Page 50 of Pucking Tangled

FORTY-NINE

Owen

Owen stood against the counter, his hands wrapped around a chipped mug, watching the steam from Casey’s extra-strong brew curling in the morning light.

Everyone else was outside, enjoying the sunshine.

Mia and Luca were curled up on a lounge chair. Casey had his legs in Mia’s lap, and they were all half-listening to something on Waylon’s phone while Skeeter chased a ball around in the grass.

Usually, the sight would have made him smile, but there was a heaviness in his chest.

Watching the weight lift from Luca’s shoulders after he’d spoken to his parents, soaking in the love and acceptance from Casey and Mia’s parents, it had stirred up something he wasn’t ready for. A raw feeling of rejection and disappointment.

Owen was happy for his friends. His…lovers.

But he had far more in common with Waylon than the man knew .

He reached for his phone. His thumb hovered over the top of his favorites list, where two names sat untouched, their names still pinned. Still pretending, maybe.

They hadn’t spoken in over five years, and he wasn’t sure they even knew where he lived or played now, much less about his new relationship.

His phone buzzed with a message from his sister, startling him out of his reverie.

Tessa: You alive?

Owen: Technically.

Tessa: How was the visit with Casey and Mia’s parents?

Owen: Better than anyone expected.

Tessa: How are you?

He stared at that one longer before his fingers started moving again.

Owen: Happy for them. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t mess me up a little.

Tessa: I get it.

Owen: Some part of me still wanted that. Even if I knew better.

Tessa: You deserve better.

Owen: You and Tyson are enough. I just wish...you know.

Tessa: I do.

Waylon walked into the kitchen.

Owen: I’ll give you a call later. Love you, Sis.

He put the phone down. Took another sip of coffee.

Waylon stood there in a hoodie that might have actually belonged to Luca and a pair of plaid pajama pants that definitely didn’t match. His hair was a wreck, and looked like maybe he hadn’t slept well last night.

He refilled his mug and leaned his back against the counter next to Owen.

They stood in companionable silence for a few moments, sipping coffee while everyone else moved around them.

Then Waylon spoke quietly. “You good?”

Owen didn’t answer right away, but finally said, “Luca’s parents handled it really well.”

Waylon nodded slowly. “Yeah. I was kinda expecting at least one of them to flinch.”

“Same.”

Another pause. Another sip.

Then Owen added, “Mine didn’t take it that well. When I came out, I mean.”

Waylon exhaled slowly and said, “Guess that makes two of us, huh?”

“I haven’t spoken to my parents in five years. I thought they might come around when I started dating Casey. I was wrong. I’ll never forget the day I told them I was bi. They looked at me like I was a stranger. Like I was breaking something sacred.”

Waylon let loose a humorless laugh. “Parents are weird about their expectations.”

“Yeah. They’d probably disown my siblings, too, if they knew Tessa and Tyson still spoke to me. ”

“You’ve got a sister and a brother?” Waylon cocked his head.

Owen chuckled. “Yeah. They’re twins. Just turned twenty. Tessa is finishing college in California. Tyson works for a tech company in Seattle. They’re both busy, and we clearly don’t hang out a lot, but they text often.”

“How the fuck did I not know that?”

“I’ve always kept shit close to my chest. Besides, before all of this, it’s not like you and I hung out and talked about anything personal. We barely saw each other outside of the locker room, even though we live in the same house.”

Waylon stayed silent for a beat, letting Owen’s words sink in. “Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize.” Owen shook his head.

Waylon bumped Owen’s shoulder lightly with his own. “We’re better off now, though. Right? You, me, the chaos crew out there.”

Owen finally smiled. “Yeah. We are.”

“You’ve got Tessa and Tyson,” Waylon added. “And I’ve got...you guys.”

“Yeah. You do.”

Waylon looked over at him, his expression a little softer now. “Just so you know, you don’t have to carry it alone.”

Owen nodded. “Neither do you.”

Mia poked her head in. “Are you two having a bro-motional moment in here without us?”

Waylon called back, “We’re forming a trauma bond, leave us alone!”

But his grin had real warmth in it now. And Owen’s chest didn’t feel as tight anymore.

“You gonna tell them?” Waylon asked.

“Casey knows, but I guess Luca and Mia deserve to know too, huh? ”

“They do.”

Owen finished his coffee and set the mug in the sink before looking back at Waylon. “You know I really hate when you’re right, Waylon.”

They stepped out into the backyard together.

The sun was warming up fast, but not uncomfortably so, and for a moment, Owen just let himself stand there, taking it all in. This group. This weird, chaotic, chosen family.

“You good?” Luca looked up and asked.

Owen nodded once. “Yeah.”

Mia turned, a small crease between her brows. “You sure?”

Owen hesitated, then he pulled out a chair across from them and took a seat.

“I was talking to Waylon in the kitchen,” he said. “About family stuff.”

Luca’s expression softened immediately. Mia shifted slightly, giving Owen all of her focus.

He took a breath.

“I realized I’ve never really talked to you guys about mine.”

Mia blinked. “You don’t have to?—”

“I want to,” he said.

It was Luca who nodded this time, quiet and steady. “Okay.”

Owen leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees.

“I have two siblings,” he said. “Twins—Tessa and Tyson. We’re not super close in age, but they’ve always been in my corner. Tessa’s loud. Tyson’s the quiet one. They both give good advice, usually in meme form. We talk a lot. Mostly over text.”

Mia smiled faintly. “I didn’t know that. ”

“Not many people do,” Owen admitted. “I don’t bring them up a lot. Maybe because...it highlights everything I don’t have with the rest of my family.”

Casey moved so that he was sitting closer to him and pulled his hand into his.

“My parents didn’t handle things well when I came out,” Owen went on.

“ When I tried to explain more about how I feel and what I want. They didn’t yell or cut me off.

They just...disengaged. Quiet rejection.

Never said anything directly, but all the love pulled away.

I hoped when Casey and I got together, things would change. They didn’t.”

He swallowed.

“I haven’t spoken to them in over five years. They’re not part of my life anymore. Not by choice—at least, not mine at first. But eventually, it was easier to let go than keep bleeding for something they weren’t going to give.”

Mia stood and moved toward him for a hug. “I’m so sorry, Owen.”

“I’m not,” he said. “Not anymore. It still hurts. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. But...I have people now. People who get it.”

He looked over at Luca, whose throat worked like he was trying to swallow words he wasn’t sure he could say out loud.

And then his gaze found Mia—her eyes soft, unflinching.

“You’re my family,” Owen said, voice low. “You two. Waylon. Casey. This house, this mess, all of it.”

Luca cleared his throat. “You’ve always been that for me. Even before I knew I needed it.”

Owen smiled and sat back in his chair, finally breathing deeper.

Now they all knew his full truth.

“Does this mean we can invite Tessa and Tyson for a visit?” Mia asked with excitement in her voice.

“Maybe. They’re both super busy with their own lives, and my parents don’t condone them talking to me, so it’s really up to them.”

“Doesn’t hurt to ask,” Casey nudged him.

“True. They’re older now. Living on their own. They can make up their own minds, not that they haven’t all along.”

“Then it’s settled. We’ll invite them to visit after we plan a trip to meet the Blackfords.” Mia smiled.