What am I supposed to do for the next few hours?
Anger is growing inside me like a flame getting bigger and hotter. Seeing Cat’s unhappiness and confusion is fanning that flame. My jaw is starting to ache from gritting my teeth. Vince is being a dick. This is ridiculous.
But…I’m not his daughter. He owes me nothing. Not even a home. It’s kind of hard to argue with that.
I sit in a coffee shop for a while then wander around Nordstrom. I’m not even a little interested in shopping. Finally, I head to the apartment.
But Vince isn’t there. All my things have been packed into boxes stored behind the doormen’s desk. Anthony helps me load them into Owen’s Land Rover. All my possessions consist of a few boxes of clothes. Shit.
Okay, there’s more than that. My guitar. Books and music and art I’ve collected. These are things that are important to me. Not as important as Cat, though.
My heart pinches thinking about the beautiful grand piano left behind there. I love that piano. I love making music on that piano.
I drive back to Owen’s apartment. He borrows a trolley thing, and we lug my stuff up to his apartment and pile the boxes in his second bedroom, which he uses as an office-slash-guest room. I identify one with clothes I need and pull some stuff out. I’m wearing the same leggings I wore yesterday and a huge sweatshirt of Owen’s, so I change into clean clothes.
“So, he wasn’t even there,” I tell Owen dejectedly. “I was so pissed, I was ready to lay into him, and I didn’t even get the chance.”
His lips thin and his jaw tightens.
I tell him about Cat and his eyes flash. But he says nothing.
I know this is a difficult position for him to be in. What’s that saying? Between a rock and a hard place. Ha. I feel even worse.
For a moment, I consider just giving up. I’ll marry Roman fucking Moretti. How bad could it be? Then he’ll be happy, Vince will be happy, Cat will be happy, and Owen won’t be putting his career in jeopardy for me.
But then I look at Owen and think about his tenderness and generosity, his strength and resolve, what a huge nerd he is for the sport he loves so much, what a genuinely good man he is…and I don’t think I can just walk away from him. Even if it would be the best thing to do. I guess that makes me selfish?
I sigh. “I just need some time,” I mumble.
“You’re not alone, baby.” He pulls me into his arms and presses my face to his shoulder.
His embrace is everything—comfort, safety, home. I’ve been basically alone since Mom died. I know Cat loves me, and we had each other, but it’s not the same as having someone you can lean on. I have Janiya, who’s a true and loyal friend, but she’s not here. This makes me realize how barren my life has been. I have money. And I’ve been busy, sure. I have my music, which has probably saved me. But this…this is…love.
I squeeze my eyes shut, indulging in the luxurious feeling of being held and cared for. But self-pity isn’t productive. I give in to the moment of feeling sorry for myself then suck in a big breath and lift my head. “Thanks.” I smile up at him.
It’s almost time to go get Cat from school.
I’m in the elevator descending to the parking garage when it stops on the seventh floor. The doors open, and Lilly steps in.
“Hi!” Her face lights up seeing me. “How are you?”
“Good!” I force a big smile. “You?”
“Still recovering.” She pushes the button for the lobby. “That was such a fun trip, though.”
“It really was.”
She glances at me, as if sensing my lack of real enthusiasm.
“Do you and Easton live together?” I ask.
“No. I live a few blocks away. I just brought Otis home. That’s his dog.”
“Ah.”
I know she runs a doggy daycare, which sounds like just about the best job in the world. I’ve never had a dog, but I love them. “Are you hiring?” I ask half-jokingly. “I might need a job.”
She tilts her head. “I do need help. We’ve been growing really fast.”
I purse my lips. “Hmmm.”
She knows I don’t work, and I know the others assume I’m some kind of spoiled socialite. Which I guess I am.
We arrive at the ground floor and the doors open. Right in the middle of this. We both look at each other.
“Is everything okay?” she asks with a little groove between her eyebrows.
Emotion clogs my throat and I can’t answer. I give a quick nod.
She reaches out and squeeze my arm. “I’m here if you need to talk. And if you seriously need a job.”
I nod again. Another good person. “I’m just on my way to pick up my sister at school.”
“Come over tonight? Sara’s coming to help me plan a charity event we’re doing. Paws for a Cause.”
A smile trembles on my lips. “I love that. I don’t want to interfere.”
“Not at all! I’ll text you my address.”
“Okay. Sounds good.” I pause. “Thank you.”
Why on earth did I blurt out that impulsive question? I probably make as much money busking as I would working at a doggie daycare if I kept the money. Ugh.
I’ve spilled my guts to Lilly and Sara. I tell them I asked Owen to be my pretend date to get my ex off my back. And I tell them my stepfather owns the team. That renders them speechless for several minutes.
“Holy shit,” Lilly eventually says.
They eye me cautiously.
“I know,” I say with a sigh. I tell them about my relationship with Vince, and Cat, then my short relationship with Roman and what’s happened.
They’re amazed and angry on my behalf.
“Your stepfather can’t tell you who to marry!” Sara says. “Who does he think you are? Daphne effing Bridgerton?”
We all burst out laughing.
“I love that show!” Lilly says.
“And the books!” I agree. “And you’re absolutely right.” I try to explain how forceful both Roman and Vince can be when they want something, but not knowing them, they don’t get it.
“We did meet Mr. D’Agostino at the holiday party,” Sara says. “But briefly, and we didn’t exactly talk a lot.”
“Apparently, the guys are afraid of him,” Lilly says with a quick apologetic look at me.
I hold up my hands. “You can talk freely about him to me.”
“I’m exaggerating,” she replies. “But they know who’s in charge and he is definitely in charge.” She sighs. “Wow, this is…messy.”
“I worry about what he might do to Owen,” I confess in a thin voice.
“Oh, shit.” Lilly looks stricken. “He won’t do anything to him. He can’t.”
“But you just said he’s in charge.”
“He is, but he can’t just trade a player for no good reason. There’s a lot of money on the line. They need to make the playoffs—it means more money for the team. And they need Owen.”
“That’s true,” Kate says confidently. “No team owner would mess around with a good team right now. Trades might happen for teams who are out of the playoffs or for teams who need help for a deep playoff run. The Bears do not need to make any changes to the roster. It would be plain stupid.”