Page 22 of Begin Again

nine

The moment Owen saw the roses, he knew it was going to be a bad day.

He’d been hopeful to hear from Chloe over the weekend, but she’d remained silent. After their evening together, he felt they’d made progress. When he looked into her eyes, he knew in his gut she still had strong feelings. The connection between them hadn’t been severed—only bent. He’d spent the weekend tying up loose ends on the case and reaching out to some old friends to grab a beer and catch up. The rest of the time he thought about Chloe and his next move.

Until he arrived Monday morning to the flowers. And the card.

This time, there was no envelope. Just a fancy notecard with one line written in elegant scrawl.

Can’t Stop Thinking About Our Night Together.

The punch in his gut was brutal. She’d seen him this weekend. Even worse, they could have spent the night together. The idea of the woman he loved being in another man’s arms made him nauseous. Frustration warred with a deep-set panic at the idea of losing her all over again. He’d googled everything about Drew Dinkle. He looked like fucking Captain America, which sucked, but even worse? He was rich, self-made, and owned a foundation that helped the animals. He was everything Chloe was meant for—all the things Owen had wanted to become when he was a nineteen-year-old kid, dreaming of spending his life with his first love.

And he wondered again, was he enough?

Vivian came into the office, interrupting his thoughts. “Morning, Owen. What’s the update on our case?”

He forced a smile and re-focused. “We were assigned our court date six weeks from now. We’ll be ready. I have to head to the courthouse today. How do you feel?”

“Much better, thanks. I received a few phone calls from the Sidewalk Angels event. You did a great job. Regina was really appreciative of your help.”

“I’m glad. I’m reaching out to a few of my contacts who are versed on puppy mills. I told Regina to blow it up in the press.”

Vivian gave a shark-like smile. “Excellent advice. You’re doing great—I wish I could steal you for Advocates for Animals full-time. You and Chloe make a deadly team.”

He ignored the ache in his chest and nodded. “Is she coming in today?” he asked casually.

“She’s at a site visit this morning. Oh, is that the new delivery?” Vivian headed to Chloe’s desk and smelled the roses. “Seems like Captain America finally captured her. So damn romantic, but Lord knows that girl deserves her happy ever after. Plus, Drew’s working on a large funding for us which we desperately need. Guess it’s a win/win.”

“They’re serious, huh?” he asked.

Vivian laughed. “Hope so. They’re perfect for each other. Better get to work, I’ll see you later.”

She left and he spent the next few hours on some other cases the Animal Defense Fund needed his help on. By the time he reached the courthouse, it was past lunch and he’d managed to numb his emotions. He greeted Mario, a savvy lawyer who worked for one of the larger firms focused on animal rights. The firm was making a name for itself in the community, and Mario was one of the good guys. His tall, dark good looks only added to his lethalness in the courtroom. “Owen, good to see you, man. You’re working on Spagarelli, right?”

“Yes, we’re on the docket for next month. Been wanting to reach out to set up a lunch date.”

“Funny you should mention that. Your name’s been floating around my office lately as a potential recruit.”

Owen looked at him with surprise. “Didn’t think you were expanding.”

“Only for the right people. You’ve done great things with the Animal Defense Fund. We need another decent lawyer on our team. Interested?”

He hesitated. Working for a not-for-profit didn’t pay as well as the private firms, but he was also loyal to the organization that had taken him in and allowed him to learn the law as an intern. “I’m pretty happy where I’m at.”

Mario laughed. “At least hear our pitch. I know the amount of hours you work isn’t comparable to the paycheck, and there’s little growth. You can be doing some big things with us.”

The idea intrigued him. He shifted his briefcase and nodded. “Let’s talk.”

Mario bumped his shoulder. “Good. We don’t even mind the scandal. I see you’ve been busy since you hit our city. You work fast, man.”

He cocked his head, confused. “What are you talking about?”

Mario lifted a dark brow. “Page Six, man. You’re splashed all over the paper today. A love triangle with the governor’s daughter is pretty juicy. Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”

His blood chilled. A sense of foreboding washed over him, but he pushed himself to ask. “You have a copy?”

“Sure, my girlfriend was gushing about how romantic it all was this morning. Here you go, keep it. I better head in. I’ll call you for lunch.”