Chapter 417

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Owen sighed and did as he was told . The reading was just about zero , but the cop still wasn’t satisfied .
He called over a colleague , got a different device , and had Owen blow again . Still , almost nothing .
“ You sure you haven’t been drinking ? ” the cop asked , now genuinely confused .
Owen nodded , “ Really , I haven’t . ”
The officer squinted at him . “ So who’s the lady in your passenger seat ? And why isn’t she waking up with all this racket ? ”
Owen explained , “ She’s a friend . She had a little too much to drink .”
By now , the embarrassing flush on Owen’s face had finally faded a bit , thanks to all the commotion .
The cop wasn’t convinced just because Owen was good – looking .
He walked over to the passenger side and gestured for the window to go down . “ Miss ? ”
At some point , Aria had dozed off . She stirred at the sound of his voice , blinking sleepily , “ Hmm ? ”
Once she was awake , the cop let out a relieved sigh . “ And who is the gentleman you’re with ? ”
Aria glanced at Owen and replied , “ He’s a friend . ”
The officer asked , “ Have you been drinking tonight ? ”
Aria nodded , “ Yeah , I have . ”
He looked at her , then at Owen , skepticism on his face , but after thinking it over , he waved them off . “ Alright , you two can go . Just drive safe , okay ? ”
“ Thank you , ” Owen said quietly as he started the car again .
As they pulled away , the cop muttered to his partner , “ That’s weird – she’s the one who drank , but he’s the one blushing . ”
Both Owen and Aria heard the comment loud and clear as the car rolled off .
Owen gripped the wheel stiffly , that telltale heat rising in his cheeks all over again .
Aria just turned her face toward the window , shutting her eyes with a sigh . ‘ Great . He’s blushing because I kissed him , and now the cop thinks he’s the
drunk one . ‘
When they finally reached Mayen Garden, Owen got out , planning to help Aria from the passenger side , but she was already out of the car , a bit unsteady on her feet .
She managed a few steps before stumbling , and Owen caught her arm . “ You okay ? ”
Her head was spinning and her body felt light , but Aria’s mind was clear . “ I’m fine . I can walk . ”
She staggered a little as they made their way to the elevator , and Owen gently took her wrist .
Once inside , he suddenly asked , “ Do you remember what you did in the car ? ”
Aria’s heart skipped a beat . She played dumb , “ What did I do ? ”
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He didn’t answer . After walking her to her room , he said , “ You should get some sleep . ”
Ana fought off her exhaustion long enough to change her shoes . “ I’ll shower , then go to bed . ”
Owen warned . “ You’ve been drinking . Maybe skip the shower . It could be dangerous . ”
But Aria was already headed for her bedroom , “ I’ll be fine . ”
Owen watched her disappear into the bathroom and called out , “ I’ll wait in the living room until you’re done , then I’ll go . ”
She didn’t answer , but he took her silence as agreement and settled onto the sofa . After a minute , Owen pulled out his phone and texted Cloe .
A moment later , Cloe called back . “ Wait … you’re telling me -she kissed you ? ”
Owen had told Cloe on purpose , just in case Aria didn’t remember . If she forgot , Cloe could back him up . “ Yeah , ” he admitted .
Cloe laughed , “ I knew it ! That girl’s feelings for you are different from everyone else . ”
A hopeful warmth bloomed in Owen’s chest .
He could hardly believe it . “ You’re not going to tell me to confess , are you ? ”
He sounded worried , “ If I tell her how I feel , I’m afraid she won’t even want to be friends anymore . ”
Cloe sighed softly . “ Honestly , you’re probably right . Even if she likes you , she’d most likely reject you if you confessed .
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“ She doesn’t care about Liam ; the failed marriage doesn’t matter to her . The thing is , Aria finds marriage itself a hassle – too many families , too many strings attached .
“ But if you take marriage off the table , I think you actually have a shot . ”
Owen smiled , “ Thanks , Cloe . I mean it . ”
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