Chapter 4
Henry
I watchher walk into the clinic, and I’m grinning like an idiot when I pull back onto Main Street.
My phone rings through the truck’s speakers. Jake. I texted him early to find out what’s going on with her car.
That part is supposed to come in today. Part of me is disappointed, but part is happy that she’ll have a piece of her life back in order. Everyone deserves that.
When I get back to the bakery, Mark is waiting with raised eyebrows and a knowing smirk.
“Don’t start,” I warn.
“I’m not starting anything.” He hands me a fresh apron. “Just observing that you came back whistling. You never whistle.”
“I whistle.”
“Name one time.”
I tie my apron, ignoring him. But I catch sight of myself in the reflection of the espresso machine, and yeah, I’m smiling like an idiot.
Ben gets out of school at noon. I have four hours to figure out how to casually run into Willa at the clinic without looking like a stalker.
Or... I could orchestrate it.
“Mark, I need a favor.”
“You need a lot of favors today.”
“I need you to cover for me at lunch.”
His grin widens. “Going to see the Doc?”
“I’m going to bring Ben to see the Doc.”
“Is Ben sick?”
“Ben has a small scrape that might need looking at.”
“Does Benactuallyhave a scrape?”
I pause. “He might have one.”
Mark laughs so hard he has to lean against the counter. “You’re going to injure your kid to get a date?”
“No! I’m not going to injure him. I’m going to point out a minor abrasion from three days ago that will give me an excuse to visit her clinic.” When Mark just stares at me, I add, “With cupcakes. It’s a thank you for seeing him on short notice.”
“You’re insane.”
“I’m motivated.”
“Same thing when it comes to you and that woman.” But Mark claps me on the shoulder. “Go. I’ve got the afternoon shift. And Henry? Be yourself. She already likes you, or she wouldn’t have said yes to the ride.”
I spend the next four hours in a fog, going through the motions of kneading dough and filling pastry cases while my mind is entirely focused on Willa. The way she smiled at me in the truck. The way she lit up when I mentioned Ben wanting to meet her.
The way she shakes when she’s anxious, like she’s constantly braced for something bad to happen.
I want to know what put that fear in her eyes. And I want to be the one who makes it go away.
