He nodded, not sure how to answer.It was, and it wasn’t.
His dad frowned.“Something wrong?”
Yeah, I’m fucked.He looked away, unable to meet that concerned gaze.“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face.Heaved out a heavy breath.“She doesn’t know, Dad.I haven’t told her.”
A beat of silence passed.“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to lose her.”And he was terrified that’s exactly what would happen.
“But you love her.Don’t you?”
He nodded.No denying that, even to himself.He’d loved her for so long, and after last night...
He was so fucked.
“Son.”His dad laid a solid, comforting hand on his shoulder.“You’ll tell her when the time is right, because it’s the right thing to do.And because that’s the kind of man you are.”
“And then?”he said bleakly.This whole situation was wild.He’d been in love with Willow for more than half his life, and last night she’d finally become his.He should be fucking euphoric right now.Literally walking on clouds.
Instead, it felt like he was about to face the gallows.
He’d been so happy for those first few moments when he’d woken up to Willow curled up so trustingly against him, all defenses down as she slept.Until his brain had kicked in and reminded him what a lying piece of shit coward he was.
“Then you’ll suck it up and give her space to process it all while she decides what she wants.And while she’s doing all that, you need to give her the benefit of the doubt.That sweet girl thinks the world of you, Tripp.Give her a chance.Give the two of you that chance.You know you can’t hold onto her without giving her all the facts.It wouldn’t be real.”
He nodded, feeling like he was slowly being smothered.“I know.”
His dad patted him on the back.“Good.”He stepped back and cleared his throat as Rufus trotted into the shop.
The dog paused for a split second, then lowered his head slightly in recognition, tail wagging as he came over to them.
“Look at this handsome guy.Morning, buddy.”He scratched Rufus’s head and ears.
Rufus looked up at Tripp, stretched out his neck and bumped Tripp’s hand with his nose.Tripp couldn’t help but smile as he stroked the dog’s soft fur, that awful pressure in his chest easing slightly.“Hi, Rufus.”
“Now that’s gotta be a good omen, am I right?”his dad said.
“What’s a good omen?”Willow asked, walking in with three steaming mugs of coffee in her hands.
“The way your dog has decided we’re his pals.”His dad accepted one of the mugs.“Thank you, sweetheart.”
“My pleasure.”She turned to Tripp.“Here you go.I’ll give you some sugar later.”
Tripp smothered a laugh.“Is that so?”
“Very much so.”She took a sip of her coffee, eyes sparkling at him over the rim of the mug.
Behind her, his dad set down his cup to give him a double thumbs up and a ridiculous open-mouthed grin.
Tripp struggled to keep a straight face.Way to be smooth, Dad.“I look forward to it.”
His dad cleared his throat.“Thanks for the coffee.Tripp, lemme know when you want me to head down to help with the installation.”
“Will do.Just waiting to hear back from Blaine about the timing.”
