Page 60 of Wish You Were Mine (Kings of Eden Falls #3)

LUCY

I opened Theo’s front door on Saturday evening before Owen had a chance to knock, heart already thudding like I’d just sprinted up a flight of stairs.

He looked...way too good for someone about to walk into a lion’s den. Dark jeans. A button-down rolled at the sleeves. That steady, calm expression on his face I wished I could borrow for five seconds.

“Hey,” I said, stepping back to let him in.

“Hey,” he echoed, voice low and warm. But beneath the calm facade, a flicker of nerves showed in his eyes.

Which was understandable. In the very least, it showed that I wasn’t the only one feeling like my insides were made of wet tissue paper.

“They’re already in the dining room,” I whispered as I closed the door quietly behind him. “Charlotte’s being adorable. My dad’s already a glass of wine in. So…we’ll see how this goes.”

He leaned a little closer. “You okay?”

“Not even a little.” I gave a breathy laugh. “But I keep reminding myself that we haven’t actually done anything wrong.”

“That’s true.” He nodded, his voice calm and grounding. “We met outside of school. We didn’t know each other’s full identities at first. And when we figured it out, we did everything we could to step back.”

“Exactly.” I forced a smile. “And it’s not like we’ve been hiding some grand affair for years. It’s still early-ish.”

“Right.” His lips curved slightly. “Besides, it’s not unheard of for professors to date students…”

“Yes.” I nodded. “It’s totally normal. Just two adults falling in lo?—”

I stopped myself before the big “L” word could slip out. Then, with an awkward shrug, I added, “Uh, I mean, you know…”

“I do.” And when his brown eyes met mine with a meaningful look, I knew that he really did understand.

I exhaled and glanced toward the hallway, listening for voices. Then I looked back at him, and my chest pinched with something sweet and sad.

Hopefully, when this conversation with my parents is over, we’ll still have a chance at saying the big “love” word to each other one day.

But just in case…

“Can I have one last kiss before everything potentially explodes?” I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Last?” Owen’s brows lifted.

“I’m hoping it’s not,” I said, trying to smile. “But if my dad flips out and bans me from ever seeing you again…I’d rather not regret missing the chance.”

A range of emotions crossed his features. But then, instead of saying anything, he just leaned in and pressed a soft and grounding kiss to my lips—a silent promise that we’d find our way through, no matter what.

When we pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine and said, “Not the last.”

I nodded, swallowing down the anxious bubble in my throat.

We looked at each other for just a beat longer. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

And then squeezing his hands one last time, I whispered, “Here goes nothing.”

I stepped into the dining room first, heart hammering hard enough I was surprised it didn’t echo off the walls.

“Where did you disappear to?” Mom said, looking up from cutting the roast already dished up on Charlotte’s plate. And when she recognized Owen trailing behind me, she said, “Oh!”

My dad turned, eyebrows lifted in surprise. And then Theo, who was standing behind his chair, shot me a quick look that seemed to say, Good luck.

“You guys remember my friend Owen, right?” Theo said casually, pulling out the chair between his seat and mine. “We’re hanging out later so I figured I might as well invite him over for dinner as well.”

“Good to see you again, Owen,” Mom said, giving Owen a polite smile as he took his seat.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Dad added. “Welcome.”

“Glad I could join you.” Owen nodded and smiled like a pro. Acting completely opposite of me, who was sweating through her blouse and trying not to look like I was heading into battle.

I just hoped my parents would still be happy to see Owen by the end of the night.

“Well,” Theo said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s dig in, shall we? ”

Everyone began passing dishes, Charlotte singing softly under her breath, delighting in her little plastic fork. I should’ve been grateful for the normalcy, for the fact that nothing had exploded yet. But my appetite had gone completely MIA.

While my mom chatted happily about the trip she and my dad had just gotten back from, I poured myself a glass of wine. I probably shouldn’t be drinking since I had a meet tomorrow afternoon, but I took a few sips anyway, hoping it would settle the storm brewing in my head.

Then as the Mississippi roast made its way around the table, Owen and I exchanged a few glances, each one a silent question.

Should we rip off the Band-Aid now?

Or wait?

Yeah…we should probably wait. Theo had clearly worked hard on this dinner, and as much as my stomach was in knots, I wanted to give everyone a few moments to enjoy it. Or at least pretend to.

My dad turned to Owen as he buttered a roll. “So, are you looking forward to the rest of the semester now that spring break is almost over?”

“Yes, definitely,” Owen said smoothly. “My classes have been going well. Students seem engaged. As a first-year professor, I’m still figuring out the rhythm of the year, but I’m grateful for how welcoming the department’s been.”

“That’s good to hear.” Dad nodded, clearly pleased by the answer.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re staying busy,” Mom said. “But have you had time to date at all? I know Theo mentioned you two were thinking of going on a double date at some point?”

Owen’s expression froze for a heartbeat. Then he glanced at me .

I gave a helpless shrug. I had no idea if now was the moment or not.

“Yeah,” Owen said slowly, setting his fork down. “Dating has been…interesting.”

Mom chuckled. “That’s what Theo keeps saying about his love life, too. But I’m sure there’s a sweet girl out there who would love to date a handsome, young college professor like yourself. In fact, I have a few friends with daughters about your age. Maybe I could set you up.”

Theo choked on his water before saying, “Playing matchmaker for me isn’t enough, Mom?”

She waved a hand, smiling. “Not when you’re as picky as you are.”

“Picky?” Theo scoffed. “Pretty sure it’s more the fact that it’s actually quite difficult to find a woman who wants me and the responsibility of being an instant mom right off the bat.”

“I know,” Mom said with a sympathetic glance. Then she turned back to Owen, oblivious. “So, is there a type of woman you’re looking for? Age? A certain look? Interests? Personality?”

Owen hesitated, eyes darting from her to Theo to me, clearly unsure of how to escape the interrogation.

I swallowed and set my napkin down.

“Actually, Mom,” I said, voice a little shakier than I wanted, “Owen’s already seeing someone.”

“Oh?” She blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah…um…” I reached over and covered Owen’s hand with mine, heart beating in my ears. “We just started seeing each other.”

For a full second, the room went dead silent.

All eyes turned to us.

Then my dad’s face went rigid—his jaw clenched, brows pulled tight as he looked at Owen like he’d just watched him commit a felony.

“You?” he barked, pushing out of his chair with a sharp scrape.

“You’ve been sneaking around with my daughter?

While she’s your student?” His voice dropped.

Low and lethal. “You have sat at her meets like a supportive friend of Theo’s, and as a professor at our school, but all this time you’ve been preying on her? ”