meat,” she said, glancing down at the menu.
“I know. I meant their veggie burgers—they make them to order. I’d also suggest the sweet potato fries. Or I can get onion rings and we can share.”
Her lip quirked. Owen had always loved sharing. He had a deep appreciation for simple yet plentiful food. She remembered how they’d hang for hours together on the rooftop of Bacchus in New Paltz, the twinkling white lights creating their own world, even as the noisy crowds from the packed streets rose up and echoed through the air. “Are you a vegetarian, too?” she asked. He’d admired her but always said there hadn’t been a steak he hadn’t loved.
“Yep. Working with farm rescues and observing the practices of slaughterhouses turned me off eating animals.”
“I understand. The more knowledge I gain, the less I seem to eat. Except pasta. Carbs seem to be my best friend and worst enemy.”
He grinned, his gaze raking over her figure with male admiration. “You always looked amazing. Especially tonight.”
Her brow arched. “I’m in jeans.”
He gave a boyish shrug. “It was always my favorite outfit on you.”
Pleasure coursed through her. Chloe had made sure to dress informal. No need to give him false pretenses she was here for anything other than closure. But staring at him now, she remembered how much she adored the way his gaze lit up whenever he laid eyes on her, making her feel like a goddess morning, noon, and night. It wasn’t about clothes, or makeup, or being sexy for him. He’d been the first man to look past her surface and see all the junk hidden inside, stuff she’d never let anyone spot, always too embarrassed she was too needy, or weak, or boring. It had been the reason she’d dressed for attention years ago, fueling all that self-anger out into the world.
Mia and Ethan and the Bishop farm had changed everything for her.
And Owen. Always Owen.
The waitress came over and they quickly put in their orders. She returned with one Hefeweizen in the grapefruit flavor she loved, and a shot of whiskey for Owen. Chloe took a hearty sip, trying to calm her racing pulse.
God, he looked good. Like her, he was dressed in jeans but paired it with a bright blue button-down shirt. The color deepened his pale blue eyes. The material stretched across his impressive chest and clung to his broad shoulders. He’d filled out these past years, obviously adding in strength training to lose the lean skinniness he used to sport. The sexy goatee added a roughness to his features, a masculinity that made her stomach flip, then drop.
Damn. She was still attracted to him, but in a way, time had only made it worse. She ached to reach out and touch him, feel the roughness of his skin, test the hardness of muscle, slide her lips across his to see if they were as soft as she remembered.
“Yes.”
Yanked back to reality, she tried hard not to blush. “Yes what?”
His gaze suddenly burned into hers. “Yes to everything you were thinking.”
A hot ache settled between her thighs. This man who looked at her with an edge exuded a confidence that had never been there before. As if he’d figured out who he was and no longer needed to apologize or change to suit another. She wondered if he would kiss the same way: sweet, worshipful, deep. Wondered if the same spark would ignite, or if it would be just a physical connection without the emotional.
No. She needed to stop wondering and get some hard answers.
“You don’t get to know what I’m thinking any longer,” she said lightly, wrangling in the loose tendrils of heat whipping around them. “You wanted the opportunity to explain things. That’s why I’m here.”
He nodded, the intense glint in his eyes fading. “You’re right. There are certain things you have to know.”
Silence fell between them, pulsing with an awkward undertone as she watched him try to gather his thoughts to explain the breakdown of their relationship. Chloe cleared her throat, not ready to dive in. “I’m curious how you got here. How did your internship go in California?”
He visibly relaxed, shooting her a grateful glance. “Animal Welfare was a huge turning point. I’d only experienced some local community rescues here, so being in LA was like an eye opener. There were things happening that I’ll never be able to unsee. I started out helping with the volunteers and assisting the full-timers, but I hadn’t really found what segment