Page 182 of Wish You Were Mine
“What did you want to talk about?” I finally turned to him, my heart pounding. “Does it have anything to do with today’s test? Did I completely bomb it?”
“No, nothing like that.” He exhaled like he’d been holding it in for a while. “I just wanted to, uh, touch base after my conversation with your dad this afternoon.”
What?My stomach dropped. “You talked to my dad again? Why?”
A dozen questions raced through my mind at once.
Had my dad stopped by to tell him about the restraining order we were trying to get against Brody? To let him know he didn’t need to keep such a close eye on me anymore?
Or worse—had this been some kind of warning to back off completely?
“Your dad stopped by my office.” He stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine. “Said he wanted to apologize.”
“Wait—” I blinked, stunned. “My dad wanted to apologize?”
He almostneverdid that. Only if he really knew he was in the wrong about something.
What did this mean?
Was he rethinking everything he’d said about Owen and me?
Was this…permission? Acceptance?
Would he be okay with us being together now? Or at least in two and a half weeks, when I finally graduated?
“He said he had time to think things through.” Owen gave a faint smile, like he was just as shocked as I was. “That he overreacted. And then he…” He let out a breath, almost like he still couldn’t believe it. “He said he won’t stand in our way if being together is what we really want.”
“What?” My voice came out barely above a whisper. I couldn’t tell if I was breathing. “You’re serious?”
“As serious as I’ve ever been.” He reached for my hands, lacing his fingers with mine. “After talking in my office, your dad and I went to Dean Harris together and told him everything. About the timeline of how we met and everything that happened after that. He said they’ll still need to talk to you and do an official review to make sure everything was handled ethically—your grades, the lab—but based on what we shared, since we talked to your dad shortly after we became official and then ended things when your dad asked…he thinks we’ll be fine.”
“So…” I blinked. “He won’t keep us apart?”
“No.” A slow smile tugged at Owen’s lips. “He’s not goingto fight it. He even invited me to join your family in Texas next week.”
My jaw dropped. “You’re coming to Nationals?”
“Yes.” He laughed softly. “I’ll be there to cheer you on.”
“So…this is real? I’m not dreaming?” My heart swelled, a lightness pushing out the fear that had been wrapped around my chest since last night. The shadows Brody had left behind disappearing now that I was safe with Owen. “We won’t be breaking any rules in being together? We won’t have to sneak around anymore?”
“This is really happening.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping, softer now. “If you still want to be with me…” He tucked some hair behind my ear. “Then yes, Lucy. We can be together.”
Emotion surged so fast and so fiercely, it nearly took me under.
His hand slid into my hair, and after making sure I was okay with it, he kissed me—soft and warm and reverent, like he didn’t want to rush it. Like he’d been hoping for this moment just like I had.
I kissed him back, gripping the front of his shirt like if I let go, he’d vanish again.
When we broke apart, we paused, breath mingling. And when I looked into his brown eyes, his expression flickered with something that looked a lot like love.
And with that one look, I knew I wasn’t alone in all the aching and missing andwanting.
He pressed me back gently against the wall, hands anchoring at my waist. “I missed you so much.” He groaned low against my mouth.
“Me too.” I nodded, swallowing. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” His lips found the corner of my mouth,then my jaw. “I hated walking into class and pretending you weren’t everything to me.”
