Page 79 of Since Always

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"Chris, we need to talk to you," Owen says.

He looks confused, which I'm sure he is. Just the idea of Owen and me coming here together has to be confusing enough.

"Yeah, sure. Sit. You guys need any water or anything? I've had about two liters today, and I'm still struggling from last night."

"No," Owen says as we sit.

Stephanie has set aside her work and now bites her bottom lip as she watches us, bracing for what's coming. Owen looks at me, as though to make sure I am ready. I'm not, but I nod anyway.

"Chris," he starts, “I don't know how to say what I am about to say. And no matter how I say it, you're going to be really fucking pissed. And that's fine, but I'm going to need you to listen to me."

Chris furrows his brow, confused. "Huh? What am I going to be pissed about?" There is a small smile on his lips, as though he can't imagine anything Owen could say would warrant this kind of preface. But that smile disappears at the next words his best friend speaks.

"On New Year's Eve, Cass and I started…Well, I guess a fling? A romantic relationship, I'll say. It only lasted a couple of days in Aspen, and we ended it when I left."

Chris's eyes go narrow and he stares at our hands. He looks back up at Owen. "What? What the fuck is this? Are you guys...Is this a joke?"

"No. It's not a joke."

"O, what are you? My sister is a kid. You're not...What is this about?"

I roll my eyes at this. "Oh, for God's sake, I'm not a kid. I haven't been a kid for several years. I'm 23 years old and a grown-ass woman."

He ignores me, still staring at Owen. "My little sister is like your little sister."

Owen shakes his head. "No. You are like my brother, but that's not the same thing. I'm sorry, man. I tried to stop the feelings once they started, and we ended things when we came to our senses. Well, mostly."

Chris bends over, his arms resting on his knees, and his head down. Slowly, he raises his face back up to us. Every bit of the anger I had expected radiates off him now.

"Have you fucked her?" he asks, and Owen hesitates.

"Chris!" I yell.

"That's none of your business," Owen says, his tone measured.

"You son of a bitch," he roars. Owen pulls his hand from mine and stands up to meet him.

"Babe," Stephanie warns.

He ignores her. "How dare you? You sick piece of shit. I trusted you."

"Christopher—" I start to stand, but Owen turns and shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, man," he says, turning back to my brother. "I don't know what to tell you. I fought it; I really did."

"Clearly not that hard."

"Harder than you think. I didn't want to put us all in this situation. You or your mom. Or Cass, most of all. But we are in it now, and we needed you to know that because there's more."

"Great. Can't wait to hear it."

The two of them stay standing, staring at one another, as Owen tells him then about the kiss and the call from Mark and the photo. Chris paces back and forth in the room, his hands behind his head.

"So, I'm telling you, because it will probably come out tomorrow and Sloane Corp needs to be ready for that in case any of the fallout reaches that far. But also because, in Aspen, you guys had mentioned something about Mark and..."

"Jana," Steph says.

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