She looked for Jenn.
Chapter 4
‘You’ve done what?’
Willow tried to keep calm, but it was hard not to giggle when Jake flew into one of his rages. He always went so red cheeked. It was like he was a teenager again and they were back at The Diner, complaining that his burger was too cold.
‘I’ve bought a minivan. Jenn was selling it. Do you remember Jenn?’
Jake ran his hands through his hair and sighed dramatically. ‘Jenn Havers. From school. Of course I do. She always had some crazy idea brewing.’
‘Nothing’s changed there really. She bought the van planning to sell coffee and cake but then lost interest in it. Now she wants to travel Europe. So, she’s selling it dirt cheap.’
‘And you want it why?’ Jake gestured around the apartment. ‘I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, Willow, but there is barely room for us in this place let alone a broken-down van.’
‘It’s not broken down, it’s in good condition actually,’ Willow replied. ‘And I plan to turn it into a matcha van.’
‘Matcha?’ Jake gaped at her like she had lost her mind. ‘Do you even like that stuff?’
‘I do actually, it’s tasty and it fits well with my new healthy mindset.’
‘Your new healthy what?’ He stared at her open-mouthed.
‘I want to be more in the moment, Jake. I want to remove the toxicity from my life and be freer and more mindful. I think I need to. I can’t carry on like this.’
Jake frowned and began to pace the room. ‘Like this? Are you saying you’re not happy?’
‘It’s not as simple as that. I think I need a change, that’s all. My job is so stressful. I feel trapped …’ She paused. ‘I’ve been thinking about home a lot, Jake, about Honey Springs. I want to go back.’
‘Go back? Why would you want to do that?’ he scoffed. ‘We left for a reason.’
‘You left for a reason,’ Willow said pointedly. ‘I just came with you.’
Jake stared at her, shaking his head. ‘I don’t get this. It all seems to be coming from nowhere.’
‘I’ve been unhappy in my job for a while. I need a break.’
‘Ah.’ He started nodding. ‘I get it. So what, you’re taking time off work?’
‘I guess you can call it that. I need to work out what I really want. I used some of Grandma’s money towards it. She always wanted me to use it on something useful.’
‘I think she meant a deposit for an apartment,’ Jake muttered. ‘But still – if this is what you want?’
‘It is. I have enough saved up, so I can live quite frugally for a while. Jenn has even said I can stay at her place while she is traveling.’
‘And you are doing all this without me?’
‘You could come? You’d easily get work up in the mountains,’ Willow offered. ‘It’s our home, Jake. Or at least it was.’
She watched as Jake’s face clouded over. ‘That town isn’t my home anymore, Willow. You know that better than anyone.’
And then he turned and left the room. Slamming the door behind him.
Maybe she was crazy?
After all, this was a bit of a radical decision and Willow knew that she wasn’t usually known for making them. Usually, she took time and care to plot her next moves. How could she make Jake understand that this just felt right? It wasn’t something she could explain properly; it was just a feeling deep in her gut.
Talking to Jenn earlier had helped clear her mind. Willow hadn’t spoken to her in all the time since she left the Springs, but just hearing her old friend’s breathy tone on the phone had made it seem like no time had passed at all.
