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CHAPTER THIRTY: PUT ON A HAPPY FACE

STACEY

My eyes are dry, but my chest feels hollow. I spent all night crying until I literally couldn’t produce any more tears. Now, there’s only this gnawing emptiness inside me. When I got home last night, Millie was already in bed. I paid Lilah and sent her home, grateful she didn’t ask me questions, though I know I was visibly upset.

Thank God I didn’t tell Millie that Owen wanted to take her to school this morning. It would’ve crushed her when he didn’t show up. I didn’t bother texting or calling him to ask where he was, because honestly, I can’t bear the thought of seeing him right now. Instead, I put on a happy face for Millie’s sake, got through our morning routine, and took her into school myself much earlier than usual. I’m also going to be early for work as a result, but that’s okay. I can get a jump on my charts for the day and hopefully that’ll take my mind off Owen.

Now, as I pull into the parking lot at the Night Hawks’ arena, my stomach is churning and I feel like I’m going to be sick. I don’t know how I’ll face Owen — or if I even want to. The thought of seeing him, of hearing whatever excuse he has when I confront him about what I’ve heard, makes me feel agonizingly cold. It’s not something I’ll be able to avoid. I know I’ll have to see him eventually. I just hope I can keep myself together when I do.

I park and step out of the car, clutching my purse tightly as I make my way toward the employee entrance. I’m halfway to the building when I hear a voice crying out behind me.

“Stacey! Please, wait!”

I turn and freeze, hardly believing my eyes. Elise is hurrying toward me, her face pale and her hands waving frantically. What the hell is she doing here? Quickly looking around, I’m even more baffled when I don’t see Owen. Why is she here without him? I instinctively take a step back, unsure what she could possibly have to say to me.

“Can we talk?” she asks breathlessly, stopping a few feet away.

I fold my arms across my chest. “Why would I want to talk to you?”

“Because you need to hear this,” she says, her voice shaking. “I — look, I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now, but please, just give me a little bit of time. Can we grab some coffee? I’ll explain everything.”

I hesitate, glaring at her. Every instinct I have tells me to walk away, to not give her a single second of my time. A small voice in the back of my head, softly reminds me that this isn’t her fault. If she and Owen are engaged, she probably didn’t know about me… at least I hope not.

Have I been just some last hurrah before Owen settled down with her? But then, what about Millie?

Whatever his motives, I should give her the benefit of the doubt. I should hear her out and let her try to explain, even if whatever she says makes me want to tear my hair out.

“Fine. You have thirty minutes before I have to be in the office.”

Her shoulders sag with relief. “Thank you.”

We walk silently to the local café across the street. I keep my guard up the entire time, my thoughts racing. Is she going to try and defend Owen? Herself? I’m not sure if I’ll be able to sit and listen if she tries to describe her relationship with the man I love.

Once we’re seated, coffee in front of us, she takes a deep breath. “Stacey, I need to tell you the truth about everything.”

I raise an eyebrow, skeptical. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

Elise leans back in her chair, her hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup as if it’s the only thing keeping her steady.

“Owen and I… we were never going to be together. Not really. Our families wanted it — pushed it — but it was never what either of us wanted.”

I stiffen, my heart pounding. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’m in love with someone else,” she says softly, finally looking up at me. “Her name is Rebecca. She’s my girlfriend.”

The air is sucked from the room, and I blink at her in stunned silence. Of all the things I expected her to say, this wasn’t even a consideration.

“You’re… what?” I manage to choke out.

“In love with Rebecca,” she repeats, her voice firmer now. “And Owen knows. He’s known for years, and always been very supportive. He never wanted this engagement — it was all Gerald and my parents. I was too scared to come out to my family and put a stop to it, and Owen didn’t push me. Back when we first discussed our best way out of this, he assured me that it was easier for him to deal with Gerald. But it’s been a while, and both of us put the situation off… and off…”

My mouth opens and closes as I try to process her words. “So… this whole time, you’ve been letting your families manipulate you into pretending to be together?”

“Sort of,” she admits, guilt etched into her face. “Neither of us ever actually agreed to the marriage, but we didn’t exactly fight it either. Owen was just trying to protect me, but I should’ve stood up to my parents. I should’ve told the truth, but… but I was scared, and I didn’t want to risk losing Rebecca.”

I lean back in my chair, my head spinning. “So, Owen was protecting you. Giving you time to come out the way you wanted to. He went along with it for you.”

“No,” Elise says quickly, shaking her head. “He didn’t go along with it just for me. That was part of it, but he went along with it mostly because of his mom. He didn’t want to hurt her, and Gerald knows exactly how to use that against him.”

There are so many emotions swirling through me, it’s difficult to decide how I actually feel in this moment. Relief that Owen and Elise aren’t really together? Anger that he’s let himself be manipulated for so long? Pity for him and his mom?

In the end, though, does it really matter? He should have told me about this engagement, real or not, so I wouldn’t be blindsided like this.

