“Yeah, do you need the address? I know it’s been a while since you’ve been here.”
“Nope, I’m on my way to you. I should be there in about fifteen minutes.”
Up until now, every interaction with him I’ve had has been about work with a safe distance between us, now I’m going to be stuck in the truck with him.
My brain wanders to the last time I was in a truck with him. He walked me to my door and broke my heart seconds later. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if he hadn’t.
I was always convinced he was my person. Like we were born two halves a whole. I can still feel it when he’s around, the familiarity. It’s been years and somehow my soul can still find him in a room of a thousand.
I was dead set on staying mad and as distant as possible, but maybe we can try being friends. With as many years as we have between us, it would harder to fake indifference than it would be just to try and be friendly.
It’s taken two whole weeks here and my resolve is already crumbling. What will happen when I’m here for three months?
Chapter 7
Weston
“I’ve gotta go,” I call over my shoulder as I pocket my phone and make my way to my truck.
Rhett’s voice hollers out from behind me, “Where are you going?”
“Willow called, she needs help.” I leave it at that because none of them need an explanation. If she calls, I come running. This time, literally.
We had just finished checking out the east pasture, and I’ve been debating on moving the cows to some newer land to give some of the old grass time to grow back. My heart about stopped when I saw her name with the contact picture come up. We were eighteen, with our hoodies on and her in my lap at a bonfire in high school. The best days of my life.
I hop into my truck and get the key in the ignition. I haven’t had enough time alone with her, and maybe this can be my shot to show her I’m not an ass. We’ve talked about work a lot but I’ve been terrified to ask about her life now. Terrified to learn more about the man who put a ring on her finger. I need to know if she’s happy. If she’s going to be here, I want to get to know her again. Really, I want things how they were then, but if I can’t have that then being her friend will be better than being her enemy.
I’ve made it to town in record speed many a time, but this might be my new record. I pull in front of her grandpa’s house in exactlyfifteen minutes from when she called. The ranch is just a little more than twenty minutes away.
She sees my truck and hops off the front porch step. Today she looks like the Willow I know and love. A T-shirt, pair of jeans and some sneakers. While I will admit, her ass looks phenomenal when she wears heels, to the point where I’ve had to recite the alphabet and think about anything else when she’s walking by me to distract my wandering thoughts. Her in blue jeans will always be my favorite.
Getting out of the truck, I swing to her side and open the door as she walks up, ready to hop in.
“I can get my own door.” She says it as if she’s trying to educate me.
“Not if you’re riding in my truck.” I nod my head, indicating for her to climb in. “You look good today.”
Her head whips toward me and a rush of color spreads across her cheeks. “Oh, uhm, thanks. It’s laundry day.”
“The work wardrobe is great, but you’ve always looked good in a simple pair of jeans.”
She nervously bows her head, something she did when she was feeling shy or at a loss for words when we were kids and I wonder if I’ve gone too far. I close the door and walk around the truck, getting back in.
“Thank you for coming to get me,” she says quietly from the passenger seat.
“Like I said, it’s no problem,” I respond before putting the keys in the ignition and starting the truck.
“How’s your grandpa doing?”
“Judging by his fridge I’d guess he’s got some high cholesterol and high blood sugar, but he’s good.” Her lips tilt up in an unintentionalsmile as she looks out the window. There’s probably not a person in this world she loves more than her grandpa.
“I’m sure he’s doing just fine. Every time I’ve seen him, he’s still sharp as a tack.” We pull out on the road. All the houses on this block are brick. The lawns are all manicured, and aspen trees fill the rest of the space. I can’t believe there was a time in my life I didn’t love this little town. Its charm is unbeatable.
“Have you seen him a lot?” she asks, surprise lacing her tone as she turns her head to study my face.
Not wanting to show all my cards and potentially make her mad I reply with the safest answer, “It’s a small town, bound to run into each other a lot.” Not a lie, but not the whole truth.
“That’s true. I almost forgot what it was like, everyone always knowing everything about you. Secrets are basically illegal.”
