“What about your parents? They’re still here––”
“Grady loves them,” Owen rushes out. “And I love them, but I love you even more. I want you and Grady to get to know each other more outside of the classroom, too. But if you’re not ready for that, either, I get it. We’ll go at your pace, Say.”
Lost in my own thoughts, my focus goes blurry as I consider my options before the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I look over my shoulder and turn to stone in Owen’s arms.
“What is it?” he murmurs, his voice laced with concern.
I wiggle out of his grip and tuck my hair behind my ear. “Principal Wells.”
Scanning the parking lot, Owen’s jaw tightens. “It’s fine. I took care of it.”
“How?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I should probably let him know that we’re dating.”
“He already does.”
“Then, why the crusty?” I ask, my attention split between our conversation and Wells’ retreating back side as he heads into the brick building.
Owen shrugs. “No idea. But we better get inside. Just let me know what you decide, and we’ll go from there, okay? No pressure, though. Seriously, whatever you want, Say. I don’t want any of this to scare you off––”
“It hasn’t,” I tell him, though I’m not one hundred percent sure who I’m trying to convince. “I promise. And I’d, uh,” I gulp. “I’d love to go.”
His eyes widen. “You sure?”
I nod, then raise myself onto my tiptoes and brush my lips against his. “Yeah. And even though it’s super tempting to stay here with Grady, you had me at ‘hotel room.’”
His joy is contagious as he wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my forehead. “I love you, Say. Even after all this time, I love you.”
My smile is shaky before I close my eyes and kiss him again. “I love you too.”
24
Saylor
“You’re fidgeting,” Owen points out with a smirk.
Forcing myself to stop wringing my hands in my lap, I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear and glare at him. “Can you blame me? I’ve never been to one of these things before, remember?”
He gives me the side-eye from behind the wheel of the rental car as we fly toward the banquet hall before dragging his fingertips along the hem of my sparkly, black dress. It’s the fanciest thing I’ve ever worn, but next to the sexy guy in a tux beside me, I think I’ll blend in. Maybe.
“You look gorgeous, Say,” Owen murmurs before he turns on his blinker and pulls up to the entrance of the banquet hall.
“Can I ask you something?” I blurt out, my nerves getting the best of me.
He quirks his brow. “Yeah, of course.”
“Do you think people will notice that I’m not Grady’s mom? You know, since she used to always come to these things, and Grady’s birth made all the newspapers, and….” I gulp, then look down at my hands and wring them together again.
“Say….” His voice sounds tortured.
I look back up at him and hold my breath, wishing these stupid insecurities would leave me alone. I’d give anything for them to leave me alone.
“Is that what you’ve been stressing over?” he rasps, his eyes shining with remorse.
“I saw the pictures of her at these parties, Owen––”