Page 8 of Owen North

“Seriously, Pop, I think this is a sign that I’m done for the night. My pajamas are looking great right about now.”

Her eyes widen. “This is not a sign to swap a dress for pajamas. I will help you clean this dress.”

“No. You have a husband to dance with and guests to talk to. And I have a date with my room service menu.”

“You can’t leave,” she blurts getting a wild look in her eyes. “I can’t do this without you.”

I frown. “Do what without me?”

Her arms flap as she gestures to the room around us. “This.”

“What? Get married? You’ve already done that. And it’s not like I’ve been with you every step of the way today, Pop. You haven’t needed me to help get you through it.” I knew Poppy was nervous about today. However, it’s not like her to be anxious over anything, so she’s confusing me now.

“I don’t need yourightby my side, Charles. But I need to know you’re here. With me. You know this. I can’t get through life without you. I may have let you run off for a year without me, but I refuse to let you run off on my wedding day. I just won’t stand for it.”

My strong, beautiful Poppy.

She’s five feet of fierce but under that she’s vulnerable and uncertain at times. We’ve been by each other’s side our entire lives, lending our strength when needed. I know she struggled while I was away, and I hated that, but I needed to put space between New York and me more than I needed anything. Tonight, I can give her what she needs.

I squeeze her hand. “My room service menu can wait.”

She exhales a breath. “Good.” Then, she’s all fierce business again. “Do you need me to find you a dress? Or help you clean this one?”

“No. I’ve got this. Don’t worry about me. If worse comes to worst, Owen’s giving me his shirt. You just go and be married.”

She hits Owen with a stern look. “Please make sure she doesn’t flounce around my reception in your shirt. I do not need to hear about that from Aunt Joan for the next decade.”

He chuckles. “Got it. No flouncing. No white shirts.”

More of her stern look. “I’m being deadly serious, Owen. I will hurt you if you don’t step up.”

He shifts his expression to mirror her serious one. “I understand the assignment. You can count on me.”

“Good.” With that, she leaves us, striding toward her husband like she’s on a mission. But then, my cousin is always on a mission.

Owen leans in close. “I now believe that you do a lot of flouncing. And let the record show, I want to see it at some point.”

“That would imply you intend on seeing me after tonight since I’m not allowed to do it here.”

“You understood me correctly, Charlize,” he confirms in that sexy tone of his that I’m beginning to think he’s trademarked because I’ve never heard it from another man.

My heart starts that 100m sprint again.

It sends me into a fluster and causes words to trip over themselves in their haste to leave my mouth. “Right, you should make yourself useful while I go and clean this dress. I’d like another wine. Maybe an entire bottle. No, scratch that, it’ll only get me into trouble.” I release a breath as I reach for my purse. Without waiting for a response from him, I turn and make my way to the bathroom.

I spend longer in there than is necessary.

In fact, I take so long that I don’t expect to find Owen still waiting for me when I return to my table. But there he is, waiting with the glass of wine I requested.

He takes in my dress before giving me an amused look. “Did you make a trip to the dry cleaner instead of the bathroom?”

I sit next to him. “I’m surprised you’re still here.” I mean, I was gone for almost thirty minutes. Time which I spent doing mental acrobatics over coming back to Owen. I don’t trust myself with him. I told myself no more New York men when I came home. I’m here for a year to make some money before leaving to do more travel. I’m not here to get involved with anyone, and something tells me that Owen isn’t a man a girl spends just one night with.

“You and I have a flouncing date to plan, remember?”

I take a sip of my drink. “I don’t date.”

“You’re married?”

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