I clear my throat. “Shall we dive right in?”
“Sure thing.”
I spend the next couple of hours going over my ideas for the party. He chimes in every few minutes, offering an idea or a solution to a roadblock I’d found before helping me iron out all the details in record time.
With a sigh of exhaustion, I set my pen on the notepad and close it. “I think that’s it.”
“That’s everything?” he asks.
“Yeah. I think we’ve covered all of our bases.” Checking the time on the wall, my jaw drops, and I add, “Crap. I didn’t realize how late it’s getting. I’m sorry if I kept you too long from Grady.”
“No worries. He’s at a playdate with Turner and will be pissed when I pick him up, no matter how long I let them hang out tonight.”
“Really?” I stand up from my chair and grab my purse before rounding my desk.
Owen joins me on his feet, and we walk toward the exit as he explains. “Yeah. Mandy was generous enough to let them hang out at her house.”
“Mandy’s a great person,” I reply before flicking off the lights to my classroom, then closing the door behind us.
“Yeah, she seems nice.”
The halls are blanketed in an orange glow from the sunset outside as I search in my purse for the keys to the school Principal Wells had dropped off earlier today. When we reach the exit, I lock up and give Owen a tight smile.
“Thanks for helping today. I didn’t think we’d get that much taken care of. Especially since it was just the two of us.”
“Don’t mention it. I don’t suppose you’ve eaten dinner yet?”
I squeeze the strap of my giant purse a little tighter. “Uh, no. I guess I haven’t.”
“Do you want to grab some dinner together?”
My gaze drops to the ground, zeroing in on a pebble that skids across the black pavement as we make our way toward our cars.
Dinner. With Owen. My Owen. My heart pounds a little faster at the prospect.
“I, uh, I’m not sure that’d be a good idea,” I answer when I finally find my voice.
“Because you’re dating someone?”
“Because I’m not sure it’s a good idea,” I repeat, pushing the unlock button on my fob.
I gotta get out of here.
“So, you’re not dating anyone?”
“Owen….”
“Are you?”
I tug my purse a little higher onto my shoulder, then fold my arms. “No. I’m not dating anyone.”
With a nod, he guides me to the driver’s side door of my car, making the hinges squeak softly as he pulls it open for me like a gentleman.
“I had fun today,” he tells me.
“Me too.”
“I’ve missed hanging out with you.”