OWEN PEEPED THROUGH the blinds and watched Jenny hover in front of the house for a minute before she moved on. Once he’d made it in the door, he’d wanted to kick himself. What was he thinking, offering her a ride? Asking her if she was staying here? She’d just made it clear she was leery of him, but he’d ended up making himself look more like a creep. He’d desperately tried to think of something clever to say to make her stay and talk. Instead, he’d bumbled around like an idiot.
Resting his forehead on the window frame, he stared at the spot where she’d been. That was his Jenny, and she didn’t even know it. He’d wanted to reach out and stroke her cheek when she smiled. Why had he posted a fake name and photo? Why had he let it go on for so long?
I should have invited her in. They could have chatted in the sitting room. Obviously, she knew Betsy and would have felt safe inside. Too late now. An insane protective urge told him to follow her to make sure she got home okay, but if she saw him, she’d think he was a nut case and would probably call the police on him. It’s a small town, and she’s a smart girl. Reluctantly, Owen turned to retreat to his room, but before he could reach the stairs, Betsy called out to him.
“Could you help me out in the kitchen for a minute before you head up to bed?”
“Sure,” Owen answered, rerouting his steps to follow her into the kitchen. “What would you like help with?”
“I should know better than to let my grandson put dishes away. My mixing bowl is way up at the top.”
As they entered the kitchen, Owen could see that every cabinet stood wide open.
“There it is.” She pointed to a high shelf. “I never put stuff up there. Too high to reach, and the last time I used a step stool, the blasted thing slid right out from under me. ‘Bout killed me.”
“No problem at all.” Owen reached up and easily pulled the bowl down. Placing it in Betsy’s hands, he smiled. “Anything else? I’m happy to help.” He sniffed the air. “What smells so good?”
“My zucchini bread.” She gave him a teasing smile. “Fresh out of the oven.”
Owen sighed inwardly. He’d rather be in his room drowning in his sorrows, but Betsy had a way of making him feel better even when he didn’t want to. Plus, she seemed to want company, and he understood loneliness better than anyone.
“Got any butter to go with it?” he asked.
“You bet I do. Anything for Handsome Owen. You sit right there, and I’ll grab you a slice. It’s still warm enough to melt the butter.” Betsy grabbed a saucer out of one of the cabinets. “I see you met my neighbor.” She turned toward him. “Not that I was peeping. Just happened to look out and see you two talking.”
Owen thought briefly about prying the old lady for information. In the end, he decided against it. She’d likely give up the information freely, anyway.
“Nice girl,” he answered as she motioned him to the table. After he sat, Betsy brought his zucchini bread and placed it in front of him. On top, a big slab of butter sat melting. “So, she lives around here?”
“Oh, yes. Jenny lives up the street a ways. Such a sweet girl. But she’s too wrapped up in that job of hers. And when she’s not working, she’s helping others out. Including me. The poor thing never takes time for herself. Her best friend is a wild one, but Jenny has a good head on her shoulders.”
“She sounds like a sweet person.” Owen took a sizeable bite. Is this what heaven tastes like?
“She sure is. Just wish she’d settle down with a good man. You wouldn’t be interested, would you?”
“Huh?” Owen swallowed hard and coughed. Betsy grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed it to him. “Thank you.” Owen removed the cap and used the time it took to gulp some down to think of a response. “I’m sure the right person will come along, someone local. I live in Florida, you know.”
“Maybe.” She pulled a bag of flour from the cupboard. “You have to forgive me for meddling. It’s not often that an eligible bachelor like yourself comes around this old town. And Jenny’s a keeper. The man she picks will be the lucky one. Same for the woman who gets you.” She gave him a sweet smile. “Eat up, now, before your bread gets cold. I’m going to make a batch of cookies for tomorrow.”
Owen dug into his bread, glad that conversation was over. Now, if he could just come clean with Jenny.
Chapter 7
Jenny stepped into her apartment and locked the door behind her. She should be exhausted, but instead, she was wired. Meeting Mr. Hunk had thrown her a little off-balance, but it also made her want to contact Jeff. She needed to answer him, anyway.
