Page 35 of Sparks Still Fly

“Can I just say goodbye and thanks to Arthur quickly?” Chancing another look at Owen, I take in the frown on his face.

He points toward the tack room with an annoyed look on his face. “He’s in there. I’ll wait for you outside.” He purses his lips and looks away.

When did Owen get so grumpy? Geez.

I knock gently on the door to the tack room to let Arthur know I’m coming in.

“You two heading back?” He looks up from his task at the small folding table set up in the middle of the room. It looks like he’s doing some reorganizing.

“Yes, but I wanted to come say thanks.” I take a moment to assess whether or not to say what I want to say. I settle on yes. Like always. “I’d love to come back, if it wouldn’t be a bother. I’d be happy to help with whatever you like. I know horses well as I grew up with them, and I’d just like the chance to be around these ones while I’m here.”

The look he gives me is a mix of confusion and amusement. He looks at a spot behind me, but I know Owen’s not there because I can’t feel his eyes on me.

“Do you ride?” he asks simply.

“Yeah. I don’t do it as often as I used to or as much as I’d like, but yes, I can hold my own.” His lips twitch into an almost-smile.

“We have stable hands. They’re just out running some errands right now, but you can meet them next time. You’re welcome anytime, Maeve.” There’s a twinkle in his eye that tells me he knows something I don’t, but I don’t know him well enough to push the subject.

“Great. I appreciate that, Arthur. And I’ll be sure to make myself useful when I’m here.” I give him a small smile, much smaller than the giant grin bubbling up inside me. “I’ll see you soon.”

He does that cowboy nod with the tip of his hat, and I turn on my heel. The second I’m out of his sight, I do a little happy jig, letting that smile burst out of me with a quiet giggle.

When I look up, still smiling like a fool, Owen is standing there, slack-jawed, staring at me. My smile doesn’t immediately fade, but when my brain registers who’s looking at me, I go back to my neutral expression.

“Why are you just standing there?” I roll my shoulders back, pushing back the excitement about the horses until I am perfectly alone.

“I was coming to see what was taking you so long.” The look on his face is almost apologetic. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your moment.”

Yep. Of course he has to be nice to me when I was just snarky with him. Damn you, Owen.

“It’s fine. Let’s go.” I walk in front of him like I have even the slightest clue how to get back to the guesthouse, or how to find the entrance into the woods from here. I don’t.

Owen lets me have my moment of stubbornness and only casually walks ahead of me, pointing to the left when I’m very clearly about to head in the wrong direction.

We walk in silence, but it doesn’t feel natural anymore. We walk side-by-side, but it’s like there’s an electrical current flowing between us.

Owen takes a deep breath and I catch the movement of his head turning toward me. “I’m sorry, Maeve.” I wait for him to continue. For him to say sorry about what happened in the kitchen, or for his suddenly grumpy attitude, but he stays quiet.

“What for?” I don’t take any chances assuming to know what he’s thinking. Ever.

“Everything. The last seven years. Fuck, the last ten years.” He takes his hat off and scratches the top of his head then shoves it back on roughly. “I was such a selfish asshole. Still am. I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to spare you a life of waiting for someone who couldn’t guarantee you a future. But I went about it the wrong way, and that night at the beach, I... Fuck, that never should have happened, but I’m so selfish that I can’t bring myself to regret it, Maeve. I can’t regret any of the time I had with you because those were the brightest moments of my life. You. You’re the brightest thing in my life.”

We’ve stopped walking now. I’m not sure my limbs have any blood flowing to them. It all seems to be in my temples, pulsing rapidly and loudly. He opens his mouth to continue because I’m not responding.

“Don’t,” I beg. Tears try to push their way out of my eyes, but I don’t let them. I look around at the trees and will my heart to slow down.

“Maevey, I?—”

“Stop!” His lips immediately close into a hard line. “I need a minute.”

20/

there aren’t any left for you.

owen

I don’t know how much time passes, but we stand there looking at the dirt, the trees, anything but each other.

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