Page 54 of Wish You Were Mine (Kings of Eden Falls #3)

LUCY

“Thanks for helping me with the assignment,” I said as I zipped my backpack shut and glanced up at Owen with a tired smile. “Hopefully, my chemistry professor gives me a good grade on it.”

“If he doesn’t, then Professor Park has officially lost his mind.” He winked.

I laughed. “Well, I know he’s still got all his faculties…so I’ll take that as a guaranteed A.”

He chuckled, his brown eyes crinkling. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Guess I will.” I reached for my backpack strap, ready to sling it over my shoulder, then paused. “Actually…mind if I use your bathroom before I head out?”

“Go ahead.” He stepped aside and nodded toward the hallway. “Second door on the left.”

I slipped down the hall and into the bathroom, flipping on the light and closing the door behind me. When I moved to wash my hands, something on the wall caught my eye. A small shelf beside the mirror, lined with a few personal development books and a stack of science and technology magazines.

I smiled to myself.

Of course he had those.

He really was such a nerd. A smart, thoughtful, deeply lovable nerd.

And to think he’d let me believe he was just a bartender when we first met.

After drying my hands, I opened the door and paused in the doorway.

Owen was standing by the table, zipping up my backpack.

He straightened a little too quickly, his expression casual in a way that made me instantly suspicious. “Just making sure you had everything for tomorrow.”

“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms as I stepped toward him. “You’re not sneaking in surprise quizzes, are you?”

“Never,” he said, with just enough mischief in his voice to make me squint. “Just something…for later.”

“For later?” I lifted an eyebrow. “What kind of something?”

He didn’t elaborate, just gave a mysterious little shrug.

“Well, I guess I better head out so I can find out what you did to my backpack.”

“Yes.” He chuckled softly, his eyes holding mine. “You better.”

But even as he said it, neither of us moved. And all I wanted was to sink back into the couch with him and let time stretch a little longer between us. But I sighed and reached for my coat. “I should probably get back to my place before my mom checks my location and sees I’m not there.”

He froze. “Your mom checks your location?”

“Sometimes,” I said. “Usually only if I don’t answer her texts or if she knows I’m traveling. It’s not, like, constant.”

“Still…” He rubbed the back of his neck, and I could see the wh eels turning. “That could be a problem. If she realizes you were here…and knows this isn’t student housing…”

I swallowed. He was right. And even though I didn’t think my mom was currently tracking me, the possibility still stirred a sense of unease.

We hadn’t officially defined what was going on between us—whether we were a real couple or not—but we’d definitely stepped into the gray.

“Do you get nervous about us spending so much time together?” I looked up at him. “About what might happen if someone saw us?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, we’ve been careful. And I don’t think we’re doing anything morally wrong. We’re both adults. But…”

“But since we haven’t exactly been forthcoming with the dean,” I said slowly, “it could get…complicated.”

“It could.” He nodded, the corners of his mouth tightening. “Which kind of makes it feel a little wrong.”

“Wrong?” I tilted my head, not loving the sound of that.

“Maybe forbidden is a better word,” he said, softening his tone. “It’s exciting. And obviously I’d rather be with you than not. But I also know how it might look to someone who doesn’t understand how we got here. I mean, I am a lot older than you…”

“In years, maybe,” I teased, bumping my shoulder into his. “Maturity, though? That’s still up for debate.”

“Okay, fair.” He chuckled, the tension in his expression easing.

“Though, maybe I still have a little catching up to do there, too.”

“You’re just the way you’re supposed to be,” he said, his voice gentle as he leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead. “Just perfect for me. ”

My chest fluttered, a sweet ache blooming beneath my ribs.

“Do you think we should tell Dean Harris about us, though?” I asked softly. “Would that make you feel better? More secure with your job since professors are supposed to disclose relationships like ours?”

He narrowed his eyes. “You think we could do that without your dad finding out?”

“Probably not.” I wrinkled my nose. “They’re pretty good friends.”

“And what do you think the chances are of us telling your dad without him completely freaking out?”

I winced. “I mean…he might surprise us.”

Though we both knew he wouldn’t.

Even if my dad was magically okay with me dating my professor, the fact that Owen was seven years older than me would be an issue for him.

He’d already been freaked out too much by stories in the news several years back about gymnasts being abused by a man in a position of power whom they’d thought they could trust.

So if he had the slightest concern that Owen had used his position and age in any way to influence me, that would definitely trigger his worst fears.

Owen chuckled. “So maybe we think about it over spring break and hope a solution magically appears.”

“Yes.” I grabbed my backpack and slipped it over my shoulders, fluffing my hair out from under the straps. “Are you still going to New York to see your brother next week?”

“I am,” he said. “I thought I might spend a couple of days there, but…” His gaze lingered on me, like he was thinking something through.

“I know you don’t get the full week off, since it’s crunch time, but…

I was wondering if there might be an evening you could slip away from Eden Falls. Maybe catch a Broadway play with me? ”

“Beauty and the Beast?” I asked, hope blooming in my chest.

“Of course.” He smiled. “I already talked to Asher and he said he could get me two tickets. And if you wanted, I could introduce you to him and Elyse backstage.”

“A Broadway date with my boyfriend,” I murmured. “Where we can hold hands in public and don’t have to hide how we feel about each other… That sounds amazing.”