What was she going to tell him about the elusive P.S.? The truth? Oh, what could it hurt? He was in Florida, and she was in Kansas. Unless one of them booked a plane ticket, what harm could it do to expose her feelings a bit?
What if she saw Mr. Hunk again? A weird part of her wanted to go for another walk and see if she could catch a glimpse of him from outside. “How ridiculous,” she chided herself. When had she become so desperate? Uneasy about the degree to which she was drawn to Betsy’s hot guest, she tried to switch her thoughts. He was there temporarily. Probably a vacation. Give it a few days and Poof!, he’d be gone.
Her mind settled that matter, then switched gears on her. What if she had met someone at the party? Unlikely, since the strippers were the only men, but still. Not that she ever met single males in this little country town mostly filled with folks her parents’ age and older. There weren’t any major employment opportunities in Dover, so few people stayed.
Why was she making so many excuses? Jeff was a complication. Maybe it was time to bid him farewell.
After a quick make-up removal session and a shower, Jenny lounged on the couch with her laptop open.
Argh. You caught me. Full disclosure, okay? I’ll say it all now since I’m feeling bold. I only had one drink at the party, so I’m sure it’s not the alcohol that fuels my bravery. The P.S. was a message I typed, then deleted. I asked if you wanted to video chat sometime but then thought better of it.
Also, while I’m being 100% honest, I met a guy tonight who got me thinking. Nothing happened between us or anything like that. It wasn’t that kind of ‘met.’ But a part of me felt guilty for finding him attractive because of my relationship with you, not that we can really call it that. We do have a friendship, and I don’t deny that we seem to get along amazingly well, but we’ve never met, so we’ll never know... I mean, how do you know I’m not a guy sitting in his mom’s basement in his underwear? I’m not a guy, btw. But I never seem to pick the right men, and so what if you’re another bad decision I haven’t made yet? It’s almost like I can’t trust myself to make the best decision for myself.
And why do I feel guilty if I meet someone? I mean, if you meet a woman who strikes your fancy, I wouldn’t expect you not to talk to her because of me. I know we’ve both disclosed that we’re not currently dating anyone, and I’m truly not. But why am I so conflicted? Tonight makes me think that this thing we’re doing isn’t healthy. I think you and I should meet. I could take a vacation from work and come there. What do you think?
Jenny hit Send before she could change her mind.
“Oh my gosh!” She put a hand to her forehead and stared at the sent message on the screen. “What did I do?” She’d just invited herself to Florida. What the heck? She shouldn’t have said anything at all. Maybe she should have just made it clear that they could be online friends for the rest of their lives and start dating other people and talk to each other about their experiences. No, she told herself. She didn’t like the idea of Jeff dating.
“Why am I so weird?” she yelled out to her empty apartment. She’d been considering cutting ties with Jeff, but then, at the last minute, she couldn’t do it. It was like her heart had written the message more than her mind.
Suddenly, her evening caught up with her, and Jenny felt drained. She turned onto her side, pulled the quilt down over her legs, and turned on the TV.
As she flipped through the channel
s to see if there was anything worth watching, her mind flipped back to the guy she had met tonight. Tall, dark, and handsome. Out of her league. At least he had seen her on a rare evening when she was dressed well instead of in her fur-covered work clothes with their various unmentionable body fluids.
“Oh!” The Notebook was just starting. Perfect. She rushed to the kitchen, made a cup of tea, grabbed a few shortbread cookies, and snuggled down for the long haul.
Chapter 8
After a rough night of tossing and turning, Owen opened his laptop. After replying to multiple emails, including a lengthy one to Patty, he checked his eMatch account. Sure enough, there was one message, and it was from Jenny. His heart always seemed to do backflips when he saw her name, but now that he’d seen her in person, ay-yi-yi.
He opened the message and began to read.
