“I, uh… yeah. It’s the only kind I like. My teeth are sensitive. Everything else is too minty. It makes my eyes water.”
I laughed, stepped in, kissed the damn bubblegum off her lips, and told her I’d buy out the whole store if she wanted me to.
If she liked it, it was good enough for me.
Now? That scent is mine. She is mine.
And I’ll never smell it without thinking of her—barefoot in my bathroom, her hair a mess, eyes sleepy and sweet and full of trust.
Fuck.
I’d bottle it if I could.
Keep it around my neck like a talisman.
Because every time I taste that bubblegum, it’s not just about sweetness. It’s about safety.
It’s about her letting go of her old doubts and fears.
It’s about her trusting me, trusting that she belongs here.
With me.
And it’s with bubblegum on my lips that I stand in the mud, still as stone, my guys watching me like I’m crazy.
I don’t give a fuck.
I don’t move until I see her buckle up, adjust the mirror, and glance back at me through the windshield.
I lift my chin, a little territorial grunt rumbling in my chest when she flashes me that soft smile.
The one that tells me she sees me watching—and she likes it.
Only then do I turn toward the crew, every step heavier than it should be.
Because no matter how much work needs doing today, the only thing I’ll be thinking about is her. Out there in the world. Away from me.
And counting the minutes until she comes back.
CHAPTER 46
WILLOW
Let me start by saying, I don’t like banks.
I don’t like the way they smell like old money and desperation.
I don’t like how cold the lighting is or how quiet it gets when you walk in like everyone’s waiting to judge you for your balance—or lack of one.
I don’t like the tiny pens on the chains. I definitely don’t like the way the people in line pretend they’re not looking at you, even as they’re assessing every inch of your outfit like it’s a fashion crime.
Now, not all banks are like this.
But I’m a stranger here.
Still new to Woodhaven.
Still figuring out which roads lead where and how to navigate life in a town that feels like it hasn’t changed in fifty years.
