Page 73 of Filthy Sweet

“I think so,” I answer, smiling softly as I wipe away the tears. “Yeah.”

Reggie puffs air out of his nose. “Then go and make sure he knows that, before the guy does something stupid.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Fox

I’mbraindead and empty when I get back to Seattle late in the afternoon. I had let myself believe in Mare’s optimism, but the trip to visit Phoenix Sunset smacked me in the face.

Reality’s not that simple. The odds don’t just all land in your favor, not after decades of eating shit. And just because I make a bold move, that doesn’t automatically mean I’ll get what I want.

After finding a taxi, I finally turn on my phone. I’m not expecting anything from Reggie. He’s stayed silent, and I can’t blame him if he thinks I’m dirt.

I flip through my messages. There’s nothing from my best friend and just a few hearts from Owen.

Everything hurts. I want to go straight to him, but I can’t. I need to be there so I can know he’s okay, but instead, I’m grinding my jaw in the back of a taxi, tearing myself to pieces over a text message.

When I get back to my condo and step out of the car, I freeze. Owen is standing on the street outside my place. He’s dressed in the suit I bought him, his hands folded behind his back.

“Owen.”

He turns and sees me. “Fox,” he says, his voice light.

Shit. I can’t turn him away, but I don’t know how to be with him right now.

“Is everything okay?”

Owen smiles brightly. “Everything is okay,” he says, then greets me with a soft kiss. “Promise.”

I feel my body sag, the relief of his touch so good, it pains me.

“Sorry to ambush you,” he says, stepping back. “It’s just, I need to show you something.”

“Oh?”

He bites his lip. “I can’t really explain it. I just need to show you.”

Despite everything, I feel something warm in my chest.

Fuck, he’s being cute.

“Okay,” I say.

“Are you free? Can I take you on a date?”

“A date?” The pain in my chest tightens again, extinguishing the warmth. “Owen, I hate to disappoint you, but I just don’t think I can do anything until we hear from Reggie.”

“Right,” Owen says with a nod. “That’s the first part. Can we go upstairs?”

“Sure.” I lead the way, hesitant, but trusting Owen, too.

“I talked to Reggie,” he says as we climb the stairs. “I know you all are going to need to have your own talk, but it’s going to be okay.”

I grab the railing and catch my breath. There’s a knot tied tight in the core of me, and it loosens as the words sink in. “He’s okay?” I ask, barely able to believe it.

Owen slips his hand into mine, easing me, and we start walking again. “More or less. But I know you’re going to need a little more closure than that before we can really start our date.”

“Yeah.” I find my key and turn to the condo. “Is he ready to talk to me, do you think?”

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