“Holy sh—”
Willow held up her hand. “But it’s not a big deal.”
“‘Not a big deal’, just like when he dry-humped you on the dance floor at Ropers? Or ‘not a big deal’ like when he kissed you within an inch of your life at Ty’s?”
Dammit, why did she keep getting into these situations with him?
“Neither, okay?” Willow said. “It was neither. It was just…” She blew out a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I don’t know what the hell is goin’ on. I’d like to say it’s all physical—”
Avery shot forward. “Howphysical?”
“Would you gimme a damn minute?”
“Right, sorry.” Avery made a continue gesture. “Go on.”
“I’d write it off as just this crazy physical pull between us, but then this mornin’, this got delivered.” She pulled the package from her drawer, showing it to Avery.
“Paints?” Avery furrowed her brow. “I’m not following.”
“They’re the same brand I used to use…back in high school.”
“Okay…?”
“I didn’t order them. They’re from Finn.”
Avery’s eyes widened. “Ohhhh.”
There hadn’t been a note in the box, but there hadn’t needed to be. She’d known from the second she’d opened it they’d been from him, and it’d thrown her right back to ten years prior when he’d done the same thing. He’d worked hard to help his momma pay the bills and didn’t have extra to buy a soda, let alone the expensive paints Willow had preferred. But when her daddy’d told her he was done footing the bill for her “frivolous junk,” Finn had used his hard-earned money just to make her happy, sending them to her when hers had almost been out.
Willow shook her head. “I just…I don’t know what it means. It’s not even about the paints, exactly. I’m just not sure—”
“Will!” a voice boomed from the hallway.
The two of them froze, eyes wide as they stared at each other for half a second before Willow’s eyelids slid shut, a long exhale leaving her. Becauseof courseher daddy would come home early and unannounced. That meant one of two things. Either her momma was sick—and considering Willow had just talked to her yesterday afternoon, that wasn’t likely—or he’d heard about the Thomas boys’ plans within Havenbrook.
Richard Haven stomped into the outer office, red-faced and out of breath. Her momma hadn’t mentioned him coming home, and she definitely would have. Which meant this trip back home had been an impromptu flight. If the wrinkles in his clothes were any indication, he’d caught the red-eye in and hadn’t even bothered going home before showing up at town hall.
“Daddy!” Willow said, forcing herself to smile. “What’re you doing back early?”
“I think you know damn well why I’m back. My office.Now, young lady.”
Without waiting for a response—because he knew Willow would follow without hesitation—he turned around and stormed out of Willow’s office suite, disappearing down the hall toward his.
“Well, this should go well.” Willow pushed away from her desk and stood, smoothing a hand over her hair, then her skirt. As if having a perfect appearance would help talk her daddy off the ledge.
“I’ll be on standby to run over to The Sweet Spot,” Avery said. “She’s got triple lemon today.”
“Maybe it won’t be that bad.” Willow slipped around her desk.
“And maybe I should just go ahead and place an order now…”
With those encouraging words from her best friend, Willow made the short trek out of her office and across the hall to where her daddy spent most of his days. Normally, he’d be in his inner office, his assistant seated in the outer office. But today, he occupied the main space, pacing from one end to the other.
This wasn’t going to be pleasant. Still, she plastered on a smile. She could pretend with the best of them, and as far as she was concerned, everything was just peachy around these parts. “How was your trip, Daddy?”
He stopped as soon as she spoke, spinning around to glare in her direction. “How was mytrip? My trip was fine. Finding out about those Thomas boys sullying up my town, on the other hand, was like getting eaten by a wolf and shit out over a cliff.”
Internally, Willow rolled her eyes at his dramatics.Sullyingwas a bit strong of a word choice. Finn and Drew had been back for more than a week, and the town hadn’t imploded yet. In fact, other than the mess going on in Willow’s head—and, okay, her panties—not much had changed. Except that more Havenbrook residents now had work.
