Page 101 of Falling For You

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? ’Cause it looks like you’re leaving with the guy who outbid the entire town to date you. The same guy who nearly crushed our town. That doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”

I shook my head, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. “He’s just… coming over to talk. That’s all.”

Liam gave me a long, appraising look before glancing at Owen. “Well, if you need me to punch him for anything, just let me know.”

Owen chuckled, stepping forward and offering his hand to Liam. “I’ll try not to give you any reason to.”

“Any more reasons to?” he corrected. Liam took his hand, his expression softening slightly. “Good. Because she’s not someone you mess around with, got it?”

Owen nodded, his eyes flicking back to mine, full of sincerity. “I know. That message has been sent and received.”

Liam released his hand and clapped me lightly on the shoulder. “I’ll let you two get to your talking. Just remember, Violet, if this doesn’t go well, you’ve got a whole town ready to help you out.”

I laughed despite myself, feeling the tension ease a little. “Thanks, Liam. I’ll be fine.”

With a quick nod, Liam sauntered off to join the rest of the crowd, leaving Owen and me standing there in the barn.

The moment between us was still fragile but full of possibility.

“I’ll see you soon,” Owen said softly, his eyes lingering on mine for a second longer before he turned and walked toward the door.

I stood there momentarily, watching him go, before taking a deep breath and removing my llama head.

The drive back to the cabin was short, but my mind was anything but calm. I couldn’t stop replaying the conversation in my head, how he looked at me, and the honesty in his words.

This felt different from before. Maybe we were finally on the same page.

When I pulled into the driveway of my cabin, the familiar sight of the cozy tiny home instantly soothed my nerves. I had always loved this place—the warmth of the wood, the soft glow of the lights inside.

I stepped inside, setting my keys on the kitchen counter and kicking off my shoes. The cabin was warm and inviting. The fire in the woodstove crackled softly. I moved to the window, pulling the curtains aside and peeking into the night, half-expecting to see Owen’s car pulling up already.

But instead, the driveway remained empty, the silence outside almost deafening in its quiet.

My mind raced as I paced the family room, the minutes ticking by slowly. What if this was a mistake? What if I let him back in, only to get hurt again? The doubt crept in, gnawing at the edges of my thoughts, but I pushed it aside. I had to trust that this time, things would be different.

I shimmied the llama costume off my body and sighed in relief. It started to feel suffocating the moment I’d put it on.

A knock sounded at the door, and my heart skipped a beat.

I hurried over, taking a deep breath before opening it to see Owen standing there.

He held out a bouquet of sunflowers and smiled. “I’d like to start completely over if we could.”

I nodded slowly.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low. “My name’s Owen. I can be an ass, but I’m working on it valiantly. Regardless, I have a good heart and can be kind of funny.”

“Hey,” I replied, stepping aside to let him in. “My name is Vi, and I’m learning something about myself daily.”

“You’ll let me call you Vi?” he asked as I motioned him inside.

“Yeah, I think I’m ready for that.”

He removed his jacket and hung it on the peg by the door. The cabin felt smaller with him in it. His presence filled the space, making me hyper-aware of how close we were.

We stood there in silence.

Neither of us was sure how to start.

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