Page 10 of Passion Restored

“I’m fine,” Owen bit out. “I need to be in my own house, Blake. But I hope you know I’ll always be grateful for how much you all helped me. Okay?”

Blake narrowed her eyes. “You’re placating me, but I’ll take it. Just know that we’ll all be stopping by daily because we’re mother hens, and you just need to deal with it.”

“And you guys thought I was the honest and blunt one,” Maya put in.

“There are two of you now,” Murphy said with a grin. “God help us all.”

Maya punched Murphy’s left arm, while Blake punched his right. From the look on Murphy’s face, neither woman had held back. Good.

“Dude, I bruise like a peach, be careful with my delicate self,” Murphy complained with a shit-eating grin.

“Get out,” Owen growled. “I love you, but get out. I have my computer and can finally get some work done, but I just want to breathe.”

Murphy shook his head and reached for Owen’s computer. Owen clutched it to his chest and tried not to bash his ribs. “You aren’t working, Owen.”

“Touch my computer and face my wrath. This is my precious. You don’t touch my precious.”

The girls snickered and shook their heads. “Owen, you can’t work right now,” Blake insisted.

“You need to heal,” Maya added. “The company isn’t going to fall apart without you.”

Well, that just wasn’t true. He was the manager of the entire company, the one who organized everything. The only reason things were working at all was because Owen had laid everything out for them in color-coded lists and spreadsheets. He’d been working ahead as always, but soon, his brothers would catch up to where he’d left off and go off on their own.

Without him.

Chaos would ensue for sure.

“You don’t exactly know that, and I can’t just sit on my couch and do nothing. I need to work.”

Murphy narrowed his eyes. “You can take time off. Graham and I can handle it. And Jake can even help, too.”

Owen shook his head and looked down at the kids before whispering. “It’s been over a damn week of me doing nothing. I took time off. I’m not an invalid. And we have a deadline coming up on that project both you and Graham have been too busy for. I’m not letting that fall to the wayside because of a little accident.”

Fire hit Murphy’s eyes, and Owen sighed. “Little? You’re calling that a little accident.”

Blake let out a breath and bent down to pick up Noah from Rowan’s arms. “Let’s go make sure Owen’s bed is made, honey.”

Rowan gave her mother a look that told her she wasn’t fooled but followed Blake and Noah to the back of the house where little ears could be spared.

“You can take time off, damn it,” Maya put in. “I don’t understand why you can’t just let other people handle the reins.”

“Seriously? You’ve known me for how long, and you have trouble figuring out that I need to do things? I have lists to create. Calls to make. And emails to ensure haven’t been deleted off the company server because Graham and Murphy hate dealing with people.”

“Hey.”

Owen raised a brow at his brother. “I know you. Don’t try deny anything I just said.” Owen took a deep breath. “Now let me work in peace. In fact, I’m going to walk you guys out because I’m allowed to get up and move every hour, and this is my time.” He held up a hand, happy that his side didn’t hurt as he did. “Let me do this. You need to stop treating me like a baby.”

“Then stop acting like one,” Maya snapped but leaned down to pick up the diaper bag. “Fine. We’ll leave you, and we’ll even walk you out, but we’re still coming back to check on you. It’s what we do, and you can’t stop us.”

“I can try,” he mumbled and shut his mouth at Maya’s glare. He wiggled himself off the couch, aware that the others were watching him for every deep intake of breath, every wince. He’d let the pain get to him later because, first, he needed to get the others out of the house so he could function.

Yes, he’d been hit by a car, but it could have been way worse.

He would be fine.

Fine.

Finally on two feet, he gestured with his good arm for the others to lead the way out. Maya held Noah, as Blake made sure Rowan had all her things. Murphy kept an eye on Owen since his little brother refused to let Owen walk alone. Sure, Owen probably would have done the same thing if Murphy were in his position, but still.

---