Owen Bishop
Roughly six years later
Owen Bishop finished high school in May, and the three months that followed passed far too quickly. He had played varsity baseball, and their team went to the state tournament that year, so his high school obligations extended into the summer months. Later in June he went to Mexico on a senior trip with a bunch of friends, and before he knew it, the summer was drawing to a close, and he was planning his schedule for college in the fall.
For Owen, college was an afterthought to his work at Bishop Motorcycles. All through high school, Owen had been training at his family business and learning the ropes of what it took to run their motorcycle empire. He, like his father and grandfather, loved every aspect of it—from designing, building, and repairing motorcycles, to running the business. He even learned some things about advertising from his mother.
Owen would get a degree in business, but that was just because he was curious about college and had always wanted to see what it was like—plus, he thought it would be a good experience and make his parents proud for him to get a degree. He had already taken his placement exams and enrolled in his classes for the fall. He was thinking about his classes as he stared at his phone. He had just recieved an email from one of his professors that contained a syllabus for the class. He skimmed over it, hoping the actual class would prove to be more interesting than the syllabus promised.
Owen was staring at it when someone sat in the restaurant booth across from him. He looked up with a smile, but it faded as soon as he saw who it was. His heart began pounding the instant he saw her. He was transfixed as always by her gorgeous brown eyes—they were impossibly dark and yet somehow still sparkled.
"What's the matter?" Darcy asked.
"Nothing. I was just spaced out, looking at this email from one of my professors."
There was no one else in the world who could make Owen feel like this. His heart hammered in his chest as he casually sat his phone face down on the table.
"I thought you were Liam," Owen said. "I'm meeting him for lunch."
Owen's first cousin, Liam Kennedy, was a year older and was going into his sophomore year at the University of Memphis. They were having lunch so Liam could give Owen advice on some of the little things like the best places to park and where to get good food on campus.
"He's gonna be a few minutes late," Darcy said.
Owen made a confused expression that caused her to explain further.
"He's with Sam and Cameron. They're all on their way up here. We're going swimming at Kacie's house." She gestured over her shoulder to the corner booth.
Owen glanced in that direction and saw three other girls and a couple of guys—all of whom he recognized. They were the cool kids—the popular ones, the rich-kid athletes who ruled the school. Owen was accepted into that circle of friends, but he didn't really care about impressing them. He remembered someone inviting him to a party at Kacie's house, but it hadn't even crossed his mind to go. He had done his best over the years to stay away from their parties because all it did was cause jealousy anytime he saw Darcy talking to another guy. He knew she had dated Cameron some over the years, and Owen felt an uncontrollable flame of anger and jealousy rise up in him at the thought that Cameron was on his way there now. He knew Liam was friends with those guys and technically he was too, but he couldn't stop the feelings of anger that stirred inside him. He smiled calmly, doing his best to seem nonchalant.
"Owen," Darcy said.
Her voice was beseeching, which caused him to snap to attention. She reached out and put her small hand on his. Her fingers were cold and the shock of her touch caused him to take a deep breath. He did his best to hide it, staring at her coolly and trying not to move.
"Owen, I'm leaving on Tuesday. I'm going to New York."
Owen felt a sinking sensation in his chest—like someone was holding him under water. "I thought you were going to some small town," Owen said, trying his best not to let his annoyance show.
"Ithaca," she said. "And it is small. It's a lot smaller than Memphis."
"You just said New York, so I thought you were talking about the city."
She shook her head. "The state."
They stared at each other for what must have been ten seconds without saying a word. She took her hand off his, but she left it on the table near him. Owen felt desperate at the thought of her leaving. Memphis would truly not be the same without her presence.
"Columbia?" he asked, still doing his best to seem unaffected.
"Cornell."
"That's right," he said, nodding. "I knew it started with a C. Marketing, right?"
"Yep," she said.
"I thought I heard you say that."
Darcy stared at Owen with a sincere expression that begged him to stop the small talk and get real. He could see by the look in her eyes that she wanted more from him, and it caused that crushing sensation in his chest to worsen. He yearned for her—longed to be next to her.
She gave him a sad smile after a long awkward silence. "So, I guess I just wanted to tell you I was leaving Tuesday," she said.
