“She’s threatening to move a bed?” I ask, not understanding their relationship at all.
“No, she’s threatening to do it herself and probably hurt herself in the process if I don’t come over to her old place to move it myself.” An irritated look flits across Jesse’s face, but there’s also an amused smile on his lips at the thought, as if he finds her threats endearing rather than annoying, like a normal person would. Before I can say anything, though, Madden speaks.
“Are they moving Willa in already?” Madden asks, and with his words, every part of my body stills. The King brothers don’t register my shock at all, though. Jesse reaches up to pull his hat off, flipping it so the brim faces forward once more.
“Yeah. She stayed at Wren’s yesterday, but since Nat is off today, they’re all hands on deck moving her in.”
I force myself out of my shock and ask a clarifying question, trying to fight back the irritation.
“Willa?” I set my hammer down and straighten.Don’t panic.
Both brothers look at me, a hint of confusion on their faces.
“Yeah, she came in yesterday to see Adam. Apparently, she’s planning to stay here for a while, write her next album with Adam.” My chest tightens further as I see my peaceful retreat melting away.
“Willa’s here? Like, Willa Stone, Willa?” It’s an incredibly common name, after all. It could refer to anyone. I’m sure there are at least four different Willas in Holly Ridge alone.
It’s a lie, of course. I’ve only ever met a single person named Willa. Still, I believe it for a blissful three seconds before Madden turns to face me and take in my face, which I’m sure is stricken with pure and utter alarm.
“Yeah. I thought you knew. Aren’t you her publicist? I would have thought they would have updated you on that.”
“Yeah, but…” I start, but don’t finish, because how wouldI finish that sentence?
Butshe is supposed to be home for the next three months?
Butshe’s supposed to be far, far away from me for three months?
I don’t finish my sentence. Instead, I shake my head and take a deep breath, trying to calm the pounding in my chest, but it does nothing to soothe my panic.
Then I speak. “Mind if I come with?”
Even though my place is right next to the Three Kings property, it takes about ten minutes to get there since you have to drive down my winding drive, then back up the farm’s entryway. Wepass the tree lots and a few closed-down Christmas-themed buildings, drive just beyond what Madden points out to be Jesse and Hallie’s place, then park out front of a small cabin-looking home with four cars parked out front. One is a brand new all-black G-wagon that makes my stomach twist once more, and three other much older-model cars. The front door of the house is wide open, and when the tires crunch on the gravel drive, a familiar redhead looks out the door, a wide grin spreading on her face before she steps out.
“She’s such a brat,” Jesse grumbles, but there’s no real irritation on his face. I’ve noticed that even when he’s full-out complaining about his fiancée, Jesse never actually looks mad or irritated or even inconvenienced.
He looksentertained.
The man is clearly out of his mind.
He puts the truck into park, kills the engine, then opens his door and slides out. Hallie is already halfway to us, and when they meet in the middle, Jesse pulls her in close, a hand sliding up into her hair to angle her head and press a kiss to her lips. I look away, an uncomfortable pit in my stomach that I don’t enjoy.
It’s there every time I see them or Adam and Wren together. When I felt it around Stella and Riggins, or Wes and Harper, I had chalked it up to irritation, knowing they were bound to make my job more difficult, since both of their relationships have been in the spotlight in one way or another.
But now, with people who barely, if at all, impact my job and surely don’t add more to my already full plate, I wonder if it’s something different. Something worse.
Something closer to jealousy, an emptiness I’ve been ignoring for years now.
Being around so many happy couples has made me wonder whether that’s what’s missing from my life.
But that feeling is long forgotten when an all too familiar, tall blonde steps out of the house behind Nat and Wren, a hesitant smile on her lips. White teeth come out to press into a full, pink bottom lip, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen the meticulously put-together woman do. She scans the area for a moment, taking in the new arrivals, then waves at Madden, who approaches his sister and slings an arm around her shoulders. He says something that makes Nat roll her eyes and shake her head, and Wren laughs. Her eyes continue to scan, softening when she sees Jesse and Hallie, before her gaze stops on me.
For a moment, there’s confusion, the same confusion that’s moving through me, but then her face lights up.
A mix of relief and happiness moves over her face before she steps in my direction.
For a moment, she looks at me, and the breath leaves my lungs.
For a moment, I almost don’t recognize her, instead seeing someone different altogether, someone I knew for the shortest time before reality crashed down around us.
