Owen absolutely thrived off seeing how she reacted to him, the way she giggled, the way she smiled at him, how easily she laughed at his teasing. That was exactly what he loved most, the way she just lit up around him. It made him want to keep going, to keep her laughing, keep her feeling safe and adored.
When she laughed at his joke about his mom planning a wedding, he smirked, watching her reaction like he was filing it away for later. Interesting. He nudging her playfully. "I mean, don’t say I didn’t warn you. My mom gets very enthusiastic about these things. You might walk in as my girlfriend and walk out with her calling you her future daughter-in-law.” As he said it, his free hand brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips grazing her cheek for just a second longer than necessary. He was teasing, sure, but the way he was looking at her? Like maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t mind if his mom actually did that.
And when she giggled at his very serious investment in her packing process? Yeah, that was a win. He squeezed her hand the moment she laced their fingers together, rubbing his thumb over hers without even thinking about it.
“D-mn, you’re really willing to let me in on the packing process? Must be love.” He grinned, leaning in slightly. “Or… you just like having me around too much to send me away. Either way, I’m winning here, baby.” Then, after a beat, with a teasing glint in his eyes and a smirk, he added, "Just promise you won’t get distracted checking me out while you pack, okay? Cause no guarantees I’ll be able to resist distracting you back.”
As Owen walked with Lila toward her room, fingers still loosely laced with hers, he was feeling good. Maybe a little too good. Like he was riding the high of every giggle, every smile she had thrown his way. She was letting him in, really letting him in, and d-mn, if that didn’t make him want to stick around even more. He could’ve stayed in this moment forever, just him and her, all wrapped up in their own little world. But then, right as they turned the corner, he spotted him.
The guy he had seen Lila with earlier.
Owen noticed him immediately, arms wrapped around some girl in a hug that lingered just a little too long. It wasn’t jealousy that hit him first, or even annoyance, just awareness. A quiet observation.
And the thing was, if this had been earlier, it would’ve been different. Because earlier, when he had seen Lila with John, there had been uncertainty, frustration, an edge to his emotions that he wasn’t used to. Back then, he hadn’t known where he stood with her. He wasn’t the kind of guy who let insecurity get to him, but with her? It had mattered. More than he wanted to admit. Seeing her with someone else had made something tight coil in his chest, and it had pushed him to confront her, because he had to know where they stood.
But now? Now, things were different. It wasn’t about winning. It wasn’t about proving anything. The love between them was undeniable now, woven into every touch, every look, every moment they had shared today. And when something was that real, when it was right there in front of him, nothing else could shake it.
That’s why he didn’t tense up, didn’t throw a cocky smirk in John’s direction, didn’t feel the need to react at all. Instead, his gaze flicked to Lila, watching her first. He wasn’t sure if seeing John with someone else would matter to her, if it would sting even a little. But just in case, his grip on her hand tightened, not at all in possession, just reassurance. A silent, I’m here.
He didn’t make a big deal out of it. No teasing, no smugness. Just a quiet, knowing glance at her as he gave her hand a small squeeze. “You good?” he murmured, low enough for just her to hear. No judgment, no assumptions, just genuine care about the girl he loved. And if she looked at him, if she needed even the smallest bit of reassurance, she’d find it written all over him.
)
