it for now, but Timothy won’t be in until after lunch. I’m meeting with one of his clients today to see if they’d like to switch over to me or go elsewhere. Until then, there’s not much for me to do. I pull out my phone, set on texting Marcus, when I see I have a text from Owen.

I smile right away and my heart swells in my chest. Baby steps. I need to take baby steps.

I open the text and it makes me want to take a flying leap. Owen sent a picture of himself, sitting on the screened-in porch drinking coffee. He’s still in his boxers and looking incredibly hot, but the best part is he’s holding Tulip on his lap.

Needing to put the phone down before I respond with eggplant and water-dripping emojis, I drop it onto my desk and spin the chair around, stupid smile on my face. My phone rings, and I grab it expecting to see Owen’s name pop up. It’s Marcus, and I answer on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, girl. Haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s going on with that sexy ex of yours?”

“I almost slept with him last night.”

“What stopped you?”

“He did.”

“What? Why?” Marcus gasps. “Have you not been shaving or something?”

“I don’t think Owen would mind if I stopped shaving, actually, but no, that wasn’t it. I was kinda drunk and he said he didn’t want me to wake up and regret it in the morning.”

“Wow. That’s shockingly sweet and disappointing at the same time.”

“I know, right? But it made me want to give things another go.”

“That’s even more shocking.”

“Is it?” I spin around in the chair. “I like being with him. He’s funny and makes me laugh, and his family is just the best.”

“Are you dating him for his family?”

“No,” I laugh. “And I don’t know if I can even say I’m dating him. I mean, I am kind of living with him already, and I plan to tell him tonight that I want to get married and have babies.”

“What the fuck is going on?”

I laugh. “It’s not how it sounds. My sister’s dogs attacked my cat, and we’re all stuck at my parents’ together until an apartment opens up for me to move into. I’ve already put down the deposit for it, and Owen offered to let my cat live at his place for a while.”

“He’s babysitting your pussy.”

“No, not you too with the pussy jokes.”

“Can’t help myself. So the cat is at his house. Why are you?”

“I don’t really have a good answer. The first night I stayed because I didn’t want to drive in a storm. The second night I fell asleep reading and it was late when I woke up. And last night I passed out drunk in his bed.”

“Stop sounding like such a lawyer,” he quips. “Just admit you like him.”

My heart skips a beat. “I do. I do like him, and I like being with him. Am I being stupid? Getting swept up with the thought of how it used to be? Maybe I should just sleep with him and get it out of my system.”

“We both know that’s not going to work. I’ve heard your one-night stand stories.”

“I know,” I sigh. “I don’t want to get hurt again. I’m scared. Really scared. That’s why I’m going to tell him tonight that I still want to get married and have a family. He broke up with me back in college because he didn’t want any of that.”

“Good idea to put it all out on the table before you get in too deep.”

“Exactly. I don’t expect a ring or anything, but if marriage isn’t something he wants, then we’re not meant to be. I’ll save myself from another broken heart.”

“Will you, though?”

I swallow hard, knowing he’s right. If Owen tells me he doesn’t want to settle down, it will be just as crushing as it was the first time. I let myself get close to him again, felt welcomed back into the Dawson family, and don’t want to have that all ripped away again.

“Yeah. It’ll be fine. So, how are things in the office?”

“Ohhhh, girl, I do have some juicy gossip. Monica James, from your old firm, was caught fucking a client.”

“No! How’d you find that out?”

“There was a screaming match between Monica and the client’s wife in the lobby. I felt like I was watching trashy made-for-TV dramas in real life.”

“Damn. That would have been a sight to see. I never liked Monica or her stupid designer suits.”

Marcus laughs. “Don’t drag poor innocent designer fashion into this.”

“The jackets alone to those things cost five grand. I don’t care how fashionable that is, it’s crazy to spend that kind of money on a colorful suit jacket.”

“Hun, we both know if I could afford that, I’d have one in every color of the damn rainbow.”

“I might have too, just so I’d feel like I fit in,” I confess. “I miss you, Mar.”

“And I miss you, Char. You’ll have to come back this fall and go to a show with me.”

“Oh, I will for sure. Are you decorating anyone famous’s house this week?”

“A Housewife, and she’s a total nightmare.” He goes on to tell me about his client from Hell before we both have to get to work. My morning drags, and I find myself wistfully thinking about the fast-paced days spent at my New York firm.

With nothing else to do, I go online and look for any job postings at the firms in the city. Some of the more prestigious ones don’t post listings, and you have to have a client list you could take with you, a killer reputation, and more importantly, know someone at the firm to get you an in.

Blinking, I close the internet tab. What am I doing? I’m making a life here. In Eastwood. And hopefully with Owen.

*

“I should warn you, I don’t put out on the first date.”

I laugh and hold my phone to my ear with my shoulder. “That’s not what I heard,” I say to Owen.

“Oh, you, uh, heard about that?”

I can’t tell if he’s joking or not anymore and I regret my words. Way to make things weird. Owen has quite the reputation around here, as I further discovered at lunch when I overheard a group of women talking about how much they love going to Getaway because of the hot bartender who’s given more than one of them “the best night of their lives.”

“About that,” I start. “Not that, I mean the date.”

“Are you backing out already?”

“No, but my dad asked if you’d come over for dinner.”

“Sure. I haven’t seen your folks in a while.”

“You don’t mind?” I put papers in a folder and slip it into one of the desk drawers.

“Nope. I’ve dragged you to two family dinners already and you’ve only been in town a few weeks.”

“Yeah, but I like your family.”

“Yours isn’t bad either,” he laughs.

“Great. I’ll let him know, and then I’ll see you at home later. Home. Your home. I’ll see you at your house later.”

“You might get back before me. It’s pretty busy here and Logan is gonna be late coming in. He had to take Danielle to the doctor and they’re just now getting done over there.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine. She was feeling some pains, but I guess it was normal. Danielle’s a little paranoid, not that I can blame her considering what she went through.”

“Right. I’d be the same way. I really hope things stay good with her.”

“Me too. You know I’ve never really been religious, but even I’m saying prayers for them.”

“That’s sweet. I will too.”

“Thanks. See you tonight, Charlie.”

We end the call and I finish straightening up the desk before leaving. I tell Dad we’ll be over for dinner, and then head to Owen’s house, smiling the whole way.