“What if you’re another bad decision I haven’t made yet?” Owen gaped at his computer screen as he reread Jenny’s message for the third time. “Ouch and wow.” Awed by her bravery, he couldn’t believe she’d done what he’d been too chicken to do for so long. The irony of their brief meeting having been the cause of it blew his mind. He didn’t know how to measure this all out. What should he say? It wasn’t like he could tell her he was Jeff now, not after they’d already met. And he’d obviously made an impression, so she wasn’t likely to forget his face.
Leaning back in his chair, he gazed out the window. There wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the mess he’d made. He was going to have to cut ties with Jenny on eMatch and try to win her heart on his own.
Straightening in front of his laptop, he let his fingers fly across the keyboard.
Jenny, I’m sorry to have to say this, but we can’t message anymore. I know this is so clichéd to say, but please know it has nothing to do with you. You are the kindest and most beautiful person I’ve never met. Inside and out. I think we both should see other people in our own zip codes, or at least in the same state. I’m not sorry eMatch placed you in Dover, FL by accident. I’ll never regret meeting you on here, and I will miss our conversations. I wish you all the best and pray your life is full of good things. ~ Jeff.
Owen hit Send. Even though, at that moment, Jenny was only minutes away from him, the rejection she was sure to feel when she read his message twisted his gut. I’m a horrible person. He stared at the screen. “It’s still all wrong.” Who am I kidding? You couldn’t start fresh on a foundation of lies. Who knew that sending that message would leave him feeling like he’d lost a best friend? He hadn’t thought it through. Now, he had two choices. Either come totally clean with her, or go home and try to forget about her.
The alarm on his phone chimed. He’d promised Betsy he’d be down for breakfast, and he was going to keep his word despite the fact he had no appetite.
Owen left the laptop open in his room and locked the door behind him.
“There’s Mr. Handsome!” Betsy beamed at him when he crossed the threshold into the dining area.
Although he was blushing, Owen couldn’t help but smile back at her sweet face, lined with years he hadn’t yet experienced. He nodded to the other guests at the table. A couple of kids and possibly their parents, along with an older couple filled the chairs. “Good morning, Betsy. Good morning, all.” He took an empty seat, and the friendly bunch greeted him.
When a little girl who appeared to be four or five announced, “We’re having pancakes!” he couldn’t help but smile. He loved pancakes.
The large table held multiple carafes filled with orange juice, milk, and iced tea. To the left, stainless steel coffeepots lined a small bar.
“We have regular, decaf, and one fancy coffee each day,” Betsy explained. “Today is an espresso roast for those who think anything else is water.”
“Sounds good.” Owen grinned at her, heading directly to the special pot. As he waited for his cup to fill, he groaned inwardly. He wasn’t ready for a group meet and greet, so he hoped he could get away in fifteen minutes or less. Then he chastised himself. You always complain about not having real conversations. You need to do your best. Returning to his seat, he was determined to be pleasant.
“How do you do?” said the gentleman half of the older couple at the table. Owen shook his hand. “You can call me Paul, and this is my better half of forty years, Mabel. We’re here celebrating our anniversary. We met here in Dover all those years ago.”
“Pleasure!” the dainty lady said. She reminded him of his mother.
“That’s marvelous. Congratulations!” Owen said, and he meant it. He swallowed hard as he took the hand she offered and shook it.
“We’re the Kades,” said the wife of the couple with children. “This is my husband, Rick. Ashanti,” she added, pointing at the pancake announcer, “and Christopher.” The little boy peered shyly from under his long lashes. “And my name is Hope.”
“Nice meeting you all. You have beautiful children.”
“Thank you.” Hope’s eyes sparkled.
“Are you on a family vacation, then?” Owen asked, then instantly regretted it. They’d all ask him the same question afterward. What could he say that wouldn’t generate more questions?
“Something like that,” Rick replied. “It’s a long story, but the short version is, we’re traveling across county to be with family, and we need a few days’ respite from all the driving. What about you?”
“I actually came here to visit a friend.” Owen was proud of himself for thinking of a simple answer that would surely be enough information.
