Chapter 26
OWEN
Gina
Kendall misses John very much. Would you please ask him to contact her?
It was on my phone when I got back from spending the afternoon with all my Eureka relatives. Holiday season is upon us, and everyone is in town.
My best friend Ryan stayed with me, filling me in on all the news. He’s slowly taking over the job of editor, publisher, reporter, and photographer from his mom at the Eureka Gazette.
My cousin Pinky bounced around the group, bossy as ever. Her bright red curls were impossible to miss, even from a distance, and even though we butted heads all. the. time. as kids, we grew up to be really close as adults.
My uncles and aunts observed us all with proud amusement, the next generation.
I had to walk over and take a knee by the little dog my drag-queen “aunt” uses in her act. The previous Angie Dickenson was a miniature pink poodle. Angie Dickenson II is a teacup Yorkie.
“Is it okay if I take a picture of her to send to my… roommate?” It’s the wrong word for how important Gina is to me, but I can’t call her my fiancée just yet.
Hell, she’s probably not speaking to me now. I have a feeling I’ll have to do some serious groveling to make up for my weekend of inner turmoil. My weekend of going off the grid, giving up the fight, and facing the irrevocable truth: I can’t live without Gina Bradford.
“Yes, you can, honey.” Auntie Monay places a large brown hand on my shoulder. “Thank you for asking. Angie the Second isn’t as bold as Angie the Great was.”
I take a quick photo with my phone before walking over to my aunt Cass’s little sister AJ and her outlaw husband Raif.
“Hey, how’s Nikki doing? Is Porkchop still around?” I’m talking about the little girl AJ brought back with her from Branson when she ran away from a “bad situation.”
That’s all they told us as kids. It all came out in the wash, like everything else did when we were growing up here in Eureka. It’s a small town, but it’s never been quiet or boring.
“She’s so smart.” My other “aunt” smiles proudly like she always does when she talks about Nikki. “She’s working for the UN doing French-to-English translations. She’s just brilliant, and to think…”
She shakes her head, touching the sentimental tears from her eyes, and I give her a hug. “I hope to see her again soon.”
They’re the wildcards of the family, but they have the biggest hearts.
Dad drives me to the airport after lunch. Our conversation from earlier is on my mind, and when Gina’s last text comes through, I make the decision to go for it.
“Did you think about what I told you?” Dad stands beside me at the tiny airport outside of town.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about it,” I look down, admitting the truth.
“Let me know how it goes.” He pulls me in for a hug, and I slap him on the back. “Don’t be afraid, son. You got this.”
His words give me confidence. “Thanks, Dad.”
“I’ll probably be home after dinner, but I’ll fill you in on everything when I get there.” I’m talking on FaceTime with my sister as we taxi into the private airport in LA. “I’ve missed my girl.”
“That sounds positive.” Heather is bright-eyed and smiling. “Does that mean things are better now?”
“Let’s just say I hope we do some celebrating when I get back. I’ll keep you posted.”
We disconnect as the flight attendants give me the okay to move around the small cabin. I’m the only one on this cross-country flight. The rest of the team came back yesterday evening.
I was more than willing to fly commercial, but the coach told me after how I’ve been playing, I’m a star now. That’s going to take a little getting used to.
While I’m flying, I text Haddy and Maverick, then I take out my laptop and work on setting up a few additional items.
When I’m finally off the plane, sitting in the black SUV taking me across town to Los Feliz, I actually do start to feel like a star.
Don’t worry, I won’t let it go to my head, but being able to place last-minute special orders and have them delivered exactly when I need them?
That is a level of fame I can get used to.
It also helps to live in the second-largest city in the U.S.
A quick text from Haddy lets me know everything is in place, meaning Gina is at home. I thank the guy for the ride, grab my bag, and take a quick breath before climbing the steps to the cute bungalow I used to call home.
I’m dressed in my suit from after the game, and my too-long hair is back in a small ponytail. Waiting on the porch is the cellophane-wrapped bundle and a small blue box I special ordered.