“So, I’m your boyfriend?” He smiled wider.

“I mean…I’ve been calling you that in my head for weeks.” I laughed. “I know we never really put a title on it, but…”

“I like it,” he said. “I haven’t been anyone’s boyfriend in a long time. And being Lucy Archibald’s boyfriend… Well, that’s even better.”

“Well, good.” I checked the time and sighed. “I really should go now.”

“Yeah. You need your sleep.” Tilting his head, he asked, “Are you going to take it easy tomorrow?”

“I’ll rest as much as I can between classes and practice. But I need to be ready for Saturday’s meet in Nebraska.”

“That’s fair.” He nodded. “I’m glad you’re feeling at least a little better today.”

“Me too.” I smiled faintly. “Tuesday night was rough. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to eat sushi again.”

He pulled me into a hug, warm and grounding. “Sleep well, okay?”

“You too.” I met his eyes as we parted, a little more softly this time. “And…thanks for being so great about what I told you earlier.”

I’d been so nervous to share what happened with Josh, but Owen had made me feel safe. Seen. Believed.

“Of course,” he said. “I appreciate you feeling safe enough with me to open up. ”

We said our final goodbyes, and I stepped out into the cool night air. Once I made it to my car and waited for the engine to warm up, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Owen had zipped up my backpack earlier.

Curious, I unzipped it and peeked inside.

And nestled beside my laptop was a small, plush cow.

I pulled it out slowly, my brows lifting. The fabric was minky soft, and as I held it to my chest, I caught a gentle lavender scent.

The plush cow had a bit of weight to it, too, like it was filled with more than just the usual stuffing.

And then it hit me.

I’d seen these before. A microwavable stuffed animal, filled with flaxseed and dried lavender. Designed to soothe sore muscles and help you sleep.

My heart melted.

Owen.

Tucked just beneath the cow was a small envelope with my name on it. I opened it, my fingers already trembling.

Inside was a note written in Owen’s familiar, steady handwriting.

To my favorite overachiever:

In case you start to panic about all the things you’re not getting done while you recover, Dr. Park prescribes the following “To-Don’t” list. (And yes…he knows that having a PhD in chemistry is not the same as being a medical doctor. But let’s just pretend for a bit…)

1. Don’t try to catch up on everything. (The world can wait. Your body can’t. )

2. Don’t apologize for resting. (You don’t have to earn your worth with exhaustion.)

3. Don’t measure your value by what you get done. (You are just as lovable when you’re curled up in bed doing nothing.)

4. Don’t worry about disappointing anyone. (The people who truly love you won’t break if you take a day off.)

5. Don’t scroll. Do not study. Do not strategize. (Drink water. Nap. Stare at the ceiling. That’s the assignment.)

6. Don’t try to be perfect. (I’m not in love with your résumé. I’m here for you.)

7. Don’t forget that you’re already enough. (Even if the only thing you do today is breathe and be here—that’s still enough.)

Love,

The guy who couldn’t stop falling for you just as you are.

I read the note a second time, then a third, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes as I read his simple, yet profound words.

It wasn’t that his “To-Don’t” list was revolutionary or poetic or the kind of thing people posted online to go viral.

It was the fact that somehow…he knew.

In the short time we’d known each other, Owen saw me more clearly than anyone else ever had.

He saw past the medals and the GPA and the relentless schedule I clung to like armor. Past the performative smile I wore when I was exhausted but didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

He saw the part of me that believed I had to earn love. That unless I was achieving something remarkable, I ran the risk of not quite measuring up.

That if I wasn’t impressing my parents or chasing the next big goal, I might not be worth sticking around for.

I’d spent years hustling for my worth, piling more and more onto my plate because if I was ever caught just sitting around doing nothing, maybe my friends and family would finally realize I wasn’t actually all that special. Sitting around and “just being” wasn’t a luxury I could afford to take.

But with Owen…he made it feel possible.

Like, maybe I didn’t have to do anything to deserve love.

Like maybe I could actually take a break—stop striving for just a moment—and still be worth loving.

I curled the little cow into my chest, the weight of it settling over my heart.

I’d never been one for stuffed animals before, but I suddenly knew this cute little brown-and-white cow would be traveling with me to all my meets and sleeping in my bed every night.

My phone was still sitting on the passenger seat. I reached for it and opened a new message to Owen.

Me: I just found the surprise in my backpack. I don’t even have words right now. But thank you. For seeing me. For reminding me I’m more than what I achieve.

Also…this little cow? Definitely my new emotional support animal.

I hit Send , pulled the cow in close again, and let myself sit there in the quiet car, breathing in lavender and love and the strange, wonderful calm of finally being seen.

My phone buzzed in my hand a moment later.

Theo’s friend: I’m glad you liked it. I just wanted to give you something small to hold onto when your world gets loud. Something to remind you that you don’t have to earn peace or rest or love. You already deserve it just by being you.

Another buzz.

Theo’s friend: Also, I had to resist the urge to buy the entire barnyard. There was a lamb, a sloth, and a ridiculously smug-looking penguin. But the cow just felt like you. Soft. Strong. A little unexpected. And completely lovable.

A tear slid down my cheek and I smiled so hard it hurt.

Me: Okay, stop. You’re going to make me fall in love with you or something.

His reply came instantly.

Theo’s friend: That’s kind of what I’m going for.