I really wanted to dig into. Until I got assigned to help out the legal team on a specific abuse case. That changed everything.”
Chloe recognized the visible emotion in his eyes, the way his fingers gripped the neck of the bottle when certain memories hit. Watching the cruelty of humans challenged the core of who she was—the frustration and rage of seeing helpless animals consistently hurt pushed her to compartmentalize the worst of it. The work was a delicate balancing act of caring enough not to be numb, but not getting lost in the rage where results could falter. Owen had worked with her at some shelters, but he’d never experienced a case from the front lines. “You never forget your first,” she murmured.
“Exactly. I knew I didn’t want to focus on fundraising, marketing, or get stuck in endless board meetings, trying to make nice with political or community members. But when I watched how concrete laws could make a difference, and how short-handed welfare law is because it’s not the money maker, I knew I’d found my niche.”
The waitress dropped off their burger platters with a cheerful smile, re-filled their waters, and glided away. Chloe smothered hers with ketchup and hot sauce and dug in.
Owen laughed. “Why am I not surprised you still ruin all your food with that stuff?”
She finished her first bite and rolled her eyes. “Hot sauce makes the world a better place. Do you still eat your stuff boring and plain? Or did your travels educate you on the finer details of dining?”
He carefully took off his lettuce, tomato, and onion, replaced the top bun, and lifted it up. “I want to taste the burger, not the junk on it. Plain rules.”
It was a ridiculous argument they’d always had, and she felt a silly smile tug at her lips. “I refuse to engage in such a useless discussion. Keep going. You found law.”
“I found law. This road, unfortunately, demanded a huge commitment—both financial and education. The good news is Animal Welfare saw my potential and worked to assign me a legal apprenticeship in lieu of law school with their partners, The Animal Defense Fund. My grandfather had left me a trust that helped pay my way so I could concentrate on my studies full-time. He still believed in me, even though I’d never shown him any proof.”
His eyes glinted with grief, and she fought the urge to take his hand in hers. “I’m not surprised he believed in you, Owen. You made mistakes, and you were supposed to—you were only a freshman in college. He was a judge and focused his life on second chances. I wish you wouldn’t be so hard on yourself.”
He blew out a breath. “You’re right. Hard to break the habit of blaming yourself sometimes. It’s so damn easy.”
She smiled, thinking of her own regrets regarding her choices. “Truth.”
“Anyway, I studied and worked my ass off and passed the bar exam. Began taking on my own cases, but I soon realized my heart had never truly been in California. It was a place I needed to go to grow up and find my career. But I always knew I wanted to come home.”
Her skin prickled with goose bumps. He said the words with a purpose and intention that clearly implied she was part of his goal. The question burst out of her mouth, demanding he verbalize what burned in his gaze. “Why? What was here for you, Owen?”
He uttered the word with a stark simplicity. “You.”
Chloe dropped the rest of her burger on the plate, quickly wiping her fingers. “You don’t get to come home to what you already rejected.” Bitterness coated her tongue. “You don’t get to rewrite the past because you suddenly romanticized what we were.”
“You’re right. But even when I left, I knew you had already claimed my heart. I knew I’d only be able to give other women pieces of it because I planned to come back to you as a changed man. A man who could stand as your full partner, not chase you around like a lost puppy, eventually being outgrown because I didn’t know who I really was.”
Her gaze narrowed. “I never looked at you like that. You did. And you did it so you’d have a good excuse to leave like a martyr, spouting a bunch of bullshit to yourself that it was for the future of us. Well, let me give it to you straight.” She jabbed her finger in the air.