“What?” I ask, feigning innocence, eyes wide.
“I’m gonna need you to look me straight in the face and tell me how this hiatus is going, woman.”
Staring up at my best friend from my crouched position, I try my best to keep my features neutral as I say, “It’s fine. Totally one hundred percent going great.”
“And you’re a shit liar. Who is he?” she demands, sliding further onto the bar top above me. Her light brown hair is down, creating a curtain around her face. Her eyes narrow on me again. “Is it the hottie dad from next door?” When I cringe, she groans. “Lou.The divorced dad? This is exactly why you’re on a hiatus. Your picker is broken.”
“My picker is notbroken,” I grumble, pushing to my feet. “I just… I just see the best in people. I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
Willow shifts so that she’s leaning on her forearms against the bar top, her entire upper body resting on the smooth top. Her ass is in the air, knees on the barstool.
“It’s a good thing we’re closed,” I grumble at her, nodding at how she’s sprawled out on my bar. “Get your ass down before you catch me a health code violation.”
Willow rolls her eyes but slides off the bar and back into the seat. “I know it’s in your nature to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and that’s an admirable trait. Not something a lot of people can do. But… it also gets your heart broken nine out of ten times, Lou. I don’t want to see you get hurt again because this guy is still struggling with his own broken heart post-divorce.”
The look on my face must give me away, because she sits up straighter in her seat and demands, “What’s that look for? What aren’t you telling me?”
Groaning, I let my body sag in defeat. “He’s not exactly divorced yet, Wils.”
“Oh no. Oh no no no. Nope,” Willow snaps, shaking her head emphatically. Leaning on her arms on the bar again, she sits forward. “Louise. He’s stillmarried?”
“Technically, yes,” I admit grudgingly. “But he’s in the process of a divorce, and they’ve been separated for almost two years—”
“Ohmygod this is so much worse than I thought. Have you slept with him already?”
“No!” I rush to say, perhaps a little too quickly. Willow eyes me skeptically. “I haven’t. I swear.”
“But you want to.”
I laugh and nod. “Yeah.” Bracing my hands on the edge of the bar, I straight arm myself against it. “Please don’t give me that look. Don’t give me those judgey eyes.”
“I’m not judging,” Willow says gently, softening her features. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again. You know that’s all we want.”
“I know. I’m being careful. I’m not falling for this one.”
Lies.
She doesn’t need to know I have a crush already. Or that I’m probably running headlong into this without looking back.
“I don’t believe you for a second. I’ve never met someone that falls quicker for walking-talking red flags than you.”
“He’s not a red flag,” I grumble, swiping the stack of drink menus off the edge and putting them away. “He’s very sweet.” I can’t help the snort of laughter that escapes. “He’s actually quite grumpy. In a really endearing way.”
“Endearingly grumpy…” she says, tone laced heavily with skepticism.
Shrugging, I give her a half-smile in the hope of relieving some of the worry that’s etching her forehead. “I’m not jumping into anything.”
Willow blows out a breath. “Pfft. You’re notjumpinginto anything, because you already done jumped, girlfriend.”
I can’t even respond, because she’s not entirely wrong.
“Okay, next hard question: have you brought up that job opening with Andi’s company to your mom or your sisters yet?”
My shoulders slump. “No,” I admit sullenly.
“That position isn’t going to stay open long, Lou.”
“I know that,” I grumble. Spreading my arms wide to indicate the barn as a whole, I mumble, “How am I supposed to leave now, when Darci and Mom need me more than ever?”
