Chapter 4

OWEN

CHAPTER

FOUR

I drink the beer my sister-in-law handed me a few minutes ago while I listen to my brother talk. He's telling me about my nephew Jason's baseball game. I missed this morning's because the store was open. I usually can make it when they play in the afternoons.

"Mom is almost done with dinner," Olivia says, walking past us. She doesn't stop, and Buck doesn't stop talking, either.

"We'll be right in, Liv," I call.

"So what's been going on with you?"

"Not much. Store's good. I'm good."

"You ask June out yet?"

"What?" I ask, almost choking on my beer.

"We all know. You're not exactly subtle, brother. It's very clear you're in love with her."

"Shit. Does she know?" Fuck, I sound like I'm in middle school and not the thirty-two-year-old man that I am.

"She's probably the one person in town that doesn't know. Ava knows." Ava is my ridiculously adorable three-year-old niece. Fuck.

"What do I do?"

"Ask her out. Have lots of sex and babies."

"What?" I ask, stunned. I've never actually put my thoughts into words before.

"Come on. We have the same genes. You know you fucking want to."

"Fine," I say, agreeing with him. All I can think about is her round with my child, with my ring on her finger and my seed dripping from her cunt. I groan.

"You're thinking about it right now, aren't ya?"

"Shut up, bro," I tell him, and he just laughs.

"It's our greatest curse. This is exactly how I felt when I met Gina."

"In seventh grade."

"I didn't know what I was feeling then, but I knew she was mine."

"Yeah, she's mine," I say, taking another drink of beer. My throat is suddenly dry.

"Dad felt the same way for Mom. Gramps for Gran and so on since the beginning of time. It's a curse."

"It feels like a gift."

"It feels like that now. Wait until you're out with her at the bar, and some motherfucker looks at her, thinking he can take what's yours. It's not pleasant then, I promise you that."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"Carlos Morales?"

"2007. I kicked his ass from here to Manassas," he replies, grinning.

"Dinner!" Mom calls from the kitchen.

"What do you suggest for a first date?"

"Something casual. The Portico?"

"Good idea. Casual. I can do casual."

"Sure you can," he says as we stand. He claps me on the back. "You got this."

I make it through dinner with my family and head home. Once home, I strip down to my boxers and crawl into bed. It's still early, so I call June.

"Hello?"

"Hey, June. It's Owen."

"I know. I have caller ID," she says, giggling. Fuck, that giggle goes straight to my balls.

"You're so adorable," I tell her.

"Thank you."

"I'm just calling to confirm our date for Saturday night. Seven?"

"How old fashioned. Seven sounds great. Is it dressy?"

"No, sweets. It's casual."

"Alright."

"Did you want fancy? I can change our plans."

"No," she says quickly. "I wanna do whatever you have planned. I just wanted to be dressed properly."

"Okay."

"What are you doing? It's quiet where you are." I hear yelling where she is, but it sounds far away.

"I'm at home."

"Me too."

"Is that the TV then?"

"Yes. My guilty pleasure is trashy reality TV. Let me turn it down." The noise is suddenly gone, and I imagine that she muted it.

"My guilty pleasure is rom-coms. My mom and sister watched them all the time, so my dad, brother, and I watched with them. I find myself watching them by myself now."

"Do you want someone to watch them with?"

"Yes."

"I'll watch them with you," she says, her voice low. My cock hardens in my boxers, but I ignore it. I want every drop of my seed inside her.

"That would be lovely."

"Have you seen When Harry Met Sally?" she asks.

"Of course. It's my favorite," I tell her, unashamed. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it. I owned the VHS, then the DVD, and now on digital. It's iconic.

"Mine too. I think I've seen it seventy-five times, maybe more."

"I've probably seen it that many times too."

We talk for an hour or so longer about any and everything until she yawns. When we hang up, I foolishly rub at the pang in my chest. It, of course, does no good. I'm in love with June Carter already, and I know I'm just going to fall deeper and deeper into it.