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“Ugh. I’m gonna strangle her.” I laughed. “Iama bit scared of public bathrooms, yeah.”
“I get it.” He chuckled. “No judgment.”
A waitress came by to take our orders, and we hadn’t even looked at the menu yet. So we stopped talking and took some time to peruse the specials. I settled on wild salmon with capers while Owen got the swordfish.
When we were alone again, he fluffed his napkin, placing it on his lap. “So what did thisfriendof yours say to piss you off?”
I guess he’s not going to drop it.“He wants me to come out to California to see him before he has to leave for Italy. He’ll only be here a few more weeks before he’s gone to film for four months.”
“How the hell would he expect you to fly out now? Doesn’t he know why you’re here?”
Well, that feels validating.“He does know why I’m here, but unfortunately he’s a narcissist, so…”
Owen shook his head. “Why do you waste time with a guy like that?”
“Old habits can be hard to break. Sometimes we keep toxic people in our lives for no good reason. He’s not a bad person. He’s just caught up in his fame. He wasn’t always like that, which is probably the reason I have a hard time letting go. I remember the person he used to be.”
“You say he’s not your boyfriend, though.”
“No,” I clarified. “He never was. In fact, he’s been photographed many times with other women, so if he were my boyfriend, we’d have a big problem.”
Owen played with his watch. “Do I know this actor?”
I’m sure.“You might.”
“You don’t want to tell me who he is?”
Is it getting hot in here?“Maybe someday, but not today.”
“Okay. Fair enough.”
Our food arrived, and thankfully the subject changed. Owen told me about some of the luxury properties he’d sold recently, and I talked about how I’d been managing my casting-agent duties remotely.
After we finished our meal, Owen wiped his mouth and looked at me like he wanted to say something. “I’ve always wanted to ask you something…” he began.
“Okay.”
“The first night we met… If you’d come to town to take care of Heath and Hannah, what were you doing at that bar?”
“Are you judging me?”
“Hell no.” He shook his head. “I’m very grateful for that night. Just curious what made you go there.”
I sighed. “I’d just gotten into town, and I was stressed about how I was going to handle everything. A friend of my mother’s here in the City—a really nice woman named Laurice—came by the apartment and saw how frazzled I was. She’s one of those rare people who understands my mother’s true colors but somehow stays friends with her anyway. She told me she’d give the kids dinner and look after them for the evening while I went out for a breather. I took advantage of her hospitality—a little too much.”
“I should probably thank Laurice, then.”
I blushed, and when I looked back up, Owen was staring at me intently.
“I don’t get too much time alone with you, so I’m just gonna say this before we both have to go back to work.” He lowered his voice and leaned in. “I think about our evening together a lot. Not just for the obvious reasons, but because… I was broken before that. That’s something you don’t know about me. I’d been unable to feel anything for anyone in a very long time. And you brought me out of that. It was a great night—even if that’s all it was, one night. And even if we’re never anything more than friends, Devyn, I want you to know you’re someone I won’t forget.”
I said nothing.Why had he been broken?
“If you’re definitely going back to California, itisprobably best if we don’t date,” he added. “You’re not the type of girl I’d want to just mess around with and walk away from. You’re going through a lot. And you’re right, you don’t need any more complications. So, I want you to know I respect why you’ve been hesitant with me. I don’t blame you at all.”
“Why were you broken, Owen?” I asked. “Did someone hurt you?”
He ran his finger along his glass and shook his head. “It’s not as dramatic as that. I don’t have a clear answer as to why.” He stared off for a moment. “It’s been strange watching two of my best friends fall in love while I’ve been unable to feel anything for anyone, unable to relate to their experiences. I’ve always kept busy with work, and everyone thinks I just have no time for more in my life.” He paused. “But the truth is, there’salwaystime for the things you really want.”
