Page 96 of Fragile Hearts

“Goodbye, Mom,” I say, shaking my head just as the guard opens the door. “Bye, Jenna.”

When I walk in the front door of the house I share with Owen, he’s waiting for me. Standing a few feet from the door, a smile on his gorgeous face, and it’s literally the best welcome home ever. Mochi barks, running to me, jumping up and doing a cute little dance.

Bending down, I scoop him up, holding him to me as I give a few quick pets before setting him back down again.

“Hi, sweets,” Owen says, embracing me in a hug, his arms wrapped around me, the warmth of his body entwining with mine. “How’d it go?”

“Good,” I say, meaning it. It did go well because in my mind, it’s over. None of this has happened overnight, it’s been a slow process of understanding that in order to live my life, I can’t have her in it.

Ever.

“Really?” Owen asks, pulling back to look at me. He scans my face, his eyes falling to mine, and he’s searching for tears, but he won’t find any. Not anymore.

“Yes, really. It’s over. That woman took nineteen years of my life. Nineteen years I spent wondering why I wasn’t good enough, but she’s not going to get the twentieth year. That year is mine, and every year that comes after too.”

“Fuck, Sloane. I’m so damn proud of you for choosing yourself. You deserve it, babe,” Owen states, pulling me in again, my head resting against his chest.

I feel his lips fall to the top of my head, leaving a series of small, soft kisses. He’s everything I need, everything I need to heal, and I will be forever grateful for him.

“Thank you.”

“I have something for you,” he now says, sliding his hand into mine. He tugs me toward the back door. With Mochi following behind us, we all head outside.

Owen is smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen, laughing when I squeeze his hand, and I try to stop him.

“What is going on?” I ask, giggling as Owen keeps walking, pulling me along behind him. “Owen, you are crazy. What are you doing?”

“Just wait,” he says, his feet moving through the sand just off the back deck as Mochi frolics alongside him now. Sand is being kicked up by both of them, and I laugh.

“I love that sound,” Owen says, turning to look at me. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “The sound of your laugh is like nothing I’ve ever heard. Perfect and musical and beautiful. I want to wake up to it, fall asleep to it, dream about it.”

“Owen,” I croon, and for the first time in what feels like forever, tears spill down my cheeks, happy tears. I don’t even know what to say, but I find the words, the words I know he needs to hear. “You changed my life. Because of you, I know what it feels like to be loved. So, thank you.”

“Thank you,” he tells me, shaking his head. “For taking a chance on a surf bum with a crush on a girl he knew would be better than his expectations could ever be.”

I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him to me as his hands float over my ribs and down my body, grabbing my ass, making me giggle.

Kissing him, our lips meet in a way that says so much without words. Soft and gentle, filled with kindness and love and acceptance.

“So why did you drag me out here?” I ask, curious as I narrow my eyes at him, eliciting a laugh.

“For this.”

Sloane peers behind me in the direction I tipped my head. To where I hope the guys left what I got for her.

“What is...is that...” She pauses, looking up at me. “Is that for me?”

Grinning, I lean down and press a kiss to her lips. “It is for you.”

“Why?” she asks, blinking in surprise.

Cupping her face in my hands, I meet her eyes, smiling as I brush a thumb over her lips. “Because you deserve it, Sloane,” I say, my words a whisper. “And I want to give you everything you deserve. Everything you want.”

“Owen,” she murmurs, and I know she’s going to disagree with this.

“You wanna go try it out?” I ask, my lips against hers, not giving her a chance to respond. Sloane might not be used to people helping her or caring for her or loving her, but she’s sure as shit going to get used to it with me.

She smirks, narrowing her brow at me as she says, “Didn’t you say everyone was coming over tonight?”

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