‘Actually,’ Willow replied sharply, ‘there’s nothing mumbo jumbo about my drinks!’
Lucas held up his hands lamely. ‘Sorry – it was a joke.’
Willow eyed Rachel carefully, wondering if she might say something to defend her. She was dressed in bright-yellow pants and a flowery top today. If anyone looked like a hippie here, it was her, but Rachel had clearly decided to keep her mouth closed.
Greg handed Willow her drink. ‘Well, I tried one this morning and it was pretty nice. If it helps calm my mind, I’m all for it.’
Willow murmured a thanks to him, for both the Coke and the support; it was actually quite surprising. Lucas wasn’t saying anything at all now. Instead, he was staring off into the distance as if totally lost in thought.
She wondered about what Macguire had said earlier and tried to think of a way to bring Lucas’s mood back up. Drinking in here clearly wasn’t doing the job.
‘I mentioned the wagon was next to The Diner because I was hoping it might drive business for both of us,’ she told him. ‘They can come to me, and I will direct them to you for a tasty steak or whatever.’
Lucas took a slug of his beer. ‘That’s good of you,’ he said coolly. ‘But you will still be taking away my regulars who only come in for a coffee or a shake.’
‘There’s room for both of us,’ she reasoned. ‘People like choice.’
‘You think? There’s barely room for The Diner and the bar at the moment. Your health-conscious new drink is bound to put a dent in my earnings.’ He shrugged. ‘But it’s OK. I really don’t think it will be a problem for that much longer.’
‘Why do you say that?’ Willow said, feeling confused.
Lucas simply took another gulp of his drink, but Rachel leaned across to answer for him. ‘Lucas doesn’t mean to sound harsh. We just wonder how you’ll make it work long term. Is this something you’re trying out while you are having some “time off” or whatever? Will you realize that there’s no money to be made and hurry back to the city to be with your very successful boyfriend and continue your very successful life? Will Honey Springs just be a memory for you?’ Rachel said this in a rush, and as she did, her cheeks bloomed red.
‘Of course,’ she added, ‘I could be wrong. Maybe you will be like my romance heroines and stick it out. I’m just thinking it’s unlikely, isn’t it? Really. I mean, this is real life after all.’
Willow stared back at her open-mouthed, not sure where this outburst had come from. Rachel had always been so quiet when they were younger and now, she was this spirited woman who clearly had some strong views.
‘You’re wrong,’ Willow replied finally. ‘I will make this work. It isn’t just some little fad. This is my new life, my new direction, and I’m excited about it. I have plans.’
She was about to say more about Jake, that they weren’t even together anymore – but then decided against it. Jake had nothing to do with her decisions and it was no one’s business!
‘What plans?’ Rachel asked sweetly. ‘I am interested, really.’
‘I’ll do more marketing. I’ll promote this town and get it back on the map, where it deserves to be.’ She could feel her energy build as her self-belief increased. Yes, she could do this. She really could. Not only could she make the matcha wagon successful, but she could help the town too.
‘Sounds ideal,’ Greg said. ‘We could all benefit from more promotion.’
‘Sounds almost too good to be true,’ Rachel said. ‘How are you going to get people interested in this place? It’s been forgotten, Willow. It’s been left behind – by people like you that ran away as soon as they had the chance.’
Willow was stung but she tried not to react. Instead, she straightened her back and glared at Rachel with an unflinching gaze.
‘I’m working on it already, actually. I have an influencer calling me tomorrow. I’m hoping she’ll come to the town and post about it, and I have—’
‘Hang on. You’re planning to bring an influencer here! To Honey Springs.’ Lucas had clearly woken from his moody slumber and was now staring right at her. His tone was practically a growl.
‘Yes. I am! What’s so bad about that?’
‘What’s so bad about that! What kind of idiot are you, Willow?’ he hissed, standing up. ‘Do you know anything about what has happened here in the last year or so?’
‘The only idiot is you,’ she shot back. ‘You’re so narrow-minded, you can’t bear to let anything change.’
Lucas downed the rest of his drink. ‘I can’t stay here,’ he muttered. He strode towards the door, then turned before leaving.
‘You want to save this town, Willow? I’ll tell you how you can do that. Stop interfering. Go back to the perfect city life you had before and forget about Honey Springs. We don’t need you here.’
And then he was gone.
Chapter 16
