Chapter 7 House Warming

Owen's truck is here.

At my brother's house.

As much as I don't want to go inside, I need to get away from my sister and her best friend. Freya actually asked my sister about my brother's—

Nope.

Don't go there.

That's gross.

My ears are bleeding.

I cup my hands over my ears while trying to manage my tote and hurry up the steps to the house. Freya comes after me, her blonde hair blowing in the wind like she's Venus herself. Soft waves cascade over her shoulders.

"He has a footlong," she announces, laughing.

"Jesus Christ." I gag. "I did not want to know that."

I walk inside because let's get this housewarming party over with.

My mother texted every family chat imaginable. Constantine had absolutely no say in it. Thankfully, Catori made his house look amazing, and Mom won't be complaining that he doesn't have enough dishes or places for people to sit. Cat furnished the backyard too.

He's lucky.

As soon as we walk into the kitchen, I see him.

Owen.

At the outdoor bar with my brother and Jason.

Ugh.

All three idiots are wearing matching gray swim trunks covered in rubber ducks.

Moronic.

I pause for a moment.

Freya stops beside me.

"Why are we stopping?" she asks just as her mother calls our names.

Every head turns toward us.

Owen's too.

Jason elbows him like we're in middle school and his crush just walked through the door.

Except we weren't in middle school together.

Owen is seven years older than me.

When he graduated high school at seventeen, I was only ten.

I don't meet his eyes.

He does not exist, my inner voice reminds me.

I let out a loud breath and head outside.

Freya and I make our way toward her mother, Tish. She's one of Mom's closest friends. Aunt Gemma is here too—not my actual aunt, but that's what we've called her my entire life.

Another one of Mom's friends.

Mason and Catori's grandad are manning the grill.

My parents are curled together on a lounger, whispering to each other.

That can't be good.

They look like they're plotting something.

I hug Aunt Gemma.

"Do you think you can help me find a house?" I whisper.

"Oh, baby." She smiles sadly. "You're about a week too late."

I tilt my head.

"What?"

"I retired and sold my company. Papers are signed and I'm finally free."

Good for her.

Bad for me.

"But I can put you in touch with the man who owns it now."

Before I can stop her, she grabs my shoulders and physically turns me around.

Toward Owen.

"I would rather eat shit," I murmur.

Aunt Gemma laughs loud enough to get their attention.

Crap.

Owen turns.

Our eyes lock.

Then he gives me a small grin.

Nothing cocky.

Nothing smug.

Just a grin.

My stomach immediately does that stupid flop thing and I feel nauseous.

"Okay..." Aunt Gemma says. "I feel like we're going to have to discuss whatever all that was over brunch."

"Maybe."

My attention shifts toward the sliding glass door.

I can run away right now.

No one will miss me.

Just as my escape plan begins forming, Melanie steps outside.

Safe space.

She spots me immediately and waves me over.

"Sorry to just crash the party. I was leaving Eve's and she asked me to drop this off."

She hands me an oversized sketchbook.

"Thank you." I take it. "It's her special overnight bag design. She did it herself."

Melanie gives me a look.

We both start laughing.

Eve is not an artist.

Her version of art is stick figures.

I'm honestly afraid to open it.

Melanie hugs me.

Then leans closer.

"Oh God, Jason looks amazing."

"You are engaged," I remind her, grabbing her hand to look at her ring.

She blushes.

Honestly, I don't see the appeal.

Not marriage.

Not kids.

And definitely not the man she's engaged to.

French banker.

Twenty years older than her.

And an asshole.

I avoid him whenever he's in town.

He treats her like crap.

She always excuses it.

He likes everything a certain way.

Yeah.

Because he's a senile old man.

Gross.

There has always been something creepy to me about really old guys. I can't explain it. They just give me the ick.

I drop my tote and sketchbook on a lounger next to Mom and Dad.

Mom is digging through her purse for something.

I look over and spot Constantine making a drink.

Oh God.

It's for Catori.

I pull my sundress over my head and dive into the pool.

The cool water wraps around me immediately.

Thank God.

I swim over to Freya.

