it.”
Owen stilled, and Vanity eased her hand from his. He didn’t appear to notice her. He ran a hand through his hair and turned toward the couch. “Come in. We need to talk about this.”
Vanity waited near the door and watched Melinda follow Owen. She’d been wearing a long trench coat, but when she unbuttoned it and slipped it off her shoulders, Vanity caught sight of the little red dress and sheer stockings. Melinda sat down, and the hemline rose, revealing more of her legs. Full breasts, despite her slender size, nearly spilled over the dress’s neckline.
From what Melinda had said, Vanity understood the seriousness of their intended discussion. She didn’t need to be there. While they talked, Vanity hurried upstairs and threw her clothes on. She strode back down and headed for the door. With her hand on the knob, she expected Owen to call out to her, but his focus remained on Melinda. She didn’t blame him and left, shutting the door quietly behind her.
At her aunt’s house, Vanity let herself inside and spared the blinking tree lights no more than a glance. The lights, the stockings, all the decorations, annoyed her and reminded her that she should not have come. She hurried down the hall to her room and shut out the world after falling into bed. By four the next afternoon, she had heard nothing from Owen and figured what they enjoyed had come to an expected end.
* * * *
Vanity left her room late a few days later and hesitated when she picked up the deep timbre of Owen’s voice. She didn’t know if she wanted to face him or let things go as they were. If he wanted to speak to her, he no doubt would have come looking for her or called at least.
She turned to go back into her room, but something he said caught her attention. Pain like she never expected sealed her to the spot, and tears sprang to her eyes.
“I’ve made my decision. I’m going to Chicago.”
The words resounded with cruelty in her head. Vanity didn’t want to believe she’d heard right. Owen didn’t even want to discuss the matter. He didn’t think she merited talking to about it. Not that she didn’t understand. If she had a child, and his father wanted to take him away, she would either move the earth to keep her baby, or go wherever he was. Owen had it worse, to feel he didn’t know if his rights were real or could be snatched away at any moment. While she got all that, she blamed him too. If he was half the man she thought he was, he would get on solid ground, such as knowing he fathered Jamie, and then he would fight. She needed to go. Why oh why couldn’t she have figured all that out before she fell in love with him?
I can at least admit that much. I love him.
She returned to her bedroom and shut the door. When her aunt came to tell her Owen was there, she made the excuse that she wasn’t feeling well and refused to come out. After a few hours passed, she listened at her door and discovered him gone. Vanity packed her things. The sooner she got on the road, the better.
She found her aunt in the kitchen. “Aunt Ella, I have to leave earlier than expected. I have some work I need to get done. I had a great time, and thanks for having me.”
“Darling,” her aunt exclaimed, rising from the table where she sipped hot cocoa. “You’re leaving so suddenly? Have you talked to Owen?”
“Uh…” She hated lying about leaving in the first place and didn’t care to add to it regarding Owen. “We had fun together, but it was nothing serious. We had an understanding. I have to go.”
“I don’t think—”
“Aunt Ella.”
The older woman offered her a sad smile and drew Vanity into a hug. She kissed Vanity’s cheek and leaned away to pull money from her bra. “Here, take this.”
Vanity cringed. “Aunt Ella, that’s not necessary.”
“Take it!” She pressed the bills into Vanity’s hand and closed her fingers around it. “I always dreamed you would learn to trust others, including me. I think you
Owen stilled, and Vanity eased her hand from his. He didn’t appear to notice her. He ran a hand through his hair and turned toward the couch. “Come in. We need to talk about this.”
Vanity waited near the door and watched Melinda follow Owen. She’d been wearing a long trench coat, but when she unbuttoned it and slipped it off her shoulders, Vanity caught sight of the little red dress and sheer stockings. Melinda sat down, and the hemline rose, revealing more of her legs. Full breasts, despite her slender size, nearly spilled over the dress’s neckline.
From what Melinda had said, Vanity understood the seriousness of their intended discussion. She didn’t need to be there. While they talked, Vanity hurried upstairs and threw her clothes on. She strode back down and headed for the door. With her hand on the knob, she expected Owen to call out to her, but his focus remained on Melinda. She didn’t blame him and left, shutting the door quietly behind her.
At her aunt’s house, Vanity let herself inside and spared the blinking tree lights no more than a glance. The lights, the stockings, all the decorations, annoyed her and reminded her that she should not have come. She hurried down the hall to her room and shut out the world after falling into bed. By four the next afternoon, she had heard nothing from Owen and figured what they enjoyed had come to an expected end.
* * * *
Vanity left her room late a few days later and hesitated when she picked up the deep timbre of Owen’s voice. She didn’t know if she wanted to face him or let things go as they were. If he wanted to speak to her, he no doubt would have come looking for her or called at least.
She turned to go back into her room, but something he said caught her attention. Pain like she never expected sealed her to the spot, and tears sprang to her eyes.
“I’ve made my decision. I’m going to Chicago.”
The words resounded with cruelty in her head. Vanity didn’t want to believe she’d heard right. Owen didn’t even want to discuss the matter. He didn’t think she merited talking to about it. Not that she didn’t understand. If she had a child, and his father wanted to take him away, she would either move the earth to keep her baby, or go wherever he was. Owen had it worse, to feel he didn’t know if his rights were real or could be snatched away at any moment. While she got all that, she blamed him too. If he was half the man she thought he was, he would get on solid ground, such as knowing he fathered Jamie, and then he would fight. She needed to go. Why oh why couldn’t she have figured all that out before she fell in love with him?
I can at least admit that much. I love him.
She returned to her bedroom and shut the door. When her aunt came to tell her Owen was there, she made the excuse that she wasn’t feeling well and refused to come out. After a few hours passed, she listened at her door and discovered him gone. Vanity packed her things. The sooner she got on the road, the better.
She found her aunt in the kitchen. “Aunt Ella, I have to leave earlier than expected. I have some work I need to get done. I had a great time, and thanks for having me.”
“Darling,” her aunt exclaimed, rising from the table where she sipped hot cocoa. “You’re leaving so suddenly? Have you talked to Owen?”
“Uh…” She hated lying about leaving in the first place and didn’t care to add to it regarding Owen. “We had fun together, but it was nothing serious. We had an understanding. I have to go.”
“I don’t think—”
“Aunt Ella.”
The older woman offered her a sad smile and drew Vanity into a hug. She kissed Vanity’s cheek and leaned away to pull money from her bra. “Here, take this.”
Vanity cringed. “Aunt Ella, that’s not necessary.”
“Take it!” She pressed the bills into Vanity’s hand and closed her fingers around it. “I always dreamed you would learn to trust others, including me. I think you
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