Faux Vows, True Desires

"Spit it out, what's so important that you, Mr. Martinez, made the trek yourself," the voice rang out with a touch of casual bravado.

Owen rose, sauntering into the kitchenette to brew himself a pot of coffee, bringing along two mugs.

He poured half a mug for Stefan. "I'm the guest here, and yet I'm serving you."

"Before I came to see you, do you know who I met with?"

"Madeleine, right?"

Owen paused, "You knew?"

Stefan chuckled, "Madeleine showed up bright and early at my place, looking for my mother-in-law. It was Lucy who greeted her. Lucy managed to tick her off so bad, she stormed out of there."

"I reckon she won't let it go that easily. She's bound to look for an ally. And who else in Pinehurst would dare to cross me openly but you? It's only logical she'd come to you," Stefan prodded with a hint of

sarcasm.

Owen bristled, "I'm no one's pawn!"

He hadn't agreed to anything with Madeleine.

"Oh, so you didn't strike a deal? That's not the impression you're giving off," Stefan teased.

"Stefan."

Owen extended the mug of coffee towards Stefan, "Look, we're at odds, to put it mildly. Truth be told, I'm jealous of you. You ought to be envied; just look at you, handsome, successful, the whole package. Every manly virtue seems to have been lavished upon you. Who wouldn't be green with envy?"

"I'm only human, and it's natural for me to feel jealous. But let's be clear, we've got no deep-seated feud. You can't let this harm me, man."

you the one plotting with Madeleine against me?

Madeleine. She's trying to use me as her weapon, and I'm not about to play that part. Even if Porter Group could offer a deal with my Ikella Group, what's the real gain? And could their influence even reach into Pinehurst? This is our turf. We can have our squabbles, but

the den. I know what kind of shady business Porter Group was built on. Who knows if partnering with

eyed him with

I'm serious; I didn't team up with Madeleine. I'm here to warn you. She won't rest easy. Even if I'm

nodded solemnly, "I

and I owe

coffee, "Then you gotta have Lucy

her, you and Cecilia wouldn't have made any

was taken aback, skeptical, "Lucy would do that

Stefan and his wife enjoyed watching him flounder, even kicking him while he was

her friend to

right away that the only one who could bring Cecilia happiness was me. She didn't let our rivalry stop her from convincing Cecilia to give me a chance. Stefan, you've got a sharp one there, no wonder

for his wife, accepting the compliments on her behalf with pride, "I've always said Lucy has an

thought to himself,

inch, and they'll

Cecilia still hasn't accepted me,"

Cecilia for my injury, calling her a jinx, and

frustrated and helpless, "If she wasn't my own mother, I swear I'd

you've got it good with your parents. They're open-minded

of brothers; we're not that precious. As long as we bring home a wife, the folks are

Owen was silent.

more than one grandchild, but he couldn't hold a candle

convincing your parents. If they don't come around to Cecilia,

he knew the issues between him and Cecilia were rooted

"I'm aware."

grandpa yesterday. The two of them had quite the