“Oh, really?” Betsy shuffled over from the other side of the room with the highest stack of flapjacks that Owen had ever seen in his life. “Who is it you know in these parts?”
Owen froze. “Betsy, you do realize there aren’t enough of us at this table to finish all those pancakes, don’t you?”
Betsy set them in the middle of the table. “I know, but there are a few elderly folks in town I make plates for after each meal. My grandson delivers them for me. Now, you all eat up. I’m going to grab the eggs, and we’ll be set.”
“That’s so kind of you, Betsy.” Owen was absolutely taken by this matronly woman. She was sassy and direct, but the woman had a heart of gold. While he was no stranger to charity, most of his giving was done monetarily, but this woman literally fed folks daily. He’d be sure to make an additional contribution to assist her with costs. “The world needs more people like you.”
Color spread across Betsy’s cheeks. “Oh, Handsome Owen. You’re such a charmer.”
Owen couldn’t suppress the laugh that bubbled up from his belly. “I can’t believe I made Betsy blush,” he teased.
Waving him away, Betsy retrieved the eggs kept in two separate warmers. She set one at each end of the grand table before taking her spot.
Little Ashanti’s hand shot up in the air, and everyone beamed at the little angel. “Can I say grace?”
“Um, go right ahead, darlin’,” Betsy told her.
“Dear Lord, thank you for the food to eat. Thank you for the things that taste sweet, like pancakes. Please keep us all safe. Amen.”
Chuckles rang out among the group. After the cutest prayer he’d ever heard, Owen dug into his breakfast.
Chapter 9
“He’s such a jerk,” Sammie said, rubbing Jenny’s back.
“I don’t even know why I’m crying,” Jenny said, first blotting her eyes, then wiping her nose. “It’s not like we’ve met.”
“Because your feelings are hurt, and you feel betrayed. You’ve been talking to him forever. Doing that weird pen-pal thing. He freaked when you put him on the spot because he’s an ass, and he’s probably not even who he said he is.”
“Oh, Sammie. I know most people would think that, but—”
“But what?”
“Nothing. It’s stupid.”
“Spill it, Jennifer.”
“Don’t you dare call me that!” Jenny abhorred being called Jennifer. In fact, she had legally changed her name fr
om Jennifer to Jenny so that she wouldn’t be named after her horrendous aunt. “You know I hate that, and it’s not my name.”
“Just say it. It’s me. You can tell me anything.”
“The timing is so strange, is all. I mean, it’s not like him to be cruel. And shutting me down after I spilled my guts is just so wrong and unlike him.”
“But you only know what you’ve read. Maybe he’s a superb liar whose been lying to you all along. Don’t you want to date a real guy? You should at least go out with the hottie you met.”
“What? Go to Betsy’s and ask him out?” Jenny exhaled and dropped her hands into her lap. “I sort of had this fantasy about Jeff and me getting together and doing all the things young couples do. Dancing and kissing.”
“And what else? Huh?” Sammie wiggled her eyebrows.
Jenny snorted. “Stop! You don’t get it. We talked about so much, and I could sense the honesty in his words. I know a good heart, Sammie. Look who I picked for my bestie.”
A smirk rested on Sammie’s lips. “True. You’d never have fun if it weren’t for me.”
“That’s partially true,” Jenny said.
“Look.” Sammie stood and paced in front of the couch. “Take a week off work, and let’s go find him.”
Jenny straightened. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious,” Sammie nodded. “You know my job at the hospital is pretty flexible. It’s hard to get full-time hours some weeks with so many CNAs around. Those vultures will gobble up my hours. When can you take time off?”
“Let’s leave Friday! Cal and Jean have been at me to use my vacation anyway, since it’s piling up, and I know they’ll be fine with it.” Jenny bounced in her seat. “No matter what, my toes will touch the sand,” she vowed.
“I’m sure I can swing that, but there’s one condition.” Sammie stopped pacing and held up her index finger.
“What’s that?” Jenny asked, drawing her eyebrows together.
The Conflicted Billionaire (The Conflicted Love Series Book 1) Page 4