Regina talked to Maggie and Raffy well into the night, and she mentioned she would be up early the next day since she already volunteered her time to go to the market with the ladies from the nursing home. Raffy and Maggie were still jet lagged and promised to meet her for lunch since it would be too early for them to wake up at the regular time. Regina was busily chatting away while picking her veggies, not realizing Martha had moved on to another vendor with the fruit cart. So when she turned around, Regina bumped into someone, spilling all her groceries on the floor. “Oh no. I’m such a klutz. I’m so sorry.” She got down on her knees and began picking the onions and potatoes from the floor. “Excusez-moi je n’étais pas…prêter attention—” “No. Don’t apologize. It was my fault because I was looking at my phone.” “Oh, you’re American. I suck at speaking the language. I know I’m in France, and I should learn, but my brain acts separately from my tongue.” She laughed, but her breath
“Regina, this is Mr. Bennet, I forgot to tell you he’s having dinner with us, too.” Regina’s heart skipped a beat. Being close to him reminded her of the same blue eyes she dreamed about when she was kissing Jason.“Hi!” was all she could muster.“I’m sorry I did not mean to intrude on your family time.” Owen said.“Oh, it’s no bother. Our fanily is huge, so we are used to entertaining guests.” She looked around awkwardly, unable to look at his piercing blue eyes. Owen was staring at her and she wondered if he was the man she bumped into at the market earlier.“You work for his mom, remember.” Raffy said to jog her memory.“Oh yeah. How is Mrs. Bennet? Did she tell you that she sent me the most beautiful bouquet of red roses and my house smells heavenly.”“ You can call me Owen.” Regina frowned, it was the name that she mentioned while making out with Jason, and it made her curious why she would utter his name while being affectionate with another man ”My mother is fine, and always as
After dinner, Jason invited Regina to join him for a walk, promising to bring her back before midnight, just like Cinderella. Owen clenched his fist when Raffy agreed, but since Regina had no recollection that they were in a relationship, he had to let them go. Regina took Jason’s arm, dreading the talk she knew they were about to have. “I’m sorry about my family arriving unannounced,” Regina said when they were out of earshot. “It’s okay, Raffy is concerned about you, and I am okay with that.” “Yeah, I guess. I’ve failed to call my family, so they sent him to check up on me.” “Regina, how do you know Owen?” “Well, I work for his mom, and that’s all I know.” “You don’t remember any interactions with him?” She briefly closed her eyes. When she sighed, an image of her and Owen appeared in her memories. They were locked in an embrace as they kissed each other under the Eiffel Tower. “No,” she said, with a squeak in her voice. “No?” He asked with disbelief. If Regina recalled t
Jason walked home to clear his mind. It had shocked him to see Owen that night and should have realized sooner that Regina calling out his name during sex was a bad omen.Jason took a drag from his cigarette. He had noticed the hooded figure following him ever since he dropped Regina off, so he cut through the park and waited for his stalker to get to him.He seldom smoked because it was bad for business. The smell of cigarettes on a baker often repelled people, so he only did it after work and when something worried him.“I was wondering when you’d show up.” Jason blew smoke in the man’s direction. Owen took off his hood and stalked toward Jason. He quit smoking in high school after Princess broke up with him since he only did it to appear cool in front of her.“I let her go so she could heal and recover, then come back to me. Why did you swoop in, you fucking ass?” Owen shoved Jason’s chest to start a fight. He wanted to punch Jason so badly, to get rid of the ache he felt in his he
Regina comes out of her bedroom, her head aching. Seeing Raffy preparing breakfast reminded her about what she had done the previous night with Jason. They got caught necking in the hallway, and she knew the conversation with her brother would not be pleasant. It had been years since she’d been scolded for being drunk, so before Raffy could say anything, Regina hugged him from behind and apologized. “Raf, I’m sorry about last night. I was just having fun. Nothing bad happened, and I promise next time Jace and I will take it somewhere private.” Regina felt him stiffen. “--Or not. Will you forgive me? Please? I promise it won’t happen again.” Raffy did not reply, so she rubbed her cheek against his back like a cat. “Raf, please forgive me already? We can’t fight like this anymore. I’m an adult and can do whatever I want.” She sneered at his back and was pulling away when he held onto her arms. “You smell good today, Raf. Is that a new cologne? Did Mags get that for you?” Regina said
“Jace, I have to cancel lunch. Mr. Bennet promised to bring Marcus to the Eiffel Tower, and the kid is insistent we do it today.” Regina called Jason to inform him of the bad news, and it was getting difficult to convince him she knew nothing of Owen’s plans. “No, his parents won’t be here. Raffy and Maggie are going out on a date around the city, which is why I volunteered to watch him.” Regina sighed. She had never encountered Jason to be this difficult before, but she could understand why he was acting this way. Owen made him jealous, and now that she knew he was real, it was hard for him to accept that she called out another man’s name in the throes of passion. So she compromised and invited him to their outing, even though she knew Jason and Owen did not get along. “I’m surprised you do not have any plans at all today. Is your friend okay for you to ditch him today? Well, we’re leaving in an hour, so we’ll see you downstairs, then.” After her phone call, Regina looked around a
“Aunt Reggie, let’s go already. What are we waiting for?” Marcus kicked the curb after asking for the 10th time in the last couple of minutes. Owen was standing a few feet away, talking to someone on the phone. “I’m sorry, there was an accident,” Jason moved to kiss Regina, but Marcus protested. “Let’s go. Stop kissing.” Jason laughed but still did it, anyway. “Aunt Reggie, why does everyone want to kiss you?” “Everyone?” Jason asked, looking at Regina. “Don’t bother with him.” She said to Jason while covering Marcus’ mouth. “He’s a kid. He says all kinds of stuff.” “Are we ready?” Owen just finished his phone call and opened the door for Marcus and Regina. “Uncle Owen, sit beside me,” Marcus requested, so Regina had to sit behind the driver before buckling Marcus in the car seat, thus forcing Jason to sit in the front. “You’re so bossy, you know that?” She said, while tickling his side. “I’m not bossy. Uncle Owen, help.” Marcus giggled as he reached out for Owen to save him.
“Aunt Reggie, I have something to tell you,” Marcus whispered.“What is it, baby?” she asked, as Marcus pulled her neck close. Owen was still carrying him, so when their bodies touched, it gave Regina a tingly feeling.“Uncle Owen said he loves you. Do you love him back?” He whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.“He did, didn’t he?” she blushed while sneaking a glance at Owen and shaking her head.“Uncle Owen is very naughty like you. Stirring up trouble. Come down and let us visit with the birds again. I hear them calling your name.”Marcus scrambled from Owen’s hold, excited about the pigeons.“We’ll be back,” she said to Jason, uncertain how to handle the situation. “Antonio and Mariana. It was nice meeting you both.”“Aunt Reggie, let’s go.” Marcus pulled at her hand, making her bump into Owen, adding to her embarrassment.“Watch out, mon amour.” Owen said, as he caught Regina before she fell. “Sorry, this kid is too much sometimes,” she said awkwardly, while following her