Page 44 of The Reality of Us
“Please,” Teddy scoffed. “No one believes that. You follow her around like a puppy. I should know, an actual puppy lives with me now.”
“Eloise is my friend. And my best friend’s sister.”
“Let’s not get distracted. It’s not a big deal. These things come up,” Owen said, but disappointment settled low in his belly. The race wasn’t just for Kathleen’s Place, either. It was another chance for him to reconnect with the community and keep spreading the word about his business. Owen guzzled half his water as he considered his options. Raff would absolutely beg off, saying he was too busy with work. He slid his gaze towards Teddy.
“Don’t get any ideas. I’m going to Fiji with the boys to escape the crappy Victorian winter.”
As Alice would say—something Owen found himself constantly thinking these days—that was ‘on brand’.
“I’ll figure something out. There’s still plenty of time.”
Owen was lying on the couch later, an empty beer in the crook of his elbow and a basketball game on the TV as he re-read his notes for Jessica’s case when his phone rang. Next up on his list of exciting evening plans: prepping his opening argument for Alice’s divorce trial. “How’s my favourite brother?”
Rafferty laughed. “Teddy’s already texted me. I can’t do the race, sorry, mate. Work’s bananas busy right now.”
“It’s not for a few months, though.” And a shared goal would be good for them both.
“I’d love to do it …”
Owen waited for the ‘but’. Raff’s voice was already heavy with apology. “It doesn’t even matter if we don’t place. We could focus on the sponsorships. I’ll organise it all.”
A long silence stretched between them, and Owen walked to his small fridge, pulling out another beer. He was searching for the bottle opener when Raff spoke.
“I just can’t commit. There’s all this stuff going on I can’t talk about. You’ll find out about it soon enough. It’s, well, let’s say, you’ll be very aware of it. It’s actually why I’m calling.”
Wait, what? Owen put the unopened beer down. “Is there something I should know?”
Raff sighed. “Not exactly. But you’ll be impacted, kind of. I can’t tell you anything else. I shouldn’t have even said that.”
“What’s that mean?”
“You should check on Alice,” Raff said so quietly Owen wasn’t sure he’d heard him right.
“Alice? My Alice?” How was she involved in the Arturo investigation? And if Raff noticed Owen’s slip of the tongue, he didn’t mention it.
“She could use some company tonight. Trust me. I gotta go.” Raff hung up.
Owen grabbed his keys and wallet and rushed out the door. Dust swirled after his tyres like all the questions in his mind.
16
Owen balanced two pizza boxes and a Greek salad in one hand as he raised the other to knock on Alice’s door. The bag at his feet held a bottle of mineral water and a DVD. Just in case. It would’ve been weird to bring wine. It was strange enough he was standing on her doorstep.
“Hi,” Alice said as she opened the door. Murphy tried to dart past her legs, but she snagged him by the collar, scooping him into her arms.
“You changed your hair,” Owen said. “And you’re wearing jeans. And glasses.” Thick black frames encircled her blue eyes. Top of his class, ladies and gentlemen, and that’s what his brain had come up with.
Alice braced her hip against the doorframe, readjusting her grip on Murphy. “I did. And I normally wear contacts, but my eyes have been itchy today.”
Christ. He’d thought she was hot before, but now she looked like a naughty librarian, he was done for. She would absolutely show up in his dreams tonight wearing those glasses and nothing else.
Her gaze dropped to the pizza boxes. “Teddy’s gone out with mates.”
Here goes nothing. “I was actually looking for you.”
“Me?” Her eyes tracked up and down his body, over his jeans and long-sleeved navy Henley. Owen didn’t blame her for looking surprised; he didn’t really know why he was there either.
“Something strange happened. Can I come in?” he said.