"Okay, well, I'm happy for you," he said.
It was a blatant lie. He wasn't happy at all. He was happy for Darcy that she was going off to a nice school and would no doubt have all sorts of adventures, but he wasn't happy—he had never been less happy. He found it difficult to breathe.
"Okay, well I guess that's it," she said.
"Yeah," he said. "Good luck."
She gave him another sad smile. "Thanks. You too."
Darcy stayed there in silence for a few more seconds, begging him without saying a word to say something more. Finally, she made a disappointed expression before offering him another fake smile. She flinched like she was about to stand up, but Owen reached out and put his hand on hers in the same way she had done to him. She turned her hand instantly and grasped onto him as if she had been waiting desperately for him to touch her. He felt her little cold fingers squeeze his, and his heart pounded.
"I'm proud of you," he said.
She gave him another little smile that was again laced with disappointment. She sighed. "That's not what I thought you were gonna say," she whispered.
"What'd you think I was gonna say?"
She shrugged shyly and glanced downward. "I don't know. Maybe that I should wait for you or something. Or that you might wait for me—that we should wait for each other. It's stupid. I guess I'm just feeling weird about leaving. You're probably gonna be married by the time I get back."
Her voice was so timid and vulnerable that it caused the burning fire inside of Owen to flair to an unreasonable level. He wanted to pick up the table that separated them and throw it across the room.
"It's not stupid," he said quietly, doing his best to control himself. "I'm sure it's hard thinking about leaving all your friends and family behind and going on to other things." He paused and then added, "And I'm not gonna be married. I'm not even interested in anybody."
She took a slow, deep breath as she regarded him. "Well, I guess I've sufficiently embarrassed myself," she said. "But I guess it's no secret how I feel about you. Never has been."
Owen could tell Darcy was embarrassed as she glanced down and let go of his hand.
"Darcy, you're the one who's gonna find someone. You never know what's in store for you up there at that Ivy League college. You're the one who's gonna go off and get married. I'll just be here doing my same routine—just going to school and work. I'm not trying to date anybody. I'm not interested in that."
Darcy couldn't help the sarcastic smile that crossed her face. She had done nothing but try to gain Owen's interest for the last six years. To say he wasn't interested in dating was an understatement. She scooted to the edge of the booth.
Owen wanted so badly to reach out for her, but he stopped himself. He glanced past Darcy and saw his cousin walk in with the two other guys. He felt the urge to fight Cameron Shaw right there in the restaurant in front of God and everybody. He took a deep breath as he forced a guarded smile at Darcy.
"Just tell me to wait for you, Owen, and I will. If there's even the slightest chance that you want me to, I'll do it," she said.
She was so sweet and sincere that something came over Owen. He knew he should tell her to go on with her life. He knew he should pretend he didn't care for her just as he'd been doing since they were kids, but he couldn't do it.
"Wait then," he said. He was so nervous as he said the words that his breaths came in short, labored spurts.
"Really?" she asked, with a hint of hope in her expression.
"Really," he said. "I mean, if you want to."
"I'm serious, Owen," she said. "I really will wait."
He felt so overwhelmed with emotion and nerves that it made him nauseous, but he nodded anyway. "I will too," he said.
Just then, Liam and Cameron made their way to the table. Sam had gone straight to the booth where the others were sitting, but Cameron saw Darcy and came over with Liam. Liam greeted Darcy and gave her a quick sideways hug before switching places with her and sitting across from Owen. Cameron put his arm around Darcy's shoulder like he had every right to do so. Owen almost stood up and tackled him right then and there, but he contained himself… barely.
"What are you doing over here with this Bishop thug?" Cameron asked, trying to be funny.
"I was just congratulating him about the baseball team."
"What, that he can play with one leg?" Cameron asked, smiling and winking at Owen.
This comment caused Darcy to shrug out of Cameron's grasp. "That they made it to state," she said in an agitated tone. She blushed from anger as she turned and started toward the restroom.
"Aw, come on, Darcy, Owen's my boy," Cameron said. "He knows I'm just messin' around."
Darcy continued to walk away, and Cameron smiled and rolled his eyes at her with a wave toward Owen and Liam as he headed to meet his friends at the corner booth.