“He’s good.He lives in his own place on my property, helps me out with the odd project from time to time.Golfs every chance he gets.”
“Say hi to him for me.Although I guess chances are probably good I’ll run into him sooner or later around here.”
“True.”Talking to her eased the heavy tension in his chest slightly.She didn’t seem distant or angry.He didn’t detect any accusation or resentment in her eyes.But maybe that was just wishful thinking.
Their food arrived.Rafe held up his beer in a toast.“To us being back on Skelly together again.”
Tripp automatically glanced at Willow.Caught the quick flash of pain in her eyes before she masked it with a smile and raised her own glass.An awkward beat of silence followed, all of them acutely aware of the two people notably absent from their group.Carson, and Willow’s brother Peyton.
“To us and Skelly,” she said graciously.
A blast of guilt hit him hard and low in the gut.He struggled to block the jumbled images of that terrible day from forming in his mind, consciously forced his stomach muscles to relax so he could breathe.
But now he couldn’t bear to look at her.He lapsed back into silence as they ate, him struggling to get each bite down, and she quickly turned the conversation back on Rafe, asking him all about policing on the island.
Tripp eventually stole a few secret glances at her, realizing for the first time exactly how much he’d missed her.He’d been living mostly in darkness for the past two years, and she was like a sudden ray of light punching through his dim world.
She laughed at something Rafe said.Tripp wished he’d been the one to cause that reaction.
He loved the sound of her laugh.Her quick smile.Admired the way she carried herself, how she’d chosen to live her life to the fullest in the face of her grief.Whatever else had happened to bring her here, he was proud of her for doing it and a little in awe of her for having the courage to make the move and start over.
The lingering tension had mostly faded by the time the meal was over.Rafe insisted on paying the bill.“You guys can get it next time.We should make this a weekly thing.Get together for dinner or drinks or whatever.”
“Sounds good to me.”Willow’s gaze sliced to him.“You in?”
It surprised him that she would want to see more of him.She seemed sincere, though, and he definitely wanted to see more of her if she was okay with it.“Sure.”
“Thanks for dinner,” she said to Rafe, gathering her purse.“I’ll have you both over once I get myself more organized.”She leaned over, hugged Rafe, and slid out of the booth.Then paused next to the table, looking at him.“Guess I’ll see you around.”
He nodded, trying to gauge what she was thinking.Feeling.He was glad they weren’t alone though.He wasn’t ready to talk to her about what had happened, or answer the questions she must have.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready for that.“Guess so.”
She hesitated a moment.Gave him a wry smile.“Don’t I get a hug?”
He sat there like an idiot for a second, then slid out of the booth and stood, his heart thudding.
Willow closed the small distance between them, and the feel of her arms coming around him caused a sharp, hot pain deep in his chest.His own arms came up, gently eased around her back when what he really wanted was to crush her to him and bury his face in her hair.
Tell her how sorry he was.Beg her for forgiveness.
She was warm and soft and smelled like heaven, a mix of shampoo and a light, sweet perfume he wanted to breathe deep into his lungs.She fit perfectly against him, the top of her head coming to his jaw, her silky hair snagging in his beard that he’d let get too long.
She squeezed him once and stepped back, searching his eyes.Her smile was a little sad.“Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
He nodded once.Forced a smile.She didn’t know what had really happened in Syria.Didn’t know what he’d done.Or hadn’t done.And he prayed she never did.
He didn’t deserve her hugs or her kindness.But he was selfish enough to take them right now.“Good to see you again.”
“You too.”
He watched her walk away until she disappeared into the crowd waiting up front for a table.When he sat back down, taking his first full breath since he’d first seen her, Rafe was looking at him funny.“What?”
“You okay, man?”
“Yeah.”He picked up his cider, drained the last of it.“Never better.”
