Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 724

Owen Reynolds glanced over at Roseanne with a hint of concern in his eyes. "What happened on the way home? You're two hours later than usual."

It was a bitterly cold winter night, the kind where old neighborhoods like theirs went quiet after nine, and the streetlights flickered unreliably. Owen always worried about her safety, so whenever he could, he'd be there, timing it just right to meet her downstairs.

Roseanne's arrival times varied, but never by more than thirty minutes-tonight, though, she was two whole hours late.

And she'd gotten out of Corley's car.

Owen suspected something must have happened on her way back.

A gust of chilly wind swept by, and Owen noticed Roseanne's nose was bright red from the cold. "Let's get inside. It's freezing out here. We can talk more once we're home."

Roseanne nodded, blowing warm air into her cold palms before turning to say goodbye to Corley.

Under the streetlights, Owen and Roseanne walked side by side, their footsteps perfectly in sync.

The hallway lights flickered on with each step they took, and the faint echo of their conversation could be heard in the background.

Corley stood there, watching them disappear into the distance. His mind

wandered back to the way Roseanne's eyes lit up when she talked about Owen, a shadow of regret crossing his face.

once because of his friendship with Murray. Was he really going to watch her

things slow, let everything fall into place naturally, but suddenly, he didn't want to

already paid the price for hesitating once, enduring six long years until she and Murray

twice? That

doubt in his eyes was replaced

25th, the heart of

cold

Roseanne, it held

Her birthday.

to call and wish her well was her

under her covers, she picked up his

"Happy Birthday, Anne!"

"Thanks, Dad!"

you can," Norris said, grinning widely, an apron tied around his waist, the beige tiles

present? What is

You'll have to open

cocooning herself in her

chimed in, popping her head into the

replied, "Just a little father-daughter secret, nothing for you to