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IT’S BEEN A LONG DAY. Actually, a long few days. Emotional as well.
I take my mom’s necklace, in its many pieces, out of the baggie and play with the heart charm. My grandmother gave it to my mom when she was a little girl, telling her to always hold on to her heart. To only give it to someone that truly deserves it. My mother gave the necklace to me when I was little, telling me the same thing. I’ve never given it to anyone. Actually, I’ve never really considered it my necklace. It’s always been my mom’s necklace. Funny how we interpret things as a kid and then when we’re adults, we don’t change that way of thinking.
I change into one of my new nightgowns Olivia and Piper bought me, put the necklace on the nightstand, and crawl into bed. It’s late, I feel funny, and I should get some sleep, but I’m not tired. Probably shouldn’t have had that nap earlier today on Owen’s office couch.
Why does he have a couch in his office? I’ve seen it on television, too. No one sits on a couch and has a business meeting. It’s weird. I mean, you can do other things on a couch that’s in an office... oh, god, I hope I wasn’t sleeping some place he’s done things to other women. Ugh.
I hope he’s not sleeping with his assistant. She seemed kind of young for him, but don’t guys like them young? Has he brought women here? Why does he have such a big house for one guy? And who wants to live next door to their family? Like, right next door.
And what’s the deal with the sisters-in-law and them marrying his brothers? Didn’t they have a friend for him, too? Oh god, what if he is dating someone and I’m in the way? Maybe that’s why he bought such a big house, but then he ran into me and now he can’t have his girlfriend, that he’s obviously going to propose to soon, move in because I’m here and he thinks I’ll ruin it for him.
And what’s the deal with the bachelor pad in the city? Who has two homes in the same town? Didn’t he say he wanted to leave me there? Maybe that’s where the fiancée is living and, of course, he doesn’t want me to meet her because I asked him to kiss me. Why would he tell me he wanted to kiss me when he’s about to marry the beautiful assistant?
I climb out of bed and storm to the master bedroom, where I’m assuming he’s sleeping, and bang on the door. “Owen Hughes. Open this door!” I demand. I will not be the other woman, nor will I allow someone to use me. Again.
The door opens to a confused and shirtless Owen. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”
I push past him. “How dare you tell me you want to kiss me when you’re clearly about to marry the way too young for you assistant, who’s living where, Owen? In the bachelor pad we were at earlier today? That’s why you brought me there, isn’t it? Because you knew she’d be at work and wouldn’t stop by. I knew it!” I tear off the sheets on his bed. “Well, I won’t be used like that, Owen. And I’ll be damn sure to let your sweet missus know all about your shenanigans!”
“How much wine did you drink tonight, Mallory?”
“Don’t you dare try to put this on me! I’m not the cheater! I bet you bought this big place because you two are planning to have a lot of kids.” I slap my forehead. “Of course you are! How stupid can I be?”
“Did you grab another bottle of wine on your way to bed?”
I’m pulling open all the dresser drawers trying to find evidence of the fiancée, but find nothing, so I open the closet door, but all the clothes in there are men’s. “Ugh! Never mind. I’m leaving!”
I stomp out of his bedroom and back to mine. I grab the lone suitcase I have, and start throwing clothes into it.
Owen appears at the doorway. “Are you quite done?”
I just ignore him and continue to throw my stuff into the suitcase that’s on the bed.
“Mallory. Would you stop for a minute and talk to me? What brought all of this on? What’s going on and who am I marrying?”
I turn to him and take a breath and get a bit dizzy. I grab at the wall, but miss. Owen’s right there and catches me. “Whoa, there. Sit down and take a breath.” He inhales and exhales, and so I mimic him a few times.
“Feel better?”
I nod.
“Good. Besides, tonight, when was the last time you had any alcohol?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Because I think you’re drunk, and if you are, that’ll explain all of this nonsense you’ve been spewing at me for the last ten minutes. And the destruction of my bedroom. When was the last time you drank?”
I have to think back and realize the last time I drank was when I was still with Patrick. “A few years.”
Owen sighs heavily. “Thank god.” He takes my hand and pulls me up. “Let’s get you into bed.”
He pulls the covers back, practically pushes me into the bed, and throws the covers back over me. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
He turns at the doorway to face me. “To get you some aspirin because you had three glasses of red wine tonight after being sober for a few years. Tomorrow morning will suck if I don’t get you something to help. Stay right there. I’ll be right back.”
Am I drunk? Is that what’s going on?
“Here. Take these.” He returns quickly and hands me two white, round pills and a glass of water. Owen seems to be turning into my drug dealer. He’s always handing me pills to take.
I do as instructed and hand him the glass back. “Thank you.”
He sits on the side of the bed. “Now, what’s going on? Who do you think I’m cheating on, and why?”
If I’m drunk, then all this stuff in my head is made up and I’m going to be so embarrassed tomorrow. “It’s nothing. Forget about it.”
“Oh, no you don’t. You don’t get to bang on my door, tear apart my room, accuse me of cheating and then tell me to forget about it. What’s going on, Mallory? How did you get to this point?”
“Um... well, I was thinking about why you had a couch in your office, and then realized you’re probably cheating on someone.”
I watch Owen nod. “Yeah, I’m having a problem getting from office furniture to a house full of children. You’re gonna need to break it down for me.”
I explain what I was thinking step-by-step as he sits there and listens to the entire thing.
After a few minutes, Owen looks at me. “Well, now I understand how office furniture becomes a house full of children. But, in my defense, I didn’t put the couch there. It was there when I moved into the office. Does that make a difference to your story?”
I think about it for a minute, and decide that it helps. “Yeah, but it doesn’t explain this big house for one guy and the bachelor pad.”
He nods, “True. It doesn’t, but again, in my defense, I just moved in earlier this week and I’m not the only one living here. Bella lives here, too, and the bachelor pad isn’t suited for a Great Dane.”
I think about that for a few minutes as my eyes are getting tired. “Okay. Fair point. Then, what about...” I yawn, “what about the really young assistant?” I snuggle into the covers.
Owen stands up and tucks the covers around me and then moves my suitcase off the bed and onto the dresser. “The assistants aren’t mine. They’re Matt’s, but they help me out sometimes. I rarely need an assistant.”
I close my eyes. He is moving around in my room, but I am not paying attention to him anymore. I’m too tired.
~~~
Oh. My. God. What have I done? My head is killing me. I try to open my eyes, but they feel like I have ten pounds of weights on them. And, ew... they’re crusty, too. Gross.
I move with my eyes closed. The light is going to be too bright. I just know it. What’s wrong with me?
“Good morning, my little wino.”
My eyes fly open, which is a big mistake, because not only was I right about the light hurting me, but I’m laying in bed, face-to-face with Owen.
What the fuck did I do?