Chapter Ten #2
“And you don’t want to feel obligated to her.” It wasn’t a question because he knew the answer. “What about a repayment schedule? She could withhold an agreed percentage out of your commissions when you make sales.”
She sighed, and Owen could feel her frustration through the connection.
“I suggested that to Susan already, and I think I offended her. She made a very generous offer, and I wanted to attach a bunch of conditions to it.” His mother cleared her throat and added, “Susan said I’m letting fear sabotage my opportunities. ”
Sounded eerily familiar, but Owen didn’t dwell on it. “Are you?”
“I’ve heard so many people say that the classes and the licensing exam are really hard. If the young people can’t do it, then what kind of hope is there for me?”
“Mom, you’re only forty-seven,” Owen said.
She groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“And you’re really just now coming into your own,” he said. “Why not shoot for the stars?”
She was quiet for a long time before she said, “I could say the same about you, honey.”
“I already took aim, and now Tyler and I are building something special.” They both knew she hadn’t meant his romantic goals. She knew his learning difficulties and lack of a high school diploma were sources of shame for him. But like Tyler, she let it go without pushing him.
“And that is definitely a reason to celebrate when you guys get here. I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
After they disconnected, Owen stared out the windshield so long his vision blurred.
When he blinked the world back into focus, his gaze landed on the Adult Learning Center that shared a building with the therapy office.
He could practice what he preached to his mother and go inside the center to see about getting a GED.
Owen even reached for the door handle until ugly memories taunted him, and fear of failure kept him riveted to the seat.
What a hypocrite. He didn’t have long to stew in his misery because he noticed Keegan striding toward the truck with his head down and shoulders hunched.
A quick time check revealed there was another twenty minutes left in his therapy session.
Keegan was clearly in distress, and his needs came before Owen’s pity party.
“Done so soon?” Owen asked when the passenger door opened.
Keegan kept his head down when he climbed into the truck and pulled his hoodie up after he buckled his seat belt.
That was his sign that he didn’t want to talk, and Owen respected his wishes.
Keegan had never left an appointment quite this early, so they must’ve covered extremely traumatic territory.
Owen’s first instinct was to go inside the building and pound the hell out of Bryant for hurting his friend.
But deep down, Owen knew Keegan had to navigate the hurt before he could heal.
There was no avoiding the pain. The irony of his avoidance was not lost on him.
“I’m here if you want to talk about anything. ”
Keegan looked over at him, and his red, swollen eyes squeezed Owen’s heart like a vise. Tears streamed down his face, and his lips trembled. “Thank you,” he mouthed.
“Want me to run through a drive-thru for something to eat or drink?”
Keegan shook his head, so Owen reversed out of his parking spot and headed back to the ranch.
They didn’t speak during the trip, which allowed too much silence to dwell on his own issues.
Owen’s entire body thrummed with pent-up frustration by the time they got home.
A shared orgasm with Tyler would’ve been his preferred method to relieve tension, but he wasn’t back yet, so Owen put on some workout gear and headed to the gym in Cash’s house.
The room had every piece of equipment a person could want, including boxing bags.
Owen warmed up with a treadmill and jump rope first before taping his hands, pulling on gloves, and going to work.
He started with the speed bag, alternating his right and left fists in a circular rotation to warm up his muscles.
The familiar rhythm of movement and sound eased the tension in his chest. Owen focused all his energy on the routine his uncle had taught him to build arm strength, improve timing, and nail the footwork needed for sparring.
Howie also used that time to get into Owen’s head and remind him that the world wouldn’t give him anything.
The Doyles never won. He had to take what he wanted.
Owen had literally felt like he was fighting against the world back then, and that was his hardest habit to break.