“Pretty great this week.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I brought dinner.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” He led her into the kitchen. “I was actually thinking we’d go out.”
“Really? Are you feeling up to that?”
“Yeah. I can leave the house, you know.”
“Of course. I can put this all in the fridge.”
“Great. Then I’ll have food to eat tomorrow and Tuesday when I don’t feel like cooking.”
“Aww. You know I’d bring you food then, too.”
“My mom will be over. She hovers.”
Erin laughed. “She loves you.”
“Yeah, she does.”
They ended up going out to eat at Hidalgo’s Mexican restaurant since Owen was craving carne asada. His appetite was definitely perky. He even finished off Erin’s chimichanga.
“It’s good to see you more like yourself.”
“Once I finish treatment, I’ll be all like myself.”
She smiled. “I like this positive attitude.”
He shrugged. “I have to believe I’ll beat this. Plus, my doctors all tell me I have a ninety-six percent chance. I like those odds.”
“They’re pretty great odds, Owen.”
She didn’t want to be a downer when he was feeling so upbeat, plus they were in a public place, so now wasn’t the time to talk to him about her feelings. They could wait.
After dinner they took a walk in the park by the lake. A rainstorm had hit earlier and despite it being humid, it was at least a bit cooler. Plus, there was a nice breeze, making it feel wonderful, especially since the sun had gone down. And she knew exercise was good for Owen, even if it was in the heat of summer.
“Let’s take a seat here,” Owen said, motioning to a bench that looked out over the water.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Owen shifted to face her, picking up her hand in his.
“Erin, I need to talk to you about something serious.”
Uh-oh. “Okay.”
“I don’t really know how to say this without just coming out and saying it so it’s clear. I don’t need you to babysit me.”
She blinked, then frowned. “What? That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, it is. I don’t know if you feel some kind of misplaced guilt or whatever, but honestly? I’ve got this. I’m going to be okay. And nothing about what happened to me has anything to do with you. You’re not responsible for me.”
It took a minute for the words to sink in, but when they did, she said, “Okay. So you don’t want me to come around anymore?”
“No, I don’t. It’s not good for either of us, and it’s definitely not good for your relationship with Jason.”
She frowned. “What does this have to do with Jason?”
“He loves you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “He told you that?”
“He tried not to. But it’s kind of obvious. He’s got it bad. Hell, he loved you even before you and I started dating.”
Erin held up her hand. “Wait. What?”
Owen shrugged. “I kind of knew he wanted you. And I stepped in. Not because of some competition thing, but because I wanted to go out with you. He’s just more of a gentleman than I am and he backed off.”
She didn’t know. Even then, she didn’t know. She was such an idiot. “Owen. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. You and I both know we were over before the wedding, we just didn’t see the signs. We weren’t meant to be. And this thing you’re doing with me right now? Coming over to be with me, to take care of me? I appreciate it and all, but I’ve got this.”
“You know I don’t mind. I’m happy to help you.”
“I know. You and Jason and Clay and all my friends have been awesome, and I’ll never be able to repay the kindness. But the next time you come to my house? It had better be with Jason.”
She sighed, realizing how much she’d screwed this up. “I’ve kind of ignored him lately, wanting to be here for you. I’m sure he thinks . . . oh, God, I don’t even know what he thinks. Probably that I don’t care about him anymore.”
“Then go fix it. He loves you, Erin. The forever kind of love. And I can guarantee you that he’s not at all second-guessing his feelings for you.”
Her eyes welled with tears. She threw her arms around Owen and hugged him tight. “Thank you for understanding. And for continuing to be my friend. I’d hate to lose you.”
“We’ll always be friends, Erin. You’re never gonna lose me.”
She pulled back and squeezed his hands. “I’m holding you to that. And we did love each other, once.”
“Yeah, we did. It just wasn’t the forever kind of love. We were just too blinded by other things to see that.”
She nodded. “You’re right.”
“Erin.”
“Yes?”
“I’m so sorry. For everything I put you through.”
She reached for his hand. “I forgive you.”
He let out a sigh. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.”
They made their way back to Owen’s apartment and she said good-bye. Not a forever good-bye, but a definite end to their relationship. She felt much clearer.
Now she had to go to Jason and fix the colossal mess she’d made of her relationship with him.
CHAPTER
thirty-five
IT HAD BEEN a long, tiring day, and Jason was exhausted. One more client and he could go home. He walked through the hall and saw his dog, Puddy, had found a nice quiet corner to curl up and sleep.
“I know exactly how you feel, bud,” he said to his dog as he made his way to the room in the back. He lifted the chart, frowning as he saw the name.
What the hell was she doing here?
He opened the door and Erin was in there with Agatha. Agatha’s tail whipped back and forth when she caught sight of Jason, and Erin’s face lit up with a bright smile.
Jason’s gut tightened, but he was at work, so right now he was Dr. Callum. His personal feelings didn’t count.
“So, what’s going on with Agatha?” He took a quick glance at her leg. Her cast had come off two weeks ago, and as far as he knew she was running like a champion.
“It’s her heart, doc,” Erin said, coming over to stand close to him.
Jason breathed in Erin’s fresh scent, trying his best not to be affected. Wasn’t gonna happen. He could never be close to her and not feel anything.
He frowned. “What’s wrong with her heart?”
“She’s brokenhearted without you. As is her human.” Erin laid her hands on his chest. “I miss you. I love you. Just you. No one else but you.”
Her words sank in. She said she loved him. But could he believe in that? Believe in her? Did she even know what she really wanted? “You made an appointment to tell me that?”
“Well, it was important. You see, I realized that you’ve always stood on the sidelines, waiting for me to open my eyes and see the wonderful man in front of me. And sometimes—okay, more often than sometimes—I’m clueless. But not anymore.” She stepped forward and took his hand in hers. “I see you. I see your kindness, how you’ve always been there for me. I see the amazing, wonderful and thoughtful things you’ve done for me. I see how unselfish you are, how you always put others first. I see the only man I will ever love for the rest of my life. And I need to apologize for not seeing all of that sooner. Much, much sooner.”