Chapter 19
Willa
My palms were sweaty, and I wiped them on my pants. It made me a little crabby that anyone had that kind of power over me.
“I want to see your new house,” I said, skipping over the part where I asked Doug’s permission to be friends again. That wasn’t happening. I’d ask for forgiveness before I’d ask for permission.
“How’d you hear about it?” he asked. In the background, Nelson was pestering him about who was on the phone, and Doug shushed him.
“Wait, Nelson gets to see it and I don’t?” I was taking a wild guess that Nelson had already seen his house. “And everybody on set knows you’re moving. Just because you don’t talk to me anymore doesn’t mean I don’t hear the gossip.”
He breathed out in such exasperation that it made me laugh.
“Fine. You can see it.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. Right now? You can help me and Nelson unpack.”
“Excellent. Text me the address.” I hung up and went to change into a T-shirt and do my hair.
Doug still had his guard up. He hadn’t told me to come now because he was dying to see me, he’d done it because Nelson would be there acting as a buffer, and Doug would have chores for us to do. But it was a start, and I could work with that.
My security guys periodically monitored outside my house, and I texted them to let them know where I was going. One would stay to keep an eye on the house, and one would drop me off. It was a pain, but with my name so recognized, it wasn’t something I could refuse.
They texted me when they were ready, and we drove to Doug’s house. I followed our progress on my phone’s GPS, checking out his new neighborhood. He was in a historic district that was starting to be targeted by young professionals looking for affordable housing. Which meant it wouldn’t be affordable soon. Good for Doug, getting in early.
We pulled up to the callbox in front of the gate, and Doug let us in. His place reminded me of something out of a psychological thriller. Maybe it was the way the trees and bushes blocked the house, or the two dark-tinted front windows that looked like eyes.
Nelson and Doug stepped out the front door just as I got out of the car.
“It’s creepy looking, right?” Nelson said, watching me take it all in.
“Absolutely.”
Nelson punched Doug in the arm. “See, she agrees with me.”
Doug met my gaze. “You two are quite the welcoming committee.”
“We’re your friends. We’re supposed to tell you the truth.”
Nelson’s words hit me right in the chest. I’d been self-protective on the phone when I’d invited myself over, blaming it on my curiosity to see his house. “I missed you,” I blurted out.
There was an awkward silence between the three of us for a moment, and then Nelson opened his arms wide and started walking toward me. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“I’m not hugging you, Nelson,” I said, walking past them both to go look inside Doug’s house.
The inside was dark and cool, thanks to all the shade trees. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust and take in the wood-paneled walls. The dark brown shag carpeting looked old, but it was in great shape. It made me want to take my shoes off, knowing whoever owned this previously had probably been adamant about leaving shoes at the door. Unless… no one ever visited. Everything about the outside had given a message of ‘keep out.’
I moved to the kitchen, not surprised to see an olive green and yellow theme going on with the wallpaper and counters. The appliances that once matched were gone, but I could imagine it how it had once been, in all its color-coordinated glory.
At my feet were two boxes labeled ‘fragile,’ and I ripped one open, revealing dishes. He’d asked me to help him unpack, so that’s what I’d do.
“Hang on, I’ll give you a tour first.” Doug came up behind me, though he kept his distance. There was a hesitance in his expression that told me I’d have a lot of work to do to repair things between us.
Nelson looked from his face to mine, studying us. All he needed was a tub of popcorn in his hands to emphasize how much he was enjoying the weird tension going on.
Doug led the way toward the two bedrooms and the little, outdated bathroom.
