Page 46 of Uniquely in Love

“Fuck,” I groaned. I’d already called the landlord, but that still didn’t change the fact that this apartment was now unlivable.

It had been the only place I could find that was within my budget, and now it was ruined.

Where was I going to go?

This felt like a bad omen. Maybe it was a sign that moving here had been a rash decision, one I should have thought through more.

But I couldn’t regret it when Owen and I had become friends again over the last two weeks. We texted every day since the day he’d shown me his favorite park. Last week, he’d taken me on a tour of downtown Seattle, showing me all the touristy stuff that I was sure he completely hated. He’d gotten recognized a lot, but anytime someone stopped him, he’d beenso nice, signing hats and shirts and posing for photos whenever anyone asked.

He’d always been the sweetest, and I loved seeing that he hadn’t changed with his newfound fame. That deep down, he was still the same Owen. We might not have each other memorized now the way we did before, but I still knew that he was a good person. I felt it in every action of his. So I would never regret him coming back into my life, no matter what way it happened.

And right now, all I wanted was for him to pull me into his arms, surround me with that woodsy scent, and tell me that everything was going to be okay.

Because everything wasruined.

I’d already cried—and screamed—but the tears started falling again. What was I going to do? I needed to call my parents and tell them, but it felt like I’d failed. And I didn’t want to admit that I had.

My phone was still in my hand, but I hadn’t moved. Not since I’d done my first sweep of the place after hearing running water and wading through my own personal swamp to check on my belongings.

I was in a trance. Which might have explained why I didn’t hear the knock on my apartment door the first time. Or possibly the second.

“Ellie?” a deep voice called out, finally jarring me from my current state. Another knock, and I rushed to the door.

I would recognize that voice anywhere.

“Owen?” I asked as I opened it, blinking in surprise.

“Ellie, what’s—” His eyes widened as he took in the sight behind me. “—wrong.” He finished, and I knew he’d answered his own question.

“Why are you here?” I murmured, wiping the tears from my eyes.

Today was overwhelming, and all I wanted to do was cry.

Or call my mom.

Maybe both.

But I was an adult, and I could handle this. Right?What a lie. I was twenty-two, and I didn’t have the first idea about how to fix this.

He hadn’t moved from the doorway, just watching me. “I thought I’d come over. Last day off before the home opener, and I just wanted to see how things were going. I just…” I was pretty sure I knew what he was going to say, though he didn’t need to. “God, Ellie. This place is terrible.”

I laughed. “Yeah. It wasn’t great before the water. Now it’s just…” I looked around us.Ruined. I couldn’t come up with another word for it. I shrugged my shoulders.

“What do you need?”

I looked down at the floor, trying to hold back a sob. “Can you just… hold me? I just really need a hug right now.”

“Of course.” His legs sloshed through the standing water as he moved towards me, gathering me up in his arms. I pressed my face into his chest, holding on tight. “Always,” I was pretty sure he murmured against my scalp.

It felt like my graduation party all over again, seeing him again in the flesh for the first time in almost five years. Running into his arms. That night, we didn’t talk about why it all went wrong. We justwere. He kissed me, and it felt so right being with him again. It should have been strange… but this was us.

I had my arms around Owen’s back, hard and muscular, as I clung onto him like he was my life preserver and I was drowning. Maybe because it felt that way.

“Ready for me to let go?” He chuckled, rubbing his hand over my back.

“No,” I mumbled, taking one last hit of his scent before finally pulling away. “I want this nightmare to be over.”

“Did you call the landlord?”

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