Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Annalee

The more days I spent in Willow Creek, the more confused I became about what I wanted. The small mother-in-law suite I was supposed to rent still wasn't ready. It was no one's fault. The single father of three was too busy taking care of his other responsibilities to make it a priority. And I understood that. It wasn't like I didn't have a place to stay.

Three days ago, Owen had furniture delivered for the spare bedroom in anticipation of his sister’s arrival. In the meantime, I was using the room. Owen tried to convince me I didn't need to; he even used the argument that as soon as Gracie arrived, I would be back in his bed anyway. The argument was valid but it didn't change the fact that I couldn't continue to sleep in his bed when there was a perfectly good guest bedroom. No matter how much I liked waking up in Owen's arms every morning.

We’d even given up on trying to put space between us when we got into bed each night. There was no point when our bodies found each other anyway. Nothing ever happened though, despite Owen's erection pushing into me. We found a peace together, a comfort level that took people years to find. If nothing sexual ever came out of this, at least I would have his friendship.

But now that I was sleeping alone, I found it hard to fall asleep and even harder to sleep through the night. It was crazy to think how quickly I got used to sharing my space with someone when I never have in the past.

I tossed and turned and contemplated getting out of bed. The sun was barely peeking through the bedroom window and I had nowhere I needed to be. It was a Saturday morning. I should've been sleeping in. I should've been enjoying the fact that I had no plans for the day. But the thought of filling my time made my stomach twist up in knots. I was torn between wanting to spend more time with Owen and wanting to put as much distance as possible. I didn't know what my future held even if I was leaning more and more towards staying.

Throwing the blankets off me, I figured my little pity party was over. I was never one to lie around in bed and dwell on things and I wasn't about to start now. I barely had one foot on the floor when the obnoxious sound of someone ringing the doorbell over and over again filled the house.

"What the fuck?!" Owen's howl nearly matched the decibels of the doorbell, as did his stomping feet. I quickly threw on a sweatshirt to cover up my tank top and rushed out of the bedroom. If for no other reason than to rescue whoever had the nerve to make so much racket at this time in the morning.

"Someone better be fucking de . . ." The rest of the sentence was cut off as Owen ripped the door open and a blur of black hair flew at him with a squeal.

"It's not nice to wish someone dead, big brother." The petite woman, who I now assumed was Gracie, chuckled.

"Gracie, what the hell are you doing ringing my doorbell like an axe murderer at six in the morning on a Saturday?"

Gracie let go of her brother and stepped back.

I should’ve silently slipped out of the room and given the two of them time together alone, but I was too intrigued by the woman in front of me to get my feet moving. Gracie was nothing like I pictured her to be.

"Pretty sure axe murderers don't bother to ring the doorbell. They would just smash through the door and call it a day."

Owen let out a frustrated breath. "You know what I mean. Why didn't you call me and let me know you were on your way?"

Gracie plopped both hands on her hips. "Because I wanted to surprise you, and since when are you sleeping in on a Saturday? Last time I checked, you were up before the sun all your life." Gracie peeked back out the window even though she had only been outside a few moments before. "Yup the sun is definitely up."

Owen's sister didn't give him the opportunity to respond before she was whipping herself in my direction. "Hi! I'm Gracie, and you are?" She tilted her head to the side and waited for me to answer.

"Annalee." My name barely squeaked out of my mouth. This wasn't how I expected my morning to go nor how I thought I would be meeting Owen's sister.

"It's nice to meet you, Annalee. You're fucking gorgeous and I can totally see why my brother was still in bed."

"Oh, no, we aren't . . ."

"Annalee's the receptionist at the security firm. She's waiting for her apartment to be ready."

Owen and I spoke at the same time. My words were laced with desperation for Gracie to understand this wasn't at all what it looked like even though technically that was a lie. Up until three days ago I had been in Owen's bed and would be back there now that Gracie was here.

