Chapter 417
Chapter 417
Owen sighed and did as he was told. The reading was just about zero, but the cop still wasn’t satisfied.
He called over a colleague, got a different device, and had Owen blow again. Still, almost nothing.
“You sure you haven’t been drinking?” the cop asked, now genuinely confused.
Owen nodded, “Really, I haven’t.”
The officer squinted at him. “So who’s the lady in your passenger seat? And why isn’t she waking up with all this racket?”
Owen explained, “She’s a friend. She had a little too much to drink.”
By now, the embarrassing flush on Owen’s face had finally faded a bit, thanks to all the commotion.
The cop wasn’t convinced just because Owen was good–looking.
He walked over to the passenger side and gestured for the window to go down. “Miss?”
At some point, Aria had dozed off. She stirred at the sound of his voice, blinking sleepily, “Hmm?”
Once she was awake, the cop let out a relieved sigh. “And who is the gentleman you’re with?”
Aria glanced at Owen and replied, “He’s a friend.”
The officer asked, “Have you been drinking tonight?”
Aria nodded, “Yeah, I have.”
He looked at her, then at Owen, skepticism on his face, but after thinking it over, he waved them off. “Alright, you two can go. Just drive safe, okay?”
“Thank you,” Owen said quietly as he started the car again.
As they pulled away, the cop muttered to his partner, “That’s weird–she’s the one who drank, but he’s the one blushing.”
Both Owen and Aria heard the comment loud and clear as the car rolled off.
Owen gripped the wheel stiffly, that telltale heat rising in his cheeks all over again.
Aria just turned her face toward the window, shutting her eyes with a sigh. ‘Great. He’s blushing because I kissed him, and now the cop thinks he’s the
drunk one.‘
When they finally reached Mayen Garden, Owen got out, planning to help Aria from the passenger side, but she was already out of the car, a bit unsteady on her feet.
She managed a few steps before stumbling, and Owen caught her arm. “You okay?”
Her head was spinning and her body felt light, but Aria’s mind was clear. “I’m fine. I can walk.”
She staggered a little as they made their way to the elevator, and Owen gently took her wrist.
Once inside, he suddenly asked, “Do you remember what you did in the car?”
Aria’s heart skipped a beat. She played dumb, “What did I do?”
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Chapter 417
He didn’t answer. After walking her to her room, he said, “You should get some sleep.”
Ana fought off her exhaustion long enough to change her shoes. “I’ll shower, then go to bed.”
Owen warned. “You’ve been drinking. Maybe skip the shower. It could be dangerous.”
But Aria was already headed for her bedroom, “I’ll be fine.”
Owen watched her disappear into the bathroom and called out, “I’ll wait in the living room until you’re done, then I’ll go.”
She didn’t answer, but he took her silence as agreement and settled onto the sofa. After a minute, Owen pulled out his phone and texted Cloe.
A moment later, Cloe called back. “Wait… you’re telling me-she kissed you?”
Owen had told Cloe on purpose, just in case Aria didn’t remember. If she forgot, Cloe could back him up. “Yeah,” he admitted.
Cloe laughed, “I knew it! That girl’s feelings for you are different from everyone else.”
A hopeful warmth bloomed in Owen’s chest.
He could hardly believe it. “You’re not going to tell me to confess, are you?”
He sounded worried, “If I tell her how I feel, I’m afraid she won’t even want to be friends anymore.”
Cloe sighed softly. “Honestly, you’re probably right. Even if she likes you, she’d most likely reject you if you confessed.
78%
“She doesn’t care about Liam; the failed marriage doesn’t matter to her. The thing is, Aria finds marriage itself a hassle–too many families, too many strings attached.
“But if you take marriage off the table, I think you actually have a shot.”
Owen smiled, “Thanks, Cloe. I mean it.”
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