Page 20 (1/2)

But not me I’m not close to Owen I’o, but … it devastates h? We’ve only known each other for a feeeks I’ve never been a believer in insta-love, though Kari certainly has been She’s still chasing after that stupid Brad, yet he acts like he doesn’t want to give her the tiive h If I could smack myself in the face and knock some sense into my head, I so would I’ain and again the words rattle around in h my blood

Just friends Just Friends

Maybe I need to embrace those words Reme to Owen I need to prepare myself He’ll leave me eventually Move on, because that’s what he does He’s never had a steady girlfriend; he’s ad myself up to fail with Owen?

I need to harden my heart Not let him in

But I’m afraid it’s too late He’s already so in, there’s no way I can get him out anytime soon

And I don’t want to, either

CHAPTER 13

Owen

So

The weather is shit It’s like the skies closed up special for the game and the minute it was over, the clouds parted, opened up and du out of the parking lot was less of a nightot to park in the special team lot, but still, it took awhile And I flat-out couldn’t resist when Drew asked us to go out to dinner with thereed readily, but she was quiet the entire meal I have no idea if I pissed her off and I wasn’t about to ask her in front of Fable and Drew, so I tried my best to include her in the conversation But she wasn’t having it Not that she was rude, but she’d sort of withdrawn into herself, re quiet as she sat byall right, and Chels confessed she had a headache and that she was tired, but she’d be fine

That was Fable’s cue to give me a sharp look that told me point blank I needed to take care of her I pro her an equally pointed look back that she should stay out of my business, but I think it went undetected

Typical

We’d already finished dinner and Drew looked exhausted, his ar the ends of her hair I watched the what shetheirl I’d like tonext to me, I’d never been so aware of the easy, affectionate way between the, breathing thing They look at each other and you feel it They touch each other and you see it When I was younger--hell, six ht the two of theether Like, over-the-top in love When we’d first all ether, I’d been e They’d never done anything inappropriate around uess their open affection for each other just never felt that coe boy full of hor believer in love and all that shit Checking out hot chicks and wanting to get my hands on their bodies in any way possible, yeah--that’s whatto realize I hat Fable and Drew have I know I’, too, when they first met and fell in love And look at theone over each other They’re married, they have a baby, he’s beyond busy with his career, she’s busy taking care of Autumn, and they still look at each other as if they’ve only just met and they can’t believe they have each other

Yeah I want that sort of thing And I think I want it with Chelsea

She doesn’t seeh I don’t knohat happened, what turned her a and she’s not a football fan whatsoever, but shit, ere sitting in the skybox, getting the deluxe treatment Wade will shit himself when he finds out I went and didn’t take hia that freaked her out I know they talked about ht the sweatshirt for her, but what could Fable have said that would have made Chelsea become so damn quiet?

I haven’t a clue, but she’s co hate it

We leave the restaurant right after Drew pays the bill, and we’re all standing under the awning waiting for the valet guy to bring both cars around

When you go out to dinner noith Drew Callahan, you always go out in style The guy is a fking celebrity

Chelsea o to the bathroo drive, and Fable turns to aze narrowed as she pullsho her voice "It’s raining pretty bad and I’m sure the roads are terrible"

"I’ll be careful, I pro "Don’t worry"

"And it’s so late" She withdraws fro into a frown "Maybe you should stay the night with us"

That’s a long-ass drive back to San Francisco in this kind of weather No thanks "I think Chelsea has class in theof you out driving for hours in this rain"

"We’ll be fine, don’t worry Seriously" I ruffle her hair, soer but since I tower over her by about a foot, I’ve got the upper hand now "I’ll text you e get ho awake until I hear from you," she says

"Please You’ll be passed out with Autumn cradled in your arms," I tell her She’s ad the baby in the ether She’s up all hours of the night taking care of Autuuess they’ve foundover when Fable starts talking endless baby shit

But I know I don’t want to be the other one who’s keeping her awake

"You’re probably not too far fro to Drehen he calls her nao"

Chelsea exits the restaurant at that very aze is dim, her skin pale, but she offers a real sives her a big hug