“You okay, Wills?” Colt asked, gently grabbing her elbow to help her steady herself on her feet.
Wills.It killed Ash that Colt got to call her that, that it was a privilege he’d once had but lost.
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Just got a little lightheaded there for a second.” She pulled her phone out of some hidden pocket in her dress and glanced at it with furrowed brows. “I didn’t realize it was after eleven already. I’m thinking maybe it’s time to head back to the guesthouse and sleep this off.”
Jenna jogged up the path behind the Morgan siblings, and everyone else soon followed as Eli began the process of closing down the firepit.
Colt chuckled. “Looks like everyone just realized how late it is.”
“I’ve got to be out the door early tomorrow for the farmers market,” Jenna explained.
“And kids who get up at the crack of dawn,” Boone chimed in as everyone made their way up toward the house.
“Y’all should come to the market!” Jenna exclaimed. “I mean, if you’re going to be up and at it early anyway, why not enjoy some local produce? Some eggs from your favorite egg farmer?”
“Count me in,” Willow replied, giving her sister-in-law a hug. “As long as I drink enough water tonight so I’m not cursing my past self in the morning,” she added.
They all said their goodbyes by helping carry glasses and dishes inside. And maybe Ash was stalling or maybe he just wanted to help, but by the time he and Willow were making their way back outside and toward the guesthouse, they were the last two guests left.
“It’s really good to have you back,” Eli told him, pulling him in for a quick bro hug, and it continued to surprise Ash that even after all this time, his family was truly happy to see him.
“It’s good to be back,” he replied, and it was the truth.
***
Willow was steady enough as they crossed from the clinic property to the guesthouse, but once inside, as she tried balance on one foot to pull off her boot, she pitched backward, pinning Ash against the just-closed door.
“You all right there, Morgan?” he asked, his voicea low whisper. He wondered if she could feel his heart slamming against his chest at the unexpected nearness of her. God, muscle memory really was an asshole.
“Yeah. Totally,” she replied, but she hadn’t moved.
Against Ash’s better judgment, he grabbed her by the hips, setting her back on her two feet. His fingers twitched against the fabric of his shirt that she now wore, beneath which was the thin cotton of her dress and, beneath that, her skin.
He cleared his throat. “Come on,” he said softly, then slid one hand to the small of her back and nudged her toward her room.
He led her to the bed, then grabbed her gently by the shoulders and spun her to face him. Maybe he’d steered clear of the wine that night, but the sweet scent of her shampoo mixed with what smelled like warm vanilla—her perfume—made him feel drunk just the same.
“Sit,” he told her softly.
She sat.
Ash knelt in front of her, pulling off one boot and then the other, setting them next to her bedside table.
“Thank you,” she told him with a tentative smile.
He swallowed, then nodded. “Why don’t you do whatever it is you need to do to get ready for bed, and I’ll get you some water and a couple of aspirin.”
“Okay,” she replied, though he could hear a hint of hesitation in her voice.
“It’s just water and aspirin, Willow. I promise I’m not… I mean, I wasn’t…”
“I know,” she told him. “I know you don’t think about me like that anymore. It’s just…strange. Us being here like this. But I know you’re just being nice, and I appreciate it.”
He rose and exited the room without another word, heading first back to the front door to kick off his own boots and then to the kitchen for the water, aspirin, and hopefully the last shreds of his resolve.
For Ash Murphy, it was more than simply strange being under the same roof as Willow Morgan, let alone leading her to her bed to take off her boots. Words likekarmic justicecame to mind instead. Also,complete and utter torture.
He pulled a pitcher of water from the fridge and filled the insulated cup with a straw Willow was always sipping on throughout the day. Then he rummaged through the cabinets until he thankfully found one that housed a small first aid kit and bottles of various types of pain relievers. He laughed softly, thankful for his Boy Scout of a brother always being overly prepared.