I put my duffel bag beside the chair and pick them up. I take the pouch out of the box, inspecting the contents briefly. Perfect.
Straightening my jacket, I smooth a piece of hair off my face before I tap the door lightly three times and enter.
The television is on, showing highlights from some national dog show. Mav glances over his shoulder and stands, giving me a nod before heading to the kitchen.
“You’re going to miss the judging!” Gina calls after him, and her sweet voice hits me right in the chest.
I swallow the emotions thick in my throat and walk to the couch where she’s lying, holding the remote.
“Owen!” she gasps, sitting up quickly.
She’s dressed in a pink tee with a bunch of dogs on the front and the words Man’s Best Friend, only it has a Wo in script before the Man. She’s also wearing black PJ pants with white poodles all over them.
Her strawberry hair is up in a ponytail, and her face is washed. The sprinkling of freckles is visible across the bridge of her nose, and she looks so damn good, for a moment, I have trouble remembering all the things I planned to say.
“Gina,” I start, but my voice is hoarse.
I clear it, and I’m about to start my prepared statement when her lips tighten into a frown.
She throws the remote onto the couch, cutting me off with a sharp, “No.”
Then, she turns on her toe and walks quickly past me to the stairs, running up them without even looking back.
“Wait…” I frown, looking up in the direction she fled.
Mav sticks his head out the door to the kitchen and waves his hand in a scooping-upward motion. “Go get her!”
I look down at the bouquet of roses I’m holding, and I hesitate, waiting for it…
“What…?” Her voice rings out from upstairs. “Who did this?”
None of this is going how I planned it, but hell, when has my life ever followed a plan?
I jog up the stairs to find her standing in the hall with both hands on her head, looking into her bedroom.
I stop on the landing, remembering the night so long ago when I was in this very same spot, watching her in her doorway. I remember how badly I longed for her that night… I think it’s only gotten worse… and when our eyes met, she came to me then.
Her arms drop to her sides, and she turns to face me now. “Did you do this?”
“You said you wanted someone to bring you flowers just because he was thinking about you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since Thursday night, so I figured I should give you the same amount of flowers.”
I ordered enough white tulips, pink and white roses, and blue hyacinths to fill her bedroom. Haddy and Mav helped me arrange them all. Well, Haddy arranged them. Mav kept Gina distracted while she did it.
And apparently, I owe Haddy “big time,” because it took six trips to sneak them all in without raising suspicion. No worries—I’ll do whatever she wants if this goes how I plan.
“Well…” She exhales through her lips, sounding almost reluctant. “They’re beautiful.”
“The lady at the flower shop said those are the flowers that say I’m sorry.” My eyes haven’t left her. “I didn’t even know there were specific flowers for that.”
I take a cautious step closer, holding out the bouquet of red roses in my hand. “I got these because they mean I love you.”
She’s shaking her head no as her beautiful eyes fill with tears.
“No.” Her voice wobbles, and my chest aches. “You can’t just show up here and say that to me after ghosting me for three days.”
Another step closer, I lift my hand. “Gina…”
“You didn’t reply to any of my texts,” she continues. “You didn’t answer any of my phone calls. You just went on playing hockey, having fun with all your friends while I was hurting.”
I’m shaking my head as she speaks. “I was not having fun. I was in hell.” My tone is level, and I’m doing my best to stay apologetic even as the memory of that guy touching her has heat flooding my veins all over again. “I couldn’t talk to you like that. It was all too much.”
“It was all very innocent.” Her voice is firm. “But you didn’t let me explain. You cut me off without a word.”
Those tears finally hit her cheeks, and they’re like knives to my heart.
“God, Gina…” My voice breaks. “If you could see inside me, if you knew how torn up I was all weekend—”
“I can’t see inside you, and I don’t know.” Her voice rises, but it cracks on the words. “I won’t do that again, Owen. I won’t be with someone who’ll shut me out like that. It hurts too much.”
