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"Where are we? What’s going on?"

"We’re staying overnight here" I incline my head toward the front doors

Her mouth drops open "Are you serious?"

"Definitely, I’m serious The weather is for shit, Chels The freeway is barelyout, I touch her cheek and she flinches--literally flinches--away froh me My heart hurts Has she ever rejected my touch before? I can only bla Fable she’s just a friend

Man, I really fked this up

"You don’t feel well," I tell her, trying to forget what I said, how ht’s rest"

"But I’llclasses," she protests "I have an important paper to turn in, too"

"Is it already finished?" If this wereon that stupid paper at this veryof procrastination, especially with ho on her lower lip

Why am I not surprised? "Then turn it in later tomorrow afternoon I’m sure your professor will understand when you explain what happened It’s not like you ever turn anything in late They’ll let you off the hook" I pause, studying her "We’ll leave first thing in theWe’re out of the city somewhat, so it probably should be about a three-hour drive And everyone will be traveling in the opposite direction, so we should be good The o to school and turn in everything you need to"

"I don’t know …" Her voice drifts and she glances down at her lap "I have nothing to change into for to to sleep in No toothbrush"

I’ood to a "We can pick up a toothbrush and whatever else we need in the hotel, I bet And we can take a quick shower, go to bed, throw our clothes back on, and head ho What do you think?"

Does she even hear the order I put that all in? And do I really think I have a chance with her tonight, with the way she’s been acting? How pissed she is with et separate beds?" Her cheeks color and she keeps her gaze averted "I just--I’ll feel more comfortable that way"

My hopes are smashed into a million pieces with five si? But I keepto control the overflow of e It’s just hard to face God knows, I never want to face anything "Whatever you want, Chels, I’ll make it happen if I can Depends on what the hotel has available"

"Okay" She nods "Thanks for being so understanding, Owen"

Even her voice sounds different I hate this I should apologize But how?

Hey, sorry I told et her off ave ht have nals, maybe I’m just as bad I want her I don’t I wanto inside and get a room," I tell her "You want to coaze locked on the passenger-side , staring at the front of the hotel "If you don’t mind, I’ll sit out here and wait for you"

I exit the car and head toward the hotel’s entrance, swearing I can feel her gaze onme, I knoe still have a chance This is just a blip in the road or whatever

But if she’s not looking at uarantee it won’t work out

Fuck I’ a deep breath and counting to five, I slowly glance over er-side door’s

Chelsea’s watching lass, her expression full of sadness I sive her a little wave, and she waves back

Glad to know there’s some hope between us after all

Chelsea

The hotel roo-sized bed It was the only type of rooetically when he’d come back to the car so he could park it I’d sat there, quietly stewing, wondering if he was lying to ot to the hotel rooed my mind e stood in front of the door, where I watched Owen slide the card into the lock and open it

I don’t need to start any fights He already kno I feel and I should be ing for iveness?

He’s been very quiet, almost somber, I’m sure in reaction to ’s okay when deep inside, I’m sad Disappointed And I know Fable hadn’t meant to make me sad or ruin the mood Truly, I should be ecstatic by what she said because clearly, Owen and I don’t give off a just-friends vibe

I just hate that he said it in the first place

He’d glanced around the hotel roo looked okay, and when I said yes, he said he was going to go pick up a few things for us, toothbrushes and toothpaste and whatever else we o with hi to hop in the shower instead His eyes had gone all dark in that sexy way of his and he hardened his jaw, gave ht, I’ll be back," and then he took off, closing the door with a firo into the bathroohts, ie, the fixtures new, and everything’s so clean I wish I had soe into after I take a shower, but I do find a hotel robe hanging on the back of the door and decide that will have to do And when I push back the shower curtain and turn on the faucet, I notice the water pressure is a

The shower atto soak under this for as long as I can

A sigh of relief escapes me when I step beneath the spray and I tiltthe water wash overto relaxabout the headache It came on just before we left the stadium, and I can only assus

Travel can set h I’m not due for my period for a few more days at least The tension between Owen and me has added to it, too, of course