Page 19 of Owned (The Billionaire Banker 1)
“What about you? Did the students survive today, Professor?”
“Barely.” She sighs, rubbing her temples. “I had to explain to two different students why Wikipedia isn’t a credible source of information. One of them argued that if it’s on the internet, it’s basically fact.”
“It’s not?” I tease.
Her lips twitch, but she narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t you start. I get enough of that from my students.”
I hold up my hands in surrender, grinning. “Hey, all I’m saying is— if Wikipedia says I’m the best goalie in the league, would you argue?”
She rolls her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitches like she’s trying not to smile. “You’re ridiculous. Wikipedia would probably say you’re a unicorn if the right someone edited the page.”
“I’d take that as a compliment.”
For a moment, the conversation pauses, the room settling into an easy quiet. Gio, the dog, gets up. Stretches. Without missing a beat, he crawls onto her lap and curls into a skinny ball, glaring at me like he’s daring me to even think about petting him.
She strokes his body absentmindedly, her gaze drifting to thewindow. Her fingers move in slow, comforting circles, and I can tell she’s lost in her thoughts.
“Thanks for coming over,” she says softly.
“Want to order food and watch a movie?” I ask, keeping my tone light, worried she’s going to reject my offer.
Austin sighs, leaning back into the couch. “I was watching one of those housewife shows before you showed up.”
I nod. No surprise there—she loves reality TV, especially the messy kind that involves arguments over champagne and passive-aggressive party invites.
“Sounds good to me.”
Her head tilts, her lips quirking into a small smile. “You hate those shows.”
“I don’t hate them,” I say. “I just don’t understand how they’re always fighting. But hey—if you’re into it, I’m into it.”
The smile grows, and for a second, I feel like I’ve won the Stanley Cup.
“That was easy.” She’s happy so I’m happy.
“True,” I admit, leaning back and crossing my arms. “I seriously couldn’t care less what we watch. I just want to be here with you.”
She looks at me then, really looks at me, and something shifts in her expression. The tenderness in her eyes is enough to make my chest tighten, and for a brief moment, I forget about the game, the travel, and even the dog’s continued silent loathing.
“Okay,” she says, her voice quiet but steady. “Let’s order food.”
And just like that, the world feels a little bit lighter.
“What are you in the mood for?” I ask, pulling out my phone to scroll through the delivery apps. “Pizza? Thai? Or do we just go all in and order burgers with fries and milkshakes?”
Silently, I apologize to my nutritionist for pre-smelling like bacon burger, tapping away at my screen while Austin continues to stroke Gio’s naked body.
“Burgers sound good,” she says. “Can we get sweet potato fries?”
“On it,” I reply, pulling up the menu for our favorite burger place.
“Oh. And extra pickles,” she says, giving me a playful nudge with her foot. “And lots of secret sauce packets.”
“Got it.”
After placing the order, I set the phone down on the coffee table and lean back into the couch. “Food’s on the way.” I sigh, looking forward to our late night snack. “Have you seen Nova lately?”
Austin’s face lights up at the mention of my sister. “I ran into her at the coffee shop yesterday. She was bitching about the date she was on Tuesday night.”
