Page 43 of Tides Of Your Love (Riviera Shores #3)

Owen

I WAS A WORKAHOLIC . Success was the only thing that saved me from being worthless.

Every goal, every climb up the charts and leagues, was tangible proof that I was worth loving.

But every time I reached what I thought I craved, the emptiness remained.

So I kept pushing forward, using the fight to drown out anything I didn’t want to feel—shame, sadness, doubt—always believing the next achievement would finally make me whole.

To the world, I was the picture of happiness. Flawless. Untouchable. Everyone believed it.

Including myself.

I wore my success like armor.

It wasn’t hard to keep my life full enough to leave no room for emptiness—matches, trainings, promotions, parties. My calendar was a war zone.

The quiet that settled over on me in Blueshore was unsettling at first. But without realizing it, I started listening, feeling, connecting—to Walter, to Rio. To myself.

This injury had forced me to meet a version of myself I’d forgotten existed. Another Owen, reflected back at me through the people who cared—even Simon, despite his harsh words. They were part of the reflection.

In Rio’s eyes, I met the man I knew I could be, wanted to be. The man I was .

Rays of sun infiltrated as the fog lifted.

“We need to talk.” I hit the key and sent the text.