Ch 35: What’s this?

She was wondering? Did that mean that he'd discussed this with his sister? Owen was right, part of this was for Alice.

"Are you really happy?" she said apprehensively. She stared at her wide-eyed, "Have you ever met any of those socialites he dates? They're all snobs.

I hate them." "They can't be all bad." She offered, not wanting to disagree. "Oh, they're nice to my face when Owen's around if they think it'll win them brownie points, but when he's not looking they stare down their noses at me." "That's rude." She smiled.

Alice laughed, "But you Abigail, you'd never pretend you're something you're not. That's why he loves you."

Abigail stilled, loves me? Alice seemed not to notice, "Wait 'til I tell Wyatt that I'll have a big sister! Oh, Abigail, you have to talk to Owen so he can come over, he's such a brute where my boyfriends are concerned and I want him so much to like him."

"What?" She was still reeling from what Alice had said. However, what did a sixteen-year-old know about love? Owen had affection for her, he said he did.

Did he confess something to his sister about her? She doubted it. Owen was too protective of his emotions.

Like he said, she'd known him for twenty years and not once had she seen that calm demeanor break except that one night she went to the party, that night she discovered him holding the photo, and then a few minutes ago, when he crossed the boundary and kissed her with more than just acquaintance affection. It may have been a brief kiss on the cheek, but it was the way he presented it.

"Abigail?" "Oh yes, of course. I'll speak to him today." She answered finally recalling what Alice had asked. "Oh thank you! I knew I could count on you."

She grabbed a piece of toast and her book bag and ran to the door. "See you after school!" she hollered. Then she was gone. Abigail sat down and began to eat her cold toast and drink her lukewarm tea. What a hectic beginning to a day.

After a moment she beamed, but it was fantastic and she wouldn't have it any other way. Alice was such a breath of fresh air and being around people she loved made her feel like she wasn't alone. Just then Miss Mueller came back in and handed her a slip of paper.

"What's this?" "Mr. Ross told me to give this to you after he left." She winked and walked away back to the kitchen. It was an appointment for a salon, and a fashion boutique.

He scrawled a note in his perfect handwriting, saying that the car would pick her up at nine and underneath it said 'enjoy', but it was just signed Owen, not 'love' Owen. She sighed and couldn't deny that it was sweet.

This must've been the surprise that he wouldn't admit to the day before. When the heck did he make these arrangements? The man was amazing. She laughed out loud, got up and ran upstairs. The car would be here in less than twenty minutes.

For twenty minutes Abigail sat in a chair across from an elderly secretary. She clutched her purse nervously and looked at her watch.

He said to come to meet her for lunch, but now it was afternoon, and the woman with the grey hair, eagle eyes and pointed nose sitting across from her told her she had to wait and wouldn't give her any information.

It was obvious she was used to Owen's women for she couldn't withhold her look of annoyance. Abigail couldn't blame her even when she lowered the thick glasses down her pointed nose to scrutinize her.

When she announced she was here to have Lunch with Owen, it didn't sway her in the least. The woman didn't even let him know she was here. Restless, she crossed and uncrossed her legs several times.