3. Owen #2
“Owen,” she chided. “Of course I do. Maybe your family never mentioned it, but I finished my BA in business administration last year. It took me a while, given all the moves, but I did it. My work history has been spotty, for obvious reasons.” She raised her eyebrows like I was supposed to know what she was referring to.
“But I’m a hard worker, and you’d be helping me out. ”
Despite my better judgment, I found myself leaning forward, totally invested in assisting her with whatever she needed.
Because her presence was turning my brain inside out.
I couldn’t decide whether I should ask to see her résumé or ask her out on a date.
Ha. As if that were a possibility. I’d barely have enough time to sleep and shower while I was here, let alone consider having fun.
And even if I did, where would I take a beautiful woman in Lovewell?
The diner? After all that my father had done, if I set foot in the place, Bernice would probably spit in my coffee.
I found myself smiling when she spoke, laughing at her jokes and desperate to keep the conversation going. No woman in recent memory had made me feel this way. God, the universe really was fucking with me.
“So tell me about your experience.” Yes, Owen. Get this conversation back on track.
Since the moment she’d arrived, my brain had been short-circuiting. It was as if I’d never been in the presence of a beautiful woman before.
God, maybe Enzo was right. It had been a while for me.
“I’ve been back in Lovewell for almost a year. I’m staying with my mom. Before I came home, I was in Florida, doing bookkeeping and advancement work for a nonprofit.”
Forcing myself to focus on her words rather than her lips as she spoke, I nodded.
“Before that, it was Providence and Indiana.” She shrugged as if I should be familiar with her life story.
“I got my associate’s degree at a community college and then started working on my bachelor’s.
” Her shoulders rounded a bit then, and her voice went quiet, as if she were embarrassed. “It took me a long time.”
“That’s impressive,” I said, infusing an extra dose of admiration in my voice. It was, and she had no reason to be ashamed of the path she’d taken.
With her bottom lip caught between her teeth, she twisted the silver ring on the fourth finger of her right hand. She was nervous. Was I making her nervous?
She lowered her head and tucked her hair behind her ears.
“Anyway, my last job sparked a desire for me to learn more. So I’ve spent the last year applying to grad programs.” Clearing her throat, she dropped her hands to her lap.
“I plan to earn a master’s in nonprofit leadership.
I’m waiting to hear back from a few business programs, but I applied late, so my chances are slim. ”
I rested an elbow on the table but remained quiet, intrigued by her dedication.
“In the meantime, I’m here, and I like to keep busy. I work at the diner in the mornings, and a few afternoons a week I do math tutoring at the library for a few kids in town. I also teach dance classes at the studio in Heartsborough when I can.”
A huff of a laugh escaped me. “And you want another job?”
“God, yes. I’m saving up for grad school, so I need all the cash I can get. Plus, this would be helpful business experience, which is hard to come by up here.”
There was no way to know if she’d actually be useful, but I admired her hustle. And after a twenty-minute conversation with her, I felt better than I had in weeks. So it was worth a try.
She was determined and cheerful, and let’s face it, I needed the help.
“Okay,” acquiesced, “but I can only pay thirty dollars an hour.”
“Are you shitting me?” She slapped a hand over her mouth, and her cheeks went pink.
I laughed. “I wish I could offer more, but that’s all the budget will allow.”
“No,” she said, grasping my forearm. “You misunderstood. That’s so much more than I anticipated.”
Ignoring the zing that shot up my arm at her touch, I cleared my throat.
“Once we successfully close the sale, you’ll receive a bonus, and trust me, it’ll be well earned.
You’ll be expected to work hard, and the hours won’t be the traditional eight to five.
I have to do my actual job too, so I’ll be digging into this stuff mostly on nights and weekends. ”
Once this was done, I would go back to Boston, but not before I asked her out. She was too beautiful and intriguing to pass up. And damn if she wasn’t a bright spot in this shitty town.
She was gorgeous and kind and intelligent, which meant there was no way I’d escape the next couple of weeks without developing a full-blown crush.
It had been years since I’d felt like this, so I’d embrace it. After the stress of the past few years, having a reason to look forward to the long workdays in this hellhole would be a relief.