I’ve taken careful steps closer with every word, and now I’m standing so close, I could touch her. She’s not wearing shoes, and even though she’s tall, she seems so fragile looking up at me.
Her beautiful green eyes that haunt my dreams are now filled with tears, and my lungs are so tight it’s difficult to breathe. Still, I know I’m in the doghouse because of my own behavior, and I deserve it.
Lowering to my knees, I put my hand on her waist. “You have no idea how it hurts to see you cry… Can I hold you?”
“Owen…” Her voice wobbles, and I take it as permission.
I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my cheek against the soft cotton of her shirt.
“Gina…” I utter the word like a prayer. “I’m not used to feeling this way about anyone. It scared the hell out of me, and when I saw him touching you, holding you…”
Her voice is soft. “I told you not to be jealous.”
Lifting my head, I look up into her beautiful eyes, which are blinking fast now.
“I love you, Gina Grace, and I’m a jealous motherfucker when it comes to you.
I wanted to rip that guy’s arms out of their sockets and beat him to death with them.
” Lowering my chin, I put my forehead against her sternum.
“That’s why I had to talk to my dad. I knew he’d help me understand how I was feeling… and why.”
“You talked to your dad about me?”
Looking up again, my eyes hold hers. “When my mom died, he went through a lot. He was angry, and he stopped believing…”
“Like you?” She slides her fingers through the sides of my hair, moving the long pieces behind my ears.
“Yes.” My breath stills, and I hold her eyes with mine. I have so much to say to her, but I need us to be in a better space. “Would you cut my hair for me?”
Her brow furrows. “Right now?”
“Yeah.” I rise, taking her hand. “Would you?”
Moments later, I’m sitting in a chair in her grooming studio, in the middle of the ceramic-tiled space. The last time I was in here, she was showing me how to give Ladybird a soothing bath… Then LB shook dirty dog water all over us.
Gina drapes a cloth around my shoulders, and she takes out a pair of scissors. “How short do you want it?”
“Mav said no more than half an inch, but I need it off my neck.”
Nodding slowly, she takes a plastic spray bottle off a nearby table and uses it to wet my hair. Then pulls a regular old black comb from the top of my head down the sides. It’s intimate and caring, closer than any words I could say.
“You’re good at this.” I’ve watched Heather when she used to be a stylist, and I can tell Gina knows what she’s doing. “I thought you only groomed dogs.”
“Who said I don’t?” Her eyebrow arches.
I huff a laugh, blinking down. “I walked right into that one.”
“Look straight ahead now.” I lift my eyes, and they lock with hers for a brief second.
She blinks away quickly, but a pretty pink color blooms across her cheeks. I decide to take it as a good sign.
I’m quiet and still as she threads her fingers through my hair, snipping again and again, not going past her cousin’s designated trim limit.
Finally, she gets to a point where she stops. She puts the scissors down, and she stands in front of me, threading her fingers through my damp hair, lifting it and inspecting the layers.
“This will give it a style, and I brought it up so it’s not on your neck.”
She takes the drape off my shoulders, carrying it to a basket near the back wall. Then she returns to where I’m sitting, watching her.
“Thank you.” I look up, wondering if she felt the tone shift as well. “Can I pay you?”
She shakes her head. “Your money’s no good here.”
Reaching for her waist, I pull her to me, between my legs. “I hope my words are.”
“Words are nice, but actions are better.”
“I’ll do anything for you, Gina. I didn’t know I could love like this again until I met you. Only this time, it’s a bigger love than I’ve ever felt before. It scares me, because I know this time I wouldn’t get over the loss.”
Reaching up, she moves my hair off my cheek. A hint of a smile curls her lips. “Let’s walk back to the house. You need to get home and see your little girl.”
“I won’t sleep tonight unless I know you’ve forgiven me.”
Her eyes blink down, and she takes my hand. “Come on.”
We walk slowly back to the house, and when we get to the back porch, she pauses. Our hands are clasped, and I lift her fingers to my lips.
“I love you, Gina.”
Her lips tighten, and she nods. “I know.”