Page 126 of Owen Bailey Needs Advice

Sincerely,

Single Again Annie”

He drops his hand, the article falling to his side. “Single again? You wrote this? You’re printing this? After everything we’ve proven? You’re breaking up with me? Were you lying to get me through the holiday?”

“No. I didn’t lie to you. Owen, I love you.”

“But you wrote this? It has a print date on it—for two weeks from today.”

“Yes, but—”

“Trust your gut,” he says, tears in his eyes. “Your gut is telling you we were never going to be right together?” His Adam’s apple bobs with a swallow.

“You said you’d prove to me—” I start, but Owen isn’t letting me finish.

“And clearly,” he says, holding up the article, “I was wrong. You were right, like always.” He drops the article to the ground and turns for the door.

I hop through the gifts and nephews and decorations blocking my path and follow him out into the wind and snow. “Wait, Owen! I wrote that a month ago. I—”

But he’s already in his car. The cold concrete bites at my bare feet, and the chill in the air reminds me that I’m wearing nothing but my favorite flannel pants and a T-shirt.

“Kayla,” I cry the minute I’m back inside. My sister can fix this. She’s older and wiser and one powerhouse mama. She will know what to do.

Bucky sits up, brushing his forehead on the branch of their fir tree. “It was Steve’s idea!” he slurs, still half asleep.

“Annie?” Kayla makes her way into the room, her brows furrowed and cinched. “What’s—”

“Owen found the breakup article. He found it, he read it, and he left.” I am in full panic, streaming tears mode now.

“Oh, Christmas balls.” She smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand.

“Kayla, what do I do?” I can’t stop the sob that fills my chest and falls from my lips.

Kayla trips her way over to me, snatching me by the wrists and forcing my eyes to hers. “You love him?”

I nod.

“Okay—well”—she huffs out a breath—“youareAsk Annie, for holy sake. What would you tell yourself to do?”

It’s a jumbling, crazed question, but it works. I know exactly what I’d tell myself to do. I pick my jacket up from where Owen left it on the back of the couch and smack it into Kayla’s hands. “Here,” I say. “You drive.”

62

Owen

Iwalk into my mother’s house, where my entire family has chosen to gather this morning. I’m greeted by two golden retrievers—Max and Princess, neither of which live here.

“Well, there you are! Did you sleep in?” Mom asks, bouncing Lulabelle on her hip, though it isn’t even seven in the morning yet.

“No,” I say, and while a grin is my normal, natural attire, I can’t conjure one to save my life. “I was with Annie.”

“Owen?” Coco says, her tone strained with worry.

Cooper, Miles, and Levi look over with her pleading tone.

“Whoa.” Coop says upon seeing me.

Miles walks over, sets a hand on my back, and offers his quiet, strong support. “Are you okay?”

---