Page 30 of The Thought of You

Her soft giggle is mixed with an exhale. “When are you going to admit he’s not so bad?”

“A hundred years from now, when I’m a bitter old ghost haunting him and all his descendants.”

“That kind of grudge should be directed at musical haters and people who pass other cars on the shoulder, not decent guys who are capable of changing for the better, like Owen.”

“I agree with the first part wholeheartedly, but don’t start with the Owen bit again. I’ve heard your heinous spiel too often for one lifetime.”

“Heinous, huh?”

“It’s downright offensive. You should be on my side, always.” I jut my chin up. The last time we argued like this was over who Rory should’ve ended up with in Gilmore Girls.

“There are no sides to take here. All I’m saying is that he might surprise you, if you let him,” she says.

“You’re right about a lot of things, but you couldn’t be more wrong about Owen.”

“He’s changed since high school, Addie,” she presses, and the weight in her voice grows irritatingly heavier. “He’s funny and very generous. I see him downtown a lot, helping Lottie at her studio.”

“Lottie?”

“His sister. She’s the one who’s with him tonight.”

I blink as the puzzle pieces finally slide into place, and the tight bundle of nerves in my body untangle. “That was his sister? She looks so different than the last time I saw her. I didn’t recognize her.”

Owen’s twin sisters weren’t in high school yet while we were students there, so I never got to know them. I’d heard one of them had opened a paint and sip art studio on the square recently, though I haven’t had the chance to stop by.

And she’s the one who was here with him. It wasn’t some bimbo who’d naively bought into his gentleman act.

Why does that information give me such satisfying relief? I shouldn’t care who’s hanging out with him. His personal life is of absolutely no concern to me.

In fact, the only reason I did care was because the poor woman might’ve needed saving from wasting time on Owen, but since she was his sister, there’s no damsel in need of my brutally honest assistance.

No harm, no foul.

My racing heart has nothing to do with him.

chapter

nine

OWEN

“I think I’m going to ask out Addie.”

I snap my head in the direction of the light, yet very serious, voice. Bond is staring—more like leering—at Lockhart, who’s on the other side of the room.

“Why? Why would you do that?” I sputter.

“Why wouldn’t I? She’s as smart as she is fucking hot, especially in those jeans. She’s the whole package.”

“I know.”

Bond turns to me and lifts a brow.

My mouth opens and closes like a flapping door in strong winds. “I mean, she is most definitely smart. Smart as a chimp, that one.”

“Did you just call her a chimp?”

“No! Pfft. Of course not. She’s… fine.” Heat erupts at the base of my neck and spreads across my skin like wildfire.

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