Page 144 of Wish You Were Mine
She gave a small, solemn nod.
“But you did the most important thing,” I added. “You got out. You protected yourself. That’s not nothing.”
“Thanks,” she whispered.
After a beat, she pulled back just enough to meet my gaze. Her eyes were still watery but steady now. “And thanks for not freaking out. I haven’t told anyone before. And it was…nice. To just say it out loud. Without having to manage someone else’s reaction.”
“I’m glad you felt safe telling me.” I gave her a soft smile. “That means more than you know.”
She nodded again, then curled back into me, her body sinking into mine like she was finally letting herself be held.
As we sat there, I considered suggesting she tell her family, since I was sure it had been hard keeping it a secret from them.
But that conversation could wait for another time.
Right now, she didn’t need advice.
She just needed comfort—maybe evenme.
And I wasn’t going anywhere.
44
LUCY
“Thanks for helpingme with the assignment,” I said as I zipped my backpack shut and glanced up at Owen with a tired smile. “Hopefully, my chemistry professor gives me a good grade on it.”
“If he doesn’t, then Professor Park has officially lost his mind.” He winked.
I laughed. “Well, I know he’s still got all his faculties…so I’ll take that as a guaranteed A.”
He chuckled, his brown eyes crinkling. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Guess I will.” I reached for my backpack strap, ready to sling it over my shoulder, then paused. “Actually…mind if I use your bathroom before I head out?”
“Go ahead.” He stepped aside and nodded toward the hallway. “Second door on the left.”
I slipped down the hall and into the bathroom, flipping on the light and closing the door behind me. When I moved to wash my hands, something on the wall caught my eye. A small shelf beside the mirror, lined with a few personaldevelopment books and a stack of science and technology magazines.
I smiled to myself.
Of course he had those.
He really was such a nerd. A smart, thoughtful, deeply lovable nerd.
And to think he’d let me believe he was just a bartender when we first met.
After drying my hands, I opened the door and paused in the doorway.
Owen was standing by the table, zipping up my backpack.
He straightened a little too quickly, his expression casual in a way that made me instantly suspicious. “Just making sure you had everything for tomorrow.”
“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms as I stepped toward him. “You’re not sneaking in surprise quizzes, are you?”
“Never,” he said, with just enough mischief in his voice to make me squint. “Just something…for later.”
“For later?” I lifted an eyebrow. “What kind of something?”
