Page 24 of Forget Me Knot

I really should have the vents to this old building looked at, because that smell seems to permeate every nook and cranny of this place any time Dinah bakes down below. I feel like she's inadvertently infiltrating my home just as swiftly as she has my thoughts.

“You've been asleep for a while. Since right after I got here,” Owen continues, slipping his body onto my bed. I picture him with his legs stretched out and criss-crossed, staring at the ceiling fan above. “It’s four o’clock now, so Greg is likely closin’ up the shop early. He’s a good kid. A little too moony-eyed at Winnie, but who isn’t in this town?” He chuckles to himself.

“Was there a trigger this time?”

“Music.”

I knew volleying songs back and forth with Dinah the other day would most likely lead to this, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. I wanted to make things right, and since speaking face-to-face with her has gone about as smoothly as a root canal performed by a toddler, I hoped speaking in Dinah’s language would ease the tension between us.

“Ah, man. That sucks.”

“What about practice?” The sudden emotion in my throat is hard to suppress. Owen shouldn’t be here today. He has practice daily and preseason games start soon.

“I’m where I need to be, Jack, alright? They’re just testin’ the new guys this week anyway. I’ll hit the gym early tomorrow.” He places a hand on my back again, patting it gently. “I grabbed some of those Bacon Parmesan Pretzel Bites from Dinah next door while you were asleep. Thought they’d be a good recovery snack.”

Next door. I hate that my first real, clear thoughts are of Dinah and my brother. Wondering what their date was like. What did they do? Did she have a good time? Did he kiss her pretty pink lips before dropping her off. At her door. At a decent hour. And nothing else.

“How was your date?”

Perfect. I haven’t managed to open my eyes yet, but I’m still capable of unreasonable jealousy when it comes to Owen and the girl next door. I have a massive headache, zero self-control, and a huge—and growing—Dinah problem.

“Date? What date?”

“Nevermind.”

My eyes are closed, but I wish I could disappear. He knows exactly what I’m talking about. Owen chuckles again, and it annoys me more than the sweatpants currently suffocating my legs.

“Oh… yeah,thatdate.” He whistles low and shifts his weight on the bed. “Well, it was at the batting cages. Lots of fun. Mama and Dad met her. Winnie, too.”

They probably loved that. Though I know our mom has secretly always hoped it would be Brooke that Owen ends up with, bringing Dinah to meet them is a big deal. If I know her at all, she probably already has his and Dinah’s wedding stationary picked out.

My hands tighten into fists. I want to know every detail and none of them at all.

“Lots of helping her swing the bat. Subtle touching. Talkin’. You know how it goes.”

I grunt an acknowledgement but have the sudden irrational urge to kick Owen out of my house and stuff my face with those pretzel bites he mentioned. I’m feeling marginally better and worse all at once.

“And,” he continues when I don’t say more, “YOUand Dinah seemed to really hit it off… until she found out about, well… you.”

“What?” I slip the cover from my eyes and am immediately disoriented by the small burst of light. Wincing, a sharp pain lances through my skull.

“Hey, hey, hey, man,” Owentsks, sounding an awful lot like our dad, and slips the mask back over my eyes. “Keep it on, and I’ll tell ya all about how it went, okay? I'm guessing you haven't read your notes yet, because if you had, you'd know it wasn't me who took Dinah on a date.”

I haven't read the notes yet. I only remember waking up before the sun with blurred vision, my ears ringing, indicating the migraine was coming, and a dizziness that kept me from getting out of bed.

“Heasked her out?”

Owen sighs. “I don’t feel like I need to remind you of this fact, butyouarehim,man. Even if you don’t want to acknowledge it. But, yes, Jackson took Dinah on a date three nights ago. But, from whatyou—”

“He,” I moan.

“Fine. Whathetold me, it didn’t go so well once Mom and Dad spilled the beans on your unique situation.”

I blow out a breath of relief, only for Owen to push me gently with his elbow.

“What’s your problem, man? Dinah seems great. She’s funny and cute and—” He releases a low groan. I hate it. “Have you hadthe Breakfast Bites? I’m there every morning, and let me tell you what, that girl can bake.”

“What’s your point, Owen?”

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