“I wish you talked with me about it, Andrew. I feel you’re going behind my back.”
My brother didn’t apologize. Instead, he went back to work, ignoring me.
“For what it’s worth, which isn’t much, I think you should move back here,” I said as I moved toward the exit. “We all miss you.” The door hinges squeaked as I shut the door.
With Andrew’s news heavy on my mind, I made my way around the property. Thankfully, Carrie hadn’t destroyed any more fence lines. She and Owen must have formed some silent truce during their moment together.
The morning sky quickly turned to afternoon, and the sun warmed up the brisk day. I returned the UTV to the barn and followed the pebbled path back to my house. I took a quick shower and changed into a pair of maroon athletic pants and a matching sports bra and crop top. I knew Owen had a thing for my boots, but I laced up a pair of sneakers. If I was going to visit him during the pop-up camp he put together with his old coach, then I wanted to at least look the part.
After I pulled my hair up into a ponytail at the top of my head, I unlocked my phone and was surprised to find a few messages from Jenna and two from numbers I didn’t have saved.
Jenna: Hey, thanks for the coffee.
Jenna: What time did you leave?
Jenna: Don’t go on the internet.
Jenna: Aspen, are you okay?
Jenna: Answer me.
Jenna: OMG you’re freaking out, aren’t you? It’s not true. You know it isn’t.
Jenna: I just realized you’re probably working. Call me!!!!
I was concerned after the multiple exclamation points. Jenna was a little over the top when she messaged but was usually reserved with her punctuations.
Skimming through her messages again, I immediately assumed there was something on the internet pinning me against Vanessa. I remembered the gossip sites doing the same to Colton and Autumn, with whatever women he’d been seen with in the past. The longer I thought about it, the more I realized all my sisters had gone through the same situation. All three married high-profile men with exes they left scorned. It was easy news to pin the new flame against the old one.
I texted Jenna back.
Me: No worries. I’ll check it out, but I remember the game these people play. And you’re welcome for the coffee.
I hesitated before reading the messages I received from numbers I didn’t recognize. Like a kid on the first day at a new school, my nerves were getting the best of me. With shaking hands, I pulled up the first message.
826-555-4324: Hey, it’s Tryston. I got your number from the neighborhood chat. Anyway, I was wondering if you’d want to go out sometime.
The old me would have squealed like a schoolgirl if he sent that message a month or two ago. But now? Now, I was… disappointed? He asked for a date in a text. Why couldn’t he call me? And to make matters worse, I didn’t think I even wanted a date. Not yet, at least. And for sure not until Owen went back to California.
Plus, I had just come to terms with the fact that I was in love with him, even knowing he was leaving soon. I set myself up for heartbreak.
I left the message as Read but unanswered as I moved to the other unknown number’s text.
761-555-8963: <image>
There were no words but a picture of a magazine cover. In big, bold letters read the words It’s back on! with a formal picture of Owen and Vanessa dressed to the nines. From the background, it looked like they were attending a sports award ceremony.
Wondering if Owen had seen the magazine, I saved it, then forwarded it to his number. I didn’t expect him to reply, since he was at the camp, but not a moment later, he replied with a short video of a man rolling on the floor laughing.
Owen: <GIF>
Owen: Funniest thing I’ve seen all week.
Owen: You know not to believe that stuff, right?
Me: Yep. Who did the message come from? 761-555-8963
Owen: That’s my best friend Marc. I’m pissed someone published this.
Me: Did you give him my number?
Owen: No, but it’s not hard to find on the internet, cricket.
Me: Are you ever going to tell me why you call me that?
Owen: Maybe one day. Will I see you soon?
Me: On my way.
My thumbs hesitated over the letters on my phone. I almost typed out the words “love you” but held back. What would he do if I did? Would he freak out? Return the sentiment? Run for the hills? The fear of rejection had me sliding my phone into the pocket on the side of my pantleg and grabbing my car keys. Plus, that wasn’t really something I should say for the first time over a text. Like Tryston’s date proposal, the thought gave me the ick.
The entire time I drove to the baseball fields, I wondered if it was better in the long run to keep my feelings for Owen to myself. Nothing good would come of it. But then I thought about how I’d feel if I were him. He’d been tricked and lied to most of his life. Other than Beverly, he had probably never experienced a real, unconditional love.
With stunned recognition, I realized I wanted to be that for him.
But I wasn’t sure it was in the cards.
Chapter Seventeen - Aspen
