Page 148 of Breakaway Hearts

“That would probably have been my assumption if I’d found out from social media on Friday.”

“Never.” We stop at a red light, and he looks over at me in an intensely earnest way until I nod to say I believe him. That I know he wouldn’t do that to me.

“What color is your tie?” I turn it on him, expecting a laugh or some story about Tab styling him, but he looks guilty again.

Then he sighs.

“It’s really hard to figure out when it’s better to be honest and tell you stuff or keep my mouth shut.”

“You can always tell me,” I assure him, because I want it to be true.

“I bought my tickets before…you confided in me, so I thought there was a chance I would convince you to come.”

“What does that have to do with your tie—please tell me you didn’t buy me a dress.”

“I would have had my sister design one for you, if anything.” I think he’s teasing. “Burgundy,” he admits.

It takes me a minute, and then I have to bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t embarrass myself.

“So I could wear my dress.”

“I get big ideas but don’t always think them through.”

“You keep surprising me, Owen Glass.”

“In a good way?” he asks, and I nod.

In the best way.

The next morning, I’m outside Dr. Kapoor’s office when he arrives. He looks at me and I see his shoulders drop, like he’s assuming something terrible has happened, another crisis I can work through before bailing until the next one.

“I don’t want to feel like this anymore,” I tell him. “I want to do the work and heal.”

Chapter Sixty-Six

Owen

The night we met

“Why are you so happy?” I ask my sister when she’s the one who lets me into Madison’s apartment. Jason bailed on the banquet for ‘other commitments’ Maddie wouldn’t let him back out of once she decided she was coming, but he texted me a picture of his bathroom overrun with hair products, makeup, and electronics he’s never heard of. It was an odd, ‘look what you’ve done to my bathroom,’ but also a ‘thank you for getting Madison out there again’ message.

“You’ll see.” Tab looks mighty pleased with herself.

“Could you help me do up the back, I think I put a button in the wrong⁠—”

Madison stops talking when she sees me, but I’m equally speechless. The dress fits her like a glove, all burgundy lace. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with makeup, but her eyes are lined so the brown looks like it’s on fire, and all I want to do is kiss her. Her blonde hair is up in a bun, like the first time I saw her, only it looks both more elegant and softer than it had then.

Tab nudges me, but it still takes me a second to remember I should be saying something.

“You look…you’re breathtaking,” I tell Mads, noticing that when her hand goes to her chest, the neck goes loose. “Here, let me help you,” I offer.

The back of the dress is non-existent, leaving her spine exposed, all the way to that little divot. Goosebumps cover her skin when my fingers brush it, and I fumble multiple times before getting the buttons right. If my sister wasn’t here right now, I don’t think we would make it to the dinner part. Maybe not at all.

“Ready to go?” I ask Madison while my sister sighs at her handiwork.

“As I’ll ever be,” she assures me.

“That’s my ride.” Tab checks her phone. “You lovebirds have fun, and I’ll see you tomorrow for coffee,” she says in a way that implies she’s expecting all the gossip from Maddie.