Read Online Outmatched in October (Spring River Valley Book 10) by Clarice Wynter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Clarice Wynter
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fact that Lily hadn’t seemed at all shocked by her announcement surprised her. Claudia’s grin faded. “I thought you’d be happy. You won’t have to find another roommate.”
“If you move in with Owen, I will.”
“Well, we’re not at that stage yet.” Would they get there? And how soon? Was that something she should even be thinking about right now? “Let’s not jump the gun.”
“Okay. Back to step one, then. No job in the city?”
“No. I’m staying right here.”
“You’re not even going to give it a try?”
“Yes, I’m giving it a try. I’m singing this weekend as a trial run , and I told Jacob I’d give him my final decision afterward. It’s just that my answer will be no. I’m sure it’ll be fun for a night or two, but it’s not what I want.”
Lily hoisted her own mat onto her shoulder and nodded. “Okay , then.”
Claudia eyed her. “Nothing to say about me and Owen?”
“It was inevitable.”
“That’s all?” Lily had been rooting for her and Owen to get it together for years , and now she seemed bored by the good news.
“I’m happy for you. I know you love him , and I’m pretty sure he loves you.”
“So why the overwhelming lack of enthusiasm?”
Lily sighed. “I’m happy for you, really. You two belong together, but I just hope you’re not making too big a sacrifice for him.”
“No one’s sacrificing. We’re together. Finally . And it’s amazing.”
“Good. Then everything is great.” Lily strolled out of the classroom , leaving Claudia staring after her, dumbfounded.
She wanted to follow her and tell her again that this wasn’t a sacrifice at all. How could keeping the life she wanted, with the added bonus of finally having the relationship with Owen that she’d dreamed of be anything but exactly what was best for her?
* * * *
Love Notes’ last customer of the day left just as Taylor strolled into the store. Owen signaled him to flip the Open sign to Closed and turn the lock.
“Thanks for coming. I’ve got the sheet music for the play list for James’s party. Grant thinks it won’t be until December, so we have time to fine-tune it, but—” Owen stopped mid-sentence when he realized Taylor was glaring at him, his stance rigid and his expression disapproving. “What?”
“You know what.”
“I…oh, crap, did I take the power cord for your keyboard home Friday night? I’m sorry. You know it looks just like the one for —”
“I’m talking about Claudia.”
“What about her?”
“Apparently she told Lily Jarvis, who told Quinn, who told Tanner , who told me that she isn’t taking the job in New York because you asked her not to. What’s wrong with you?”
Owen shook his head. “Wow. The gossip mill runs pretty fast in this town. Was there a mass text , or was it on Twitter? If I want to get a message back to Claudia, do I just tell you to tell your brother to tell his partner to tell his girlfriend to tell her roommate?”
“Way to avoid the question. What happened to not wanting to get in her way?”
“Look, I never asked her not to take the job. I told her that I didn’t want her to leave town. And I know Lily said the exact same thing to her. Did you interrogate her too?”
“Lily doesn’t have the power to make Claudia dump her dream job. You do.”
“Wow. You give me a lot more credit than I deserve.”
“You deserve a kick in the ass. Didn’t you didn’t just stand here last week and tell me she deserves to get everything she’s ever wanted? Then you influence her to chuck it all. What’s up with that?”
Owen sank back onto a stool behind the counter and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to. She was… We were…”
“You slept with her.”
“I’m not sorry about that. I’m just sorry she thought it meant I didn’t want her to take the job.”
“I don’t think you’re sorry. You said yourself , she’s diamonds and you’re charcoal. I think you really want to keep
“If you move in with Owen, I will.”
“Well, we’re not at that stage yet.” Would they get there? And how soon? Was that something she should even be thinking about right now? “Let’s not jump the gun.”
“Okay. Back to step one, then. No job in the city?”
“No. I’m staying right here.”
“You’re not even going to give it a try?”
“Yes, I’m giving it a try. I’m singing this weekend as a trial run , and I told Jacob I’d give him my final decision afterward. It’s just that my answer will be no. I’m sure it’ll be fun for a night or two, but it’s not what I want.”
Lily hoisted her own mat onto her shoulder and nodded. “Okay , then.”
Claudia eyed her. “Nothing to say about me and Owen?”
“It was inevitable.”
“That’s all?” Lily had been rooting for her and Owen to get it together for years , and now she seemed bored by the good news.
“I’m happy for you. I know you love him , and I’m pretty sure he loves you.”
“So why the overwhelming lack of enthusiasm?”
Lily sighed. “I’m happy for you, really. You two belong together, but I just hope you’re not making too big a sacrifice for him.”
“No one’s sacrificing. We’re together. Finally . And it’s amazing.”
“Good. Then everything is great.” Lily strolled out of the classroom , leaving Claudia staring after her, dumbfounded.
She wanted to follow her and tell her again that this wasn’t a sacrifice at all. How could keeping the life she wanted, with the added bonus of finally having the relationship with Owen that she’d dreamed of be anything but exactly what was best for her?
* * * *
Love Notes’ last customer of the day left just as Taylor strolled into the store. Owen signaled him to flip the Open sign to Closed and turn the lock.
“Thanks for coming. I’ve got the sheet music for the play list for James’s party. Grant thinks it won’t be until December, so we have time to fine-tune it, but—” Owen stopped mid-sentence when he realized Taylor was glaring at him, his stance rigid and his expression disapproving. “What?”
“You know what.”
“I…oh, crap, did I take the power cord for your keyboard home Friday night? I’m sorry. You know it looks just like the one for —”
“I’m talking about Claudia.”
“What about her?”
“Apparently she told Lily Jarvis, who told Quinn, who told Tanner , who told me that she isn’t taking the job in New York because you asked her not to. What’s wrong with you?”
Owen shook his head. “Wow. The gossip mill runs pretty fast in this town. Was there a mass text , or was it on Twitter? If I want to get a message back to Claudia, do I just tell you to tell your brother to tell his partner to tell his girlfriend to tell her roommate?”
“Way to avoid the question. What happened to not wanting to get in her way?”
“Look, I never asked her not to take the job. I told her that I didn’t want her to leave town. And I know Lily said the exact same thing to her. Did you interrogate her too?”
“Lily doesn’t have the power to make Claudia dump her dream job. You do.”
“Wow. You give me a lot more credit than I deserve.”
“You deserve a kick in the ass. Didn’t you didn’t just stand here last week and tell me she deserves to get everything she’s ever wanted? Then you influence her to chuck it all. What’s up with that?”
Owen sank back onto a stool behind the counter and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to. She was… We were…”
“You slept with her.”
“I’m not sorry about that. I’m just sorry she thought it meant I didn’t want her to take the job.”
“I don’t think you’re sorry. You said yourself , she’s diamonds and you’re charcoal. I think you really want to keep
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