I let out a bitter laugh and shake my head. “So, Owen just lets himself get walked all over, and I’m supposed to… what? Forgive him for not fighting for us?”

Elise shrugs, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Maybe he finally is. I don’t know what he has planned, but I know he cares about you. He left for Canada today to confront his stepfather once and for all.”

I furrow my brow. “Canada? He went to Canada?”

Without telling me?

She nods her head. “He said he’s going to end this. He even talked about cutting ties with his mother if she insists on supporting his stepfather. I’ve never seen him so determined to finally break free from the Westons, Stacey. He wants to be with you and your daughter, and he’s going to do whatever he has to so he can be.”

I want to believe her — God, I want to believe her so badly — but I’ve been burned so many times already, I’m not sure I can. Every piece of this puzzle feels jagged, cutting into me as I try to put it together. If Owen really wants to be with me, why would he go to Canada without a word? Why wouldn’t he tell me about Elise?

Why did he write me that letter when he first left me?

Part of me knows I’m being hypocritical after keeping so much from him for so long, but I can’t help myself. There are just too many questions I don’t have answers to, and it’s making it difficult to believe anything anymore.

“I don’t know if I can trust any of this,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

Elise’s gaze is sympathetic. “I get it, but… just give him a chance, Stacey. He’s trying. He really is.”

I drop my eyes to my coffee and let out a sigh. “I hope you’re right.”

Later that night, after Millie is finally tucked into bed, I settle onto the couch with Grace and Skyler. I invited them over after work to explain everything that’s going on with Owen because I need advice. After my conversation with Elise, I feel at a total loss.

I have no idea what I’m supposed to do now.

“Wait a second,” Skyler interrupts when I’m nearly through my explanation, holding up her hand. “So, the whole engagement was something their families cooked up? Elise and Owen really had no interest in it?”

Nodding, I pull my knees up to my chest and hug them tight.

“That’s what she said,” I reply.

Grace shakes her head with a baffled look. “Jesus, the uber-wealthy are so weird. Jensen’s dad tried to force him to marry someone else too. Some rich socialite he approved of. It’s like they think it’s the Middle Ages or something.”

“No kidding,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. “Elise said Owen cares about me, that he’s trying, but I don’t know. Shouldn’t he have told me about all of this? About Gerald? About the engagement? I feel like such an idiot.”

Grace places a comforting hand on my knee. “You’re not an idiot, Stace. But… I think you need to stop assuming the worst right off the bat.”

I blink at her. “Excuse me?”

Grace shrugs, her lip curling into a knowing smile. “Come on. The three of us? We’ve all jumped to some wild conclusions about our men before, and every single time, it’s blown up in our faces. I refused to be with Jensen just because he was a hockey player and I had all these biased opinions about them because all those years back, I thought Owen had run off, leaving you pregnant and alone. If I hadn’t let go of my preconceived notions, I wouldn’t be with the love of my life right now.”

Skyler snorts. “And I almost missed being with Carson because of something he said when we were kids. Looking back at it now, I was so stubborn and shortsighted. If I hadn’t taken his immature words to heart, we might have gotten together years ago.”

“Don’t dwell on the what ifs,” Grace says pointedly. Then, in a softer tone, continues, “What we’re saying is, maybe it’s time to give Owen the benefit of the doubt. At least until you hear his side of the story.”

I sigh, leaning my head back against the couch. “I don’t know if I can, Grace. He lied to me — by omission, sure, but it still feels like a betrayal.”

“I get that,” Grace says gently. “But do you really think he doesn’t care about you? About Millie?”

My chest tightens at her words. No, I don’t believe that. Despite everything, I know Owen loves Millie and, in some strange way, he loves me too.

Still, I don’t know if that’s enough anymore.

Skyler nudges me with her elbow. “Look, Stace. We’re not saying you have to forgive him right away, but don’t shut him out completely. Not until you know the full truth.”

I chew on her words for a moment, my thoughts swirling.

Putting on a grin for their sakes, I say, “You’re both annoying, you know that?”

Grace grins. “That’s what we’re here for.”

I laugh despite myself, but even if Grace and Skyler are convinced that Owen and I can live happily ever after, I don’t think I can get past this. Not this time.

Owen kept me in the dark about something huge… just like he did before disappearing to Canada when we were younger. This feels like history is repeating itself… and why should I believe Elise? I don’t know her. She could just be making excuses for him.

I was wrong to think things had really changed. He showed me who he really was in that awful letter he wrote when we were younger, and maybe my mom is right for once. Maybe I’ve just been fooling myself that he’s different now. I can’t keep doing this with him. I can’t keep letting him run circles around me, or Millie. My chest aches, knowing it’ll be difficult for her when I tell her we can’t see Owen anymore, but better to do it now than years from now when it’ll really break her heart.

As Skyler and Grace continue to chat as if they’ve solved all the world’s problems, I sit with my smile frozen in place, acting as if I’m not completely falling apart inside.