AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, don’t.”
She was talking to me, but the idiot had no idea.
“Don’t what?” he asked. “Buy you the ticket?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I wasn’t talking to you. But I need to run. Someone just came by.”
“Oh. Well, give me a call back later and let me know what day is best for you. Alright, sweetheart?”
Sweetheart.
It felt like someone stuck a pin in my swollen heart, causing it to deflate.
Devyn reached for the top of her laptop. “I’ll call you when I can.” She shut it without waiting for a response and stood, biting her lip. “Sorry about that.”
I swallowed. “I just came by to tell you I spoke to a buddy of mine. He’s a family law attorney here in the City. I told him a little about your situation, and he said he can probably get you emergency temporary custody. He thinks you should file the paperwork before CPS shows back up here on Monday.”
Her eyes widened as she smiled. “Really? He thinks I can get emergency custody? It would keep them out of foster care?”
I nodded. “He had some questions, like about your criminal history and stuff. But I think you should talk to him.”
“I don’t have a criminal history.”
“Good. Then you should definitely speak to him.”
“Do you think he can see me early on Monday?”
“He’ll talk to you today, if you want.”
“Oh my God.” She covered her heart with her hand. “That would be great. Thank you so much, Owen. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
I couldn’t even enjoy being her hero; I was too disappointed by the conversation I’d walked in on.He wants hissweetheartto come to Italy.
But I managed a smile. “Let me text Marcus and tell him you want to talk.”
Marcus answered my message almost immediately. We went back and forth for a few minutes, setting him and Devyn up for a Zoom call in an hour. I gave him Devyn’s email so he could send her a link to join the call. After, I tucked my phone into my pocket.
“Do you want to have some dinner before I have the call?” Devyn asked. “I made a Waldorf salad—it’s the only kind of salad I can get Heath to eat. He likes the walnuts and apples, so the greens seem to slip in unnoticed. But the pizza place called a little while ago and asked if he could come in, and Hannah is practicing with a friend forPS Idol, so now I have a giant salad all to myself.”
Normally, I’d jump at the chance to spend time alone with Devyn, but I just wanted to get the heck out of here now. So I lied. “Thanks. But I still have some work to do.”
“Oh. Okay. Want me to make you a doggie bag?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
I walked to the door feeling like my feet were weighed down with concrete blocks. I didn’t even bother to turn around to say goodbye. “Good luck. Hope everything goes well with Marcus.”
Halfway out the door, Devyn put her hand on my arm, forcing me to look up. “Thank you, Owen. You’re really an amazing friend.”
Friend.One little word, yet it felt like the final nail in the coffin. I forced a smile. “Anything for myfriends.”
***
I was still trying to blow off steam at eight PM. Forty-five minutes of weightlifting hadn’t done the trick, so I thought I might go for a run before jumping in the shower. A remix of the Beastie Boys blared through my earbuds as I tucked the sweaty T-shirt I’d taken off into the waistband of my shorts and moved my head to the groove of the beat.
But when I opened my front door to go, I jumped back, startled. “Shit.” I ripped an earbud from one ear. “I didn’t expect anyone to be standing here.”
Devyn smiled. “Sorry. I knocked twice. You didn’t answer so I was just about to leave.”