I was talking her through some of the priorities when the elevator dinged, which meant Gus was back.
“Lila,” Gus said, striding into the room. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
She stood and gave him a big hug. The move sent a wave of confusion through me. And right behind it was a rush of jealousy.
“Owen’s been catching me up,” she explained, releasing him and taking a step back. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
He smiled down at her like a proud big brother.
And that’s when my brain screeched to a halt. “Lila?”
“Yes. Lila Webster.” Gus put his hands on his hips and cocked a brow. “You know Lila.”
Recognition dawned on me, bringing with it a hint of the anxiety I’d only just felt relief from for the first time in years. No. No fucking way. Of all the shitty office buildings in all the shitty small towns.
“Cole’s Lila?” I asked.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Just Lila. I don’t belong to Cole, or any man, for that matter.” Her defiant tone was adorable. Despite all the smiles and the lattes, she had a backbone. I liked it.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, embarrassed at my gaffe. In my defense, I’d barely spoken to Cole and had been pretty fixated on my criminal father and his crumbling empire for the last year or so.
“Yes, I dated your brother,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. With her bottom lip caught between her teeth, she looked from me to Gus. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“No,” my brother grunted.
At the present moment, I couldn’t form the words to respond. My brain was too busy spinning.
I squinted. The lovely woman before me bore no resemblance to Cole’s on-again, off-again girlfriend.
I’d never spent much time with her, I guessed, but the girl I remembered was different in every way.
She was all long blond hair, fancy clothes, and pounds of makeup.
Always by his side and always dressed to the nines.
If I wasn’t mistaken, she’d won some beauty pageants or something.
The woman before me was so different. A smiling, bare-faced brunette with an eyebrow ring.
I hadn’t even realized they’d broken up. That was how distant my relationship with my half brother had become over the years. He and I stayed far away from one another for good reason.
She ran a hand down a lock of her dark hair.
“I look different. I should have realized you didn’t recognize me.
” The way her voice faltered was like a punch to the gut.
Fuck, I was an asshole. I’d been gawking at her like she was an animal at the zoo.
And based on the angry stare Gus was leveling my way, now I was acting like a fool.
“No, it’s my fault.” I hauled myself up from my seat, banging my knee on the table in the process, all but tripping over myself to make this right. For a moment, I got hung up on her rosy cheeks, her plump pink lips, and the dark eyelashes rimming those gray eyes.
I blinked myself out of my stupor and cleared my throat.
Why hadn’t I realized how young she was? She was definitely too young for me, but she had a kind of steely confidence that I respected. And while I had no idea what had happened with Cole, I could guarantee he was to blame.
Her history made sense now. She had been with Cole for years, traveling with him all over the country while he played in the minor leagues, chasing his hockey dreams. I’d never paid her much mind, always assuming she was some kind of hanger-on.
But now? Now I didn’t know what to think. Had I offended her?
“I, um. Sorry,” I mumbled, unable to string a full sentence together.
Determined to apologize correctly, I cleared my throat and opened my mouth, but before I could force another word out, a hot, wet substance hit my chest. Startled, I jumped back, realizing only then that I had squeezed the paper cup in my hands, popping the top off and spraying my latte all over my dress shirt.
On instinct, I dropped the cup, and it hit the floor.
“Get some paper towels,” Gus barked at me, then he turned to Lila and softened his expression. “I’ve got to get Owen to a meeting. We’ll be in touch with the details. Let me walk you out.”
Heat crept up my neck and into my cheeks as I scrambled to clean up the mess I’d made. Shame flooded my body. I’d flirted with her and daydreamed about taking her out, all the while failing to recognize her. And then I’d topped it all off by drenching myself in coffee. Disgraceful.
She stepped forward and offered her hand.
I took it, savoring the feel of it in mine, her smooth skin against my calluses and the small connection between us. Lila was something, all right. Something fresh and energetic and a bit terrifying.
“It was nice seeing you, Owen.”
As she walked out of the office, I couldn’t help but watch the sway of her shapely hips in a pair of jeans that molded to her ass perfectly. Then, with a shake of my head, I cursed myself, wishing I was back in Boston, where I was in total control.
Because there was no denying it. I was now lusting after my little brother’s ex-girlfriend.