Page 141 of Breakaway Hearts

“Who’s this little creature?” Miss Mabel walks down her driveway towards us. I’ve never told her about me and Madison, but my neighbor tends to know everything.

“Would you mind—” I start, already talking myself out of this.

“Of course. I just made cookies.” She literally shoos me off with a wave of her hand.

I shouldn’t be giving my eight-year-old niece cookies after ice cream less than an hour before bedtime, but Em nods with a smile to tell me it’s okay, and I am sprinting down the block so fast that Em giggles and Miss Mabel mutters, “Oh my!”

“Madison, wait!” I call out again when I spot her, just passing the coffee shop at the end of our street, confirming my suspicions. I don’t expect her to listen, but at least she responds.

“It’s fine, Owen. You’re with your family, and I’m…Where’s your niece?”

“Miss Mabel took her so we could talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” She sighs. “It’s fine.”

“What’s fine?” I ask her. “Because from where I’m standing, nothing is. You’re upset, you’re mad at me, and I was a dick to…you.” The woman I love is how I would finish that if I didn’t think she’d scoff at me.

“I’m not mad, Owen. I understand. You’ve been amazing, but⁠—”

“But what?” She’s not mad, she’s hurt, but she also looks like she thinks she deserves whatever she thinks is happening.

“It’s a lot. I’m a lot,” she amends. “This isn’t what you⁠—”

“You’re exactly what I signed up for,” I stop her. “And you’re not a lot. You’re perfect.”

“Don’t lie, Owen. For someone who tried so hard to convince me to be more than friends, you just…” She can’t even get the words out. “But it’s fine, I said we shouldn’t meet each other’s people.”

“That was when it was just sex, not when you’re my girlfriend,” I argue. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell her that, but it’s my baggage. It has nothing to do with you. I regretted those words the second they came out my mouth.”

She doesn’t believe me. Or doesn’t trust me, which is infinitely worse.

“I dated the same girl all four years of high school. She was at family birthdays and Christmas celebrations, vacations…I assumed we were endgame.” Madison looks hurt by this, not remotely relieved, so I talk faster. “She dumped me after prom because I insisted on coming here instead of some party school in Cali. Because I wanted to play hockey instead of clubbing and yachting with her.”

“I’m sorry,” Madison says, like she has no idea what this has to do with her.

“She made the right call; I don’t think I ever missed her so much as having someone. But she’d made plans with my family that she didn’t follow through on. Tab was old enough, so she got it, but Cami had promised Emmy she’d take her to afternoon tea for her birthday, to teach her some TikTok dance next time she saw her, to bring Patrick onto one of her dad’s sets…She bailed on Emmy’s dance show, uninvited her from her sister’s birthday party, and just stopped showing up for her, which, I get, but Em didn’t. She waited for hours. She was crushed. So I vowed to never introduce another girlfriend to the littles, especially not Emmy, because she gets attached, and I can’t be responsible for another person breaking her heart.”

“She wouldn’t fall for me after one meeting,” Madison argues.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” I mean for it to be teasing, but I’m looking at her in a way that says, ‘I fucking did.’

“I should get going. So you can get back to Emmy.”

“Or you can come hang out with us,” I offer.

“I can go home, it’s fi—I completely understand not wanting her to get attached to some…”

“I want her to know you.” She’s about to argue, so I add, “She already figured out you’re my girlfriend, and she can always use another strong, badass woman to look up to.”

Madison rolls her eyes, like it’s a line, but I mean it. I lean in to kiss her before I’ll have to be a perfect gentleman, then put out my hand, relieved when she takes it and we walk back to my place, where I introduce her to Em as my girlfriend. I don’t know for sure Madison will tolerate me forever, but I don’t think she’d make a promise she wouldn’t keep.

Chapter Sixty-Three

Madison

Feels…like home

After spending the evening with Owen and Emmy, I get home to find a note from Jason saying he went out but has his cell if I need him, and to call when I get in so he can come home. I always knew how much he gave up for me, but he made it seem like we gave them up together and he had no interest in any of it either. Which is stupid and naïve and why I’ve never let myself really think about it, but this is a clear reminder that he’s been spending the past two years making himself available for me 24/7.