Chapter 30
OWEN
The gym doors slammed shut behind me. My muscles ached, my shirt was damp with sweat, and all I could think about was getting home.
Home to Harlow.
The thought made me smile as I crossed the parking lot, my gym bag slung over one shoulder. I needed a shower. Food. Maybe eight hours of sleep if I was lucky. Between morning practice, back-to-back classes, and then hitting the gym for an extra session, I was running on fumes.
My car beeped as I unlocked it, tossing my bag in the back. I was halfway into the driver’s seat when my phone rang, the sound cutting through the quiet of the parking lot.
I glanced at the screen.
Camryn.
I froze, my hand hovering over the accept button. We hadn’t talked much since the wedding, a few polite texts here and there, the occasional like on social media, but nothing substantial. Nothing that felt like the friendship we used to have before everything got so fucked up.
I almost let it go to voicemail.
But then I remembered her at the beach house, the way she’d forgiven me even when she had every right not to. The way she’d told me we could still be friends if we tried.
I hit accept.
“Hey, Cam.”
“I was worried you wouldn’t answer.”
“Why wouldn’t I answer?” I settled into the driver’s seat, pulling the door closed against the cold.
“I don’t know. I just... we haven’t talked in a while. I wasn’t sure if...” She trailed off, and I could hear the uncertainty beneath her words.
“We’re good, Cam. I promise.” And I meant it. Whatever had been broken between us felt like it was slowly but surely starting to heal. “How are you? How’s the tour going?”
“It’s been incredible.” The energy in her voice shifted immediately, excitement bleeding through.
“Trystan’s been amazing on stage. The crowds love him.
We’ve been to so many cities, I’m starting to lose track.
” She laughed. “We’re flying to Italy tomorrow, actually.
Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to explore a little bit between shows. ”
“Italy? That’s huge.”
“I know, right? I’ve always wanted to go. Trystan promised we’d have at least one day in Rome.” She paused. “I love traveling. I really do. But I’m starting to get a little homesick, you know?”
I understood that more than I could articulate. “Yeah. Everything’s so different this year now that everyone’s gone.”
She sighed. “I’ve tried calling Kaia a few times, but she’s so busy with Kailyn. I’ve chatted with Jax and Syn a little bit, and everyone seems good.”
“How are they? Jax and Kaia?”
“Exhausted, mostly. But happy.” She laughed. “I tried calling Harlow a couple of times, too, but she’s always in class or studying. That girl is going to work herself into the ground.”
My hand tightened on the steering wheel at the mention of Harlow’s name. “She’s definitely pushing herself hard this semester.”
“So, how have you been? Really?”
I started the car, letting the engine warm up, considering the question. “Busy. Practice has been intense. We’ve got scouts coming to games this season, so Coach is riding us hard.”
“That’s amazing. You’re going to get drafted. I know you are.”
“I hope so.” The words felt more real every time I said them out loud. “But yeah, other than hockey consuming my entire existence, things are... good. Different, but good.”
“How’s Harlow doing?” The question was casual, but something in her tone made me pause. “I heard what happened. With the break-in?”
I chuckled, shaking my head at the memory. “Yeah, she had a little scare. Thought someone broke into the house, called me freaking out, but it turned out to be a cat.”
Cam laughed. “That’s both hilarious and terrifying.”
“She left the garage door open, and it wandered in, knocked something over. She was scared. But she’s good now. She’s actually staying with me until her dad and Liz get back.”
The line went quiet.
Too quiet.
“She’s staying with you? At your apartment?”
“Yeah. In the spare room.” The lie came automatically, a reflex I immediately hated. “She didn’t want to be alone after the scare, and honestly, I really didn’t like her being there alone either, so I offered to let her stay with me.”
“That’s... nice of you.” Another pause. “How does Jax feel about that?”
Jax’s overprotectiveness of both Syn and Harlow was legendary, the kind of running joke that everyone acknowledged but no one really questioned.
Except now it wasn’t funny.
Now it was complicated.
I was silent for too long, my fingers drumming against the steering wheel, my mind racing through possible responses. I could laugh it off. Make a joke. Keep lying.
But I was so fucking tired of lying.
“Owen?” Cam’s voice pulled me back. “You still there?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I just...” I exhaled slowly, running a hand down my face. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Can we keep it between us?” The words came out uncertain. “I wouldn’t want to ask you to lie or keep anything from Trystan, but…”
“What’s up, Owen?” She cut me off.
This was it. The moment I either came clean or kept living in this half-truth.
“Do you think Jax would be angry if I were dating Harlow?”
The gasp on the other end of the line was sharp, surprised. “Oh my god... are you into Harlow?”
My throat tightened, my heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
“So… Do you?”
She was quiet for a long moment.
“I think,” she said slowly, “that if you hurt her, you will destroy your friendship. I don’t know if he’d be upset about you dating her or not.
But Owen.” She paused, and the weight of what was coming pressed against my chest. “If you’re not ready to possibly lose your friendship with Jax over this, then you should walk away now before anyone gets hurt. ”
She was absolutely, terrifyingly right.
This wasn’t just about Harlow and me anymore. This was about twenty years of friendship with Jax. This was about loyalty and trust and all the unspoken rules we’d built our entire lives around.
And I was breaking every single one of them.
“So what’s the deal?” Cam asked. “Are you two dating or...” Her voice trailed off. “Wait…” She paused. “Is she who you chea…”
My chest tightened, knowing exactly where that sentence was heading.
“Actually, never mind. I don’t want to know.”
Relief flooded through me so fast I felt dizzy. I didn’t want to answer that question. Didn’t want to lie to her. But I also couldn’t tell her the truth.
“Do you really like her?” Cam asked quietly.
I leaned my head back against the headrest, staring at the roof of my car.
“Yeah,” I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I thought about how much I did. “I really like her.”
“Then you need to tell Jax before he finds out on his own.” Her voice was firm now, the teasing gone. “Trust me on this one. Secrets have a way of coming out at the worst possible time.”
“I know. We’re planning to tell him over winter break. Face to face.”
“That’s good.” A pause. “For what it’s worth? I think Harlow’s great, and if you actually care about her, if this is real and not just... I don’t know, whatever happened with us... Then maybe Jax will see that too.”
“You think so?”
“I think Jax wants both of you to be happy. He’s protective, yeah, but he’s not unreasonable.” She laughed softly. “Well, most of the time he’s not unreasonable. Just... be ready for the conversation to be uncomfortable.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Owen. You’re a good person. You made mistakes. You’re human. But you’re trying, and if you’re serious about Harlow, if you’re ready to fight for her... Jax will see that. He’ll have to.”
“Thanks, Cam. Really.”
“Anytime.” I could hear the smile in her tone. “I’m glad we can still talk like this. Like friends.”
My throat went tight again, but for a different reason this time. “Me too.”
“Good. Now go and tell Harlow I said hi.”
“I will.”
“And Owen?” One more pause. “Don’t fuck this up.”
“I’m trying not to.”
The line went dead, leaving me sitting in my idling car, Cam’s words echoing in my head.
If you’re not ready to possibly lose your friendship with Jax over this, then you should walk away now.
I put the car in reverse, backing out of the parking spot as those words played on repeat.
Walk away.
The thought was laughable. I couldn’t walk away from Harlow if I tried.
She’d somehow become the center of my entire universe, the person I thought about first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
The person who made me want to be better, do better, fight harder for something that mattered.
I’d lose Jax before I’d lose her.
The realization settled into my bones as I drove home. I never thought I’d have to choose between my best friend and... Anyone else.
But if it came down to it, if Jax made me choose...
I already knew who I would choose.