Page 69 of Wish You Were Mine (Kings of Eden Falls #3)

OWEN

I was halfway through grading last week’s labs when a knock sounded on my open office door.

My head lifted, and the air in my lungs stilled when I saw none other than President Archibald standing there.

I’d been half-expecting he’d stop by at some point today after showing up at his house with Lucy last night. But still, my pulse picked up.

Was he here to thank me again? Or had he stopped by to remind me that, despite what happened with Brody, nothing had changed about his opinion of me?

“Do you have a minute?” he asked.

“Of course.” I cleared my throat, keeping my voice even as I gestured to the chair across from my desk. “Have a seat.”

He stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.

He sat, posture as controlled as always, but there was something different in his eyes when he looked at me today. Less steel. More kindness.

“I wanted to speak with you because…” He paused, letting ou t a breath that felt almost…regretful? “I owe you a big apology.”

He what ? My brain snagged on the words, not sure I’d heard him right.

I blinked. “Y-you do?” For some reason, even after coming to a truce of sorts last night, I hadn’t expected an actual apology from this seemingly stubborn man.

“Yes.” He nodded, then paused like he was choosing his words carefully.

“I probably should have done this a month ago, but...I would like to apologize for the way I reacted when you and Lucy told me about your relationship. I should have stopped to think about it and maybe let the idea sink in first. I should have listened to what the two of you had to say before jumping to my own conclusions and concocting worst-case scenarios in my head.”

Was I actually hearing him right? Or was I having some sort of hallucination right now?

Had I inhaled too many chemicals in the lab today?

But after studying his face a bit longer and seeing something like humility reflected in his sharp brown eyes, I decided that this must actually be happening.

So, letting the words soak in, I swallowed the lump in my throat and said, “I appreciate you telling me that. Really.” And then, offering an olive branch of my own in return, I added, “And I do understand some of where you were coming from. Lucy’s your only daughter and I am several years older than her.

You felt blindsided.” I licked my lips and shrugged.

“And there was probably a better way we could’ve come to you.

We just… Well, it was a tricky situation.

Hindsight’s always twenty-twenty, but?—”

“That’s no excuse,” he said, cutting me off.

His voice wasn’t sharp—just certain. “I was out of line in calling you a predator and assuming the worst. I had my reasons for being wary…and we both saw one of those fears play out just last night. But that doesn’t excuse the way I treated you.

I’m not proud of it. In fact, I’m embarrassed by it. And I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

For a second, I just sat there, stunned.

I hadn’t expected that. Not from him. Not after the way he’d looked at me that day in Theo’s dining room—like I was the big bad wolf who’d seduced his daughter.

“Thank you, President Archibald,” I said finally, something uncoiling in my chest. “I do accept your apology. And I hope we can move forward without too many hard feelings.”

"That’s my hope, too.” He nodded slowly. “And whether or not I like how this started, it’s clear you care about my daughter’s well-being as much as I do. Which means,” —his gaze held mine— “we’re in this together now.”

This was good, right?

He leaned forward. “Anyway, my wife and I ended up with an extra ticket for Nationals next week. If you’re open to it, we’d really like you to join us in Texas.”

I stared at him for a second, unable to find words.

This man, who not long ago had looked at me like I was the worst thing that could have happened to his daughter, was now offering me a seat beside their family.

“It would mean a lot to us.” He offered a faint, sincere smile. “And more than that…it would be a shame to keep Lucy from sharing that moment with the man she’s clearly in love with.”

“I…would be honored,” I said finally.

And for the first time since we’d started this, it felt like he finally might see me as someone who belonged in his daughter’s life.