A few days later, Jill was trying to decide if she should change after work or run home and change and meet Owen at the pub they agreed on. If she changed at work, someone might see her and question where she was going, not that she really cared, because it’s not like anyone could guess she was going out with Owen.
He was Owen to her now, too. After he’d seen her in the hall after lunch the other day, eating her cookie no less, he pulled her aside and said, “It’s Owen, by the way.”
“I know your name,” she said.
“But you’ve never said it.”
“We’re at work,” she pointed out.
“And there is no one around. So it’s Owen.”
“Then I’ll talk to you soon, Owen.”
He laughed and she felt happier than she’d felt in a long time.
She hadn’t dated anyone in a year. It seemed like every time she was ready to put herself out there, she got cold feet, always finding something wrong with them, wrong with her, or making excuses.
But this time there would be no excuses. This time she was ready and she wasn’t going to tell herself she wasn’t good enough, and she wasn’t going to find fault with him or any potential relationship they may or may not have. Even if she had been stressing about it.
Seriously though, dating someone higher up than her at work was a surefire way to end up at the back of the unemployment line if things went south. But she was pushing those thoughts aside for now.
Instead she was going to take a page from the book of life, start to do what made her feel good by putting all her poor decisions and failures out of her mind. To stop looking at all the things that could go wrong and look for what might be right.
Starting with Dr. Taylor and the fact that he asked her for a date tonight.
By the end of the day, she decided to just change quickly, because she realized he wouldn’t be going home either. If he changed, he’d have to do it at work and they might as well stay on the same playing field.
She was just walking toward the back door when she noticed Owen coming out of his office. There were others around and she was unsure what to do, so she decided to let him take the lead.
She did notice that he’d changed into dark jeans and a pair of sneakers that looked more like shoes. He still had the same light green shirt on, but no tie and he was looking mighty fine in her eyes.
With his long legs, he caught up to her fairly fast, then held the door open for her, but never said a word about seeing her in a few minutes. She held her tongue too, when normally she wouldn’t.
Instead, he winked at her, and then walked to his SUV. She’d been right when she figured the high-end luxury vehicle was his.
They pulled out of the parking lot together and she ended up following behind him on the Northway all the way to the exit and to the pub that they’d agreed on.
It was barely five-thirty, but half the parking lot was full. She figured in another hour it could be standing room only.
She parked next to him and shut her car off, then got out and waited for him to join her. “I didn’t think much of the time when we set this up. Do you have plans later? Want to have dinner with our drink?”
“My only plans were with you,” she said confidently, then wondered if that came out wrong. Would he think she was offering herself up to a night at her place, or maybe his?
“Then dinner it is,” he said, holding the door for her and not commenting on her remarks.
They were led to a table and their drinks ordered. Him a beer, her a white wine. She didn’t drink often, but beer wasn’t really her thing and mixed drinks were too sweet half the time.
“So how long have you been back in Saratoga?” she asked while they waited for their drinks.
“Just about four months. I flew back for the interview and once I secured the job I started to make plans to move.”
“That was fast then. Did you have a house to sell?” she asked.
“I was in an apartment and just bought out my lease.”
She should have figured it wouldn’t matter in a doctor’s situation to move that fast. Unlike her, paying out a lease would have been difficult.
“So what brought you back here?” she asked. “I always thought I’d leave, but like so many people in New York who say they want warmer weather, I find myself kind of stuck here.”
“We are only as stuck as we allow ourselves to be,” he said, “but the truth is I came back because I needed help with my son.”
The waitress set their drinks down and she didn’t hesitate to pick hers up and take a big gulp. “Son? Are you married?”
Seriously? Nothing ever went right in her life!
***
Owen had debated letting Jill know about Luke but figured it wasn’t a secret either. And if he was going to take that step to be more open with people or at least try to date, he wanted to be upfront about having a bigger commitment at home. That Luke was his priority and Luke had to come first, until he knew more about her or how Luke might react.
“I’m not married, nor have I ever been,” he said, taking a sip of his beer, watching her over the rim. He wasn’t sure what to make of her reaction and was just gauging things now.
“How old is your son?”
He could tell she wanted to ask about Luke’s mother but was hesitating. He’d give her credit for that, but he wouldn’t hide his situation if it came up. It didn’t mean he was going to talk about the messed up relationship he had with Ashley though.
“He’s five. His mother and I were dating for a short period of time when she found out she was pregnant. It’s a long story. We didn’t get married, but I’ve always been in Luke’s life. Usually weekends and nights during the week. Ashley, Luke’s mother, was killed in a car accident six months ago. I couldn’t do it alone, so I moved back here to get help from my parents with him.”
“I’m sorry. I’m pretty close with my ex and I couldn’t imagine something like that happening to him.”
“Ex...” It didn’t matter, but he figured he should at least find out.
“Husband,” she said. “High school sweetheart that didn’t work out. But we divorced amicably and talk all the time. No kids, in case you were wondering.”
He was and was glad he didn’t have to ask. “I don’t know too many people who still talk to their exes, especially without kids involved.”
“We were friends first and foremost. I met his latest girlfriend the other night. He wanted my opinion of her.”
He laughed. “You’re joking, right?”
“No. Everyone thinks that is so funny. I don’t get it. Lots of women have guy friends.”
“But this is more. He’s your ex-husband.” It seemed odd to him for some reason, but she laughed again so he let it go.
“We grew up together. That first love and all. I think we got caught up in love and marriage too fast. Nothing more than that.”
But she dipped her head, averted her eyes, and took another healthy gulp of her wine, telling him there was more to it and he wouldn’t be finding out tonight.