I need, even if you don’t think I deserve it. There’s so much that happened between us, the idea of you believing certain things is tearing me up inside.”
“Do you really think a talk can change anything?” she finally asked.
“Yes, I do.” He had to. It was the only thing to cling to, the powerful idea he could explain his heart and gain her forgiveness. The fantasy of his second chance drove him forward. “Please give me one night of your attention. If you still feel the same, I’ll back off and won’t bother you again.”
Slowly, she turned to face him. Her features revealed a reluctant resolution that caused a twist of pain and elation. “Okay. Dinner. Tomorrow?”
He nodded. “I’ll pick a quiet place, off the grid.”
“Fine. Just one last thing.”
“What?”
Her gaze drilled into his. “We may have very different intentions for this night, Owen. You need to accept it probably won’t turn out the way you want.”
He reached out to automatically touch her, froze, then dropped his hand. “Big risks for big rewards,” he finally said. “You taught me that early on.” At her puzzled look, he prodded her memory. “The protest at the meat packing plant. I told you it wouldn’t change anything because I was afraid you might get hurt.”
She nodded. “That’s right, I remember. They threatened the protestors with violence, and it blew up in the media. But nothing happened. The plant never closed. We didn’t go to jail. Why would you remember it?”
“Because it was the first time someone showed me to fight for what you believe in, even if you don’t win. Especially if you don’t win. My grandfather kept trying to explain the concept for years, but I waved it off as some random philosophy that made no sense. At the protest, the lesson suddenly sparked like a lightbulb moment.” She cocked her head, listening intently. “All those years as a judge taught him it was about showing up every day with the intention to do good. To create justice in a small way. Many times he failed, but instead of believing he made no difference, he’d reset the next day and start anew.”
His beloved grandfather had been tough, wise, and a constant presence in Owen’s upbringing. Judge Bennett had been the one to sentence Chloe to community service at the Bishop farm, which changed her life. And when Owen had screwed up, he’d been given the same punishment. He’d hated every moment until Chloe came and changed his outlook—and his life. Losing him before being able to show him how Owen had changed was haunting, but he’d struggled to make peace and trust his grandfather knew.
“You drove that lesson home for me, Chloe. Because you showed up consistently at that plant, with your sign and your voice, even when most everyone else had left it behind and moved on to other cases. Now, it’s shut down.”
A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “Not from me yelling at workers behind the fence for months,” she said.
“Maybe. Maybe not. You kept the protest relevant. You changed me. I just wanted you to know that.”
He backed off and returned to his desk, giving her space. After a few minutes, he heard the click of her keyboard. Owen re-focused on his work, reminding himself the animals at the Spagarellis’ deserved his full attention.
They worked together for the next few hours in complete harmony, with the scent of roses drifting in the air.
Chapter Five
Chloe looked around the dark, almost empty pub and paused. “Umm, is the food here okay?”
He laughed, lifting his hand to the lone bartender, who called out a greeting and motioned for Owen to take a seat. He picked an oversized, high-backed booth toward the back. “Yes. Giving you food poisoning on our first date would be an epic fail.”
“It’s not a date,” she said automatically.
“Sorry. I meant evening out. It’s nothing fancy, but I figured you’d be craving a decent burger. The pub caters mostly to the after-dinner crowd here—their bar menu and beer options are legendary.”
There were so many restaurants in New York City she’d be able to spend the rest of her life dining at a new place every night and never get through them all. She appreciated all the sleek dark wood, matching bar stools, and impressive bar that displayed endless bottles of liquor, wine, and beer taps. She liked that he’d picked a casual place with no frills or impressive French food with tiny portions. “I don’t eat