Tackling the Canvas

Chapter 8

Owen

Fuck. I was now 100% sure her "friend" was a guy. The tension in her body had been obvious ever since I offered to drive her, and then I saw that message—some Oscar guy saying he'd be waiting at the exit. My blood started to boil, though I tried to keep my cool.

When we got to the airport, we both stepped out and made our way toward the exit. Just as I was about to take her hand, she suddenly ran ahead and hugged a guy. My jaw clenched, frustration bubbling up inside me as I watched. Who the hell was this Oscar? I approached them, trying to steady my breathing, but my mind was racing with irritation.

And the best part? He was a handsome guy. Ugh, couldn't she be friends with someone, I don't know, like a gnome or some shit? Of course not—it had to be this guy.

After their hug ended, he gave me a friendly smile and extended his hand. "Hey, I'm Oscar," he said. I was this close to ignoring it, but then I caught Nora's hopeful look, her eyes almost pleading for me to be civil. I sighed internally and shook his hand, though my grip might've been a bit too firm. "Owen."

"Oh boy, I know," Oscar chuckled, glancing down at Nora with a teasing smirk. "I knew you'd end up with him." His words caught me off guard, and I instantly felt the tension in my shoulders ease. Okay, so he was aware of me—and not just that, he seemed genuinely happy we were together. That's... nice.

As we walked back to my truck, I cleared my throat, keeping a protective hand on Nora's lower back. "So," I began, trying to keep my tone casual, "since when have you two been friends?"

Oscar glanced at me with a soft smile, his voice naturally husky as he answered, "We've been neighbors since we were kids. I'm pretty sure I was her only friend until she came here for college."

"Haha, very funny," Nora shot back, rolling her eyes with obvious sarcasm, and I couldn't help but chuckle. There was a warmth between them, the kind that only comes from years of knowing someone. It made me feel a bit better—like there was no real competition here. Just a guy who'd been part of her past.

___

I was driving towards the hotel where Oscar was staying, and I had to admit—damn, this guy was actually pretty funny. It wasn't so bad having him around.

"So, I heard I'm going to your game this weekend, ain't I?" Oscar asked with a smirk, glancing at me from the passenger seat.

"Yeah," I replied, keeping my tone casual. "We'll probably hit up a bar after, if you want to come along."

I caught Nora's smile out of the corner of my eye. She seemed pleased, which made me feel good.

"I'll see," Oscar said with a laugh. "Depends on what work calls for, but I'll try to make it. Could be fun." His relaxed vibe helped melt some of my tension. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

___

After dropping Oscar off at his hotel, Nora and I made our way back to campus, walking hand in hand. The cool evening air surrounded us, but it felt warm being this close to her.

"I'm glad your friend is here," I murmured, glancing over at her.

She smiled softly, her cheeks a little flushed. "I'm so happy you two got along. He's been telling me that you'd be the one I end up dating."

Her shy tone made my heart skip. I stopped walking, turning to face her. One of my hands instinctively cupped her cheek—cold but soft to the touch—while the other rested on her hip. I took a breath, my nerves bubbling up.

"I never asked you the right way, but..." I started, then paused, trying to find the words. "Would you maybe want to be my girlfriend? Wait—no. Would you allow me to be your boyfriend?" I corrected myself, my voice a little softer, feeling more serious than I expected.