"Oh, so this isn't . . ." Gracie waved between Owen and me.

"Nope."

"No."

Again we answered at the same time. Owen's sister looked like she didn't believe us and who could blame her. We sounded like two teenagers caught in the middle of the act by our parents.

"If you say so." Gracie shrugged. "So where am I staying since you mentioned not having a bedroom for me?"

Owen scrubbed his face with his hand. He didn't look all too keen to explain the current sleeping arrangements, so I took charge.

"Owen had bedroom furniture delivered this week. I've been using it but it's yours now. I'll make sure there are clean sheets on it before tonight."

"Oh no, I can't possibly take the bed from you! I can find someplace else to stay."

The way the last sentence sounded so unsure, when there was nothing unsure about this woman since the moment she showed up, told me everything I needed to know. Staying somewhere else was not an option.

"No, it's fine. It was worked out before you showed up. Owen was just waiting for you to arrive."

I looked at the man himself half expecting him to speak up. This was his house after all and Gracie was his sister. But instead I found him staring at me curiously and I wondered what that was all about.

Owen's sister glanced back and forth between us. "If you're sure . . ." She dragged the last word out but I was already nodding my head.

"Absolutely. I'm just going to go jump in the shower quick and get a head start on my day. I'll let the two of you catch up."

I dashed back to the bedroom that would no longer be mine before either of them could say anything.

Everything about that conversation was awkward and I needed time alone to get my head on straight before I spent any more time with Owen or Gracie.

It wasn't until I was shampooing my hair that I let myself think more about Owen's sister. Owen had mentioned she was a lot younger than him but I hadn't expected the woman to look like she was barely old enough to drink, with raven-black hair that hung in loose waves down her back and crystal blue eyes that were as clear as the Mediterranean Sea. Not to mention dimples that stood out more often than not. Owen's were hidden by the scruff on his face but Gracie's were all anyone could focus on. The young woman was stunning. Owen would be beating guys away with a bat as soon as the men in town saw her.

I rushed through the rest of my shower and quickly dried off. As I pulled out the first drawer, I groaned. I would need to move all my clothes again. Owen had been insistent that I left them in his bedroom but my stubbornness won out in the end.

Now I wished I would’ve listened to him. Moving everything after just getting myself organized, would be a pain.

I shuffled down the hallway but stopped before entering the kitchen when I heard Gracie mention my name.

“Just exactly where do you plan to have Annalee sleep while I’m here?”

Shit on a shingle.

I had hoped to be out of Owen’s house before she arrived for this very reason. I was supposed to be steering away from drama, not adding to it.

“Where she slept before I had the bedroom furniture delivered. In my bed.”

I didn’t need to see his face to hear the frustration in his tone. Owen didn’t want to be a part of the conversation any more than I wanted them having it about me.

That didn’t stop me from listening in though. I was invested in hearing what they had to say.

“But there’s nothing going on, huh? You used to be a better liar than this, big brother.”

Gah! There was nothing going on, I wanted to scream.

“Believe me, it’s completely platonic.”

“Uh-oh. Why do I get the feeling that you’re not happy about that?”

I wanted to be a fly on the wall in the kitchen. I would give anything to see the look on Owen’s face. He never let himself get flustered around me and something told me it would be one hell of a good look on the man.

“Because I’m not. I want something more but Annalee’s not sure she plans to stay in Willow Creek. She’s not the kind of woman I can do casual with, so until she makes up her mind, I’m going to keep up the status quo.”

That stung. I had heard him say it before but hearing the defeat in his voice was enough to make me want to come to a decision sooner rather than later. I wasn’t one to lead a man on.

“I never thought I would see the day.”

Gracie’s disbelief pulled me right back into the conversation I was listening in on.

“See what?”

“See my big brother fall in love. I thought all hope for you was lost. Glad to see it’s not.”

Was Owen in love with me?

And why did hearing that make me so damn happy?

Shit?! Did I feel the same way?