Ch 22: Last night had me thinking

After answering the voice on the other end he turned to her, "Will you be okay for a minute?" She nodded already feeling better from what he'd told her about signing everything back over to her.

He gave her a reassuring smile causing her to inhale deeply at the sincerity present in it. Overall his words of not leaving her left her feeling more secure than she had in months.

Did he mean all of what he'd been saying to her over the past few days? It's not like he was after her for her money, because she didn't have any.

Sighing she watched him as he conversed on the phone and even doing something as simple as that made him look so undeniably handsome. It was a side of him she always admired. He could so easily take control and handle it as though he was born into it.

"I need to go to work Abigail." He said after he flipped his phone closed and turning to her. "Of course." She started feeling embarrassed, "I don't think I've ever cried so much before in my life than I did these past few days."

He nodded, "For you, I agree, but you have valid reasons. Alice cries whenever I try and tell her no." he added with a sheepish smile. She almost laughed at that.

Alice was amazingly smart. It ran in the family, but she could manipulate as good as Owen could.

"I feel as though you shouldn't be alone though." He admitted hesitantly. She knew why he hesitated.

He was probably concerned that she'd burst into tears again. "I'm not as fragile as you think Owen." She said hoping her expression didn't reveal her lie. Of course, she was.

She just lost the closest person to her, the last of her family. "I never thought you were before," he explained, "but you are now with what's happened."

Gee thanks, she thought feeling more like a fool for being so vulnerable in front of him.

He was the last person she wanted to know she had weaknesses yet, he made her feel so safe when she did breakdown.

He settled his gaze on her, "Last night had me thinking." "About?" Her stomach clenched. Did he want to rescind his offer of marriage? Was she too demanding with his affections?

That was something she could never brag about with another man. She admitted to herself in the shower this morning that she needed him.

Oh, she wanted him too, but only Owen seemed to be able to make her feel strong enough to overcome this tragedy. Now she was worried that she'd been taxing him too much.

Dread started to crawl through her. "I think it's best for both of us if we do get married. Right now you need someone to look after you."

She could have shouted for joy at the first few words, but then he indicated that she still couldn't look after herself.

Well, he was probably right, but it certainly didn't do any good for her self esteem. "I'm a grown woman Owen, not a child."