The water is nice and cool. Constantine has one of those saltwater pools.

So much better than chlorine.

Unfortunately, even the water can't soothe the fire inside me.

Too many emotions.

Too many thoughts.

Too much Owen.

The Matthews men step into the backyard.

I watch Caden make a beeline straight for my sister.

I can't help rolling my eyes.

I don't understand why she entertains him when she's helplessly in love with Constantine.

April gets in the pool.

Jason follows.

Owen is already stumbling.

How much did that idiot drink?

I keep my fingers crossed he drowns.

He drops onto the submerged steps, and his eyes immediately find me.

I'm surprised he can still focus on anything.

I pull myself out of the pool and sit on the edge.

Ryan joins me.

I like Ryan.

He's cool.

We've been texting about improving our website.

I kind of want him to develop an app for us eventually. Something clients can use to track the progress of their orders.

"Katia."

He throws an arm around me.

Okay.

Maybe we talk about a lot of things.

We're a little closer than most people realize.

Not in a sexual way.

Just friends.

"Do you think you can make what I sent you work?"

"Oh yeah." He smiles. "Cakewalk."

Jason drops down on my other side.

I immediately point at him.

"Don't even start."

"I wasn't."

Liar.

He laughs.

"Who was your little friend?"

Oh.

I see.

"Melanie Perry. But something tells me you already know that."

He smirks.

Of course he knows who she is.

She's a lingerie runway model.

Everyone knows who she is.

"She's engaged," I add.

Jason leans back dramatically.

"Damn."

I move closer.

"If I had my way, her fiancé would be six feet under. He's an ass."

Jason chuckles.

"You are evil."

"You have no idea."

I glance toward Constantine.

His face is ice cold.

I follow his gaze.

What the hell?

"CATORI JONES!"

Half the backyard looks at me.

I don't care.

Caden has his arm across her chest, holding her chin.

They're making out.

Full-on making out.

I think not.

Is she sure she isn't my father's daughter?

Because this is some bullshit.

How could she do this at his house?

After everything.

After all the drama.

She's just making out with Caden like some horny teenager.

Constantine looks heartbroken.

Actually heartbroken.

Nearby, Adalyn is rambling about something.

Trying to relive her high school glory days.

She's Freya's older sister, but they are nothing alike.

Jason shifts beside me when someone brings up threesomes.

Wonderful.

Apparently there is history there.

I guess Adalyn, Jason, and my brother had some kind of situation.

That is information I absolutely did not need.

I need therapy.

Addie starts a drinking game.

Everyone joins in.

I groan.

Then movement catches my attention.

Owen climbs out of the pool.

Water streams down his chest.

He tugs at the wet fabric of his swim trunks, trying to unstick them from his skin.

Look away.

Look away.

Look away.

Instead, my eyes follow him.

Because apparently self-preservation is not one of my skills.

His curls are darker from the water.

His tan skin glistens in the afternoon sun.

The stupid rubber ducks somehow make the whole thing worse.

Or better.

I don't know.

I hate it.

I hate him.

I hate the way my stomach twists every time he looks at me.

As if he can feel me staring, Owen glances up.

Across the crowded backyard.

Past the laughter.

Past the music.

Past everyone else.

Straight at me.

My breath catches.

For one terrible second, neither of us looks away.

Then his gaze drops.

Slowly.

Over my shoulders.

My chest.

My bare legs.

And back to my face.

The corner of his mouth lifts.

Not a grin.

Not teasing.

Something else.

Something that makes heat curl low in my stomach.

Something that makes me forget how to breathe.

Then Jason looks between us.

And starts laughing.

"Oh no," he mutters.

My stomach drops.

Because whatever Jason just noticed...

I have a feeling everyone else is about to notice too.

Then suddenly—

"Oh my God!"

Catori slams the journal shut.

Caleb nearly jumps.

"That was fucking twisted."

He adjusts himself in his swim trunks.

Wonderful.

They're reading it together.

"What the hell are you two reading?" Ryan asks, laughing. "Let's hear it. Whatever it is has both of you looking like you're about to explode."

Catori bites her lip.