Then she noticed a link on the page’s forum. An anonymous user had shared it with the title ‘Dullest Towns in the US’. She frowned as she clicked on the video, quickly realizing it was by a well-known YouTuber who liked to stir up controversy. The guy critiqued the sleepy little shops, saying they were ‘boring’ and ‘outdated’. Willow felt a rush of outrage for her hometown. How dare he say these things? It was clearly rage-bait. She decided it wasn’t even worth watching and quickly clicked away again.
She went back instead to the safety of the homepage and clicked on the ‘noticeboard’ section, wondering if there were any updates that might be interesting. Most of the posts were of yard sales and concerts at the church, but one post caught her eye.
It was an advertisement.
Van for sale.
Fully equipped to sell food/coffee/snacks.
Just needs a fresh coat of paint.
Must sell quickly. Bargain price.
Contact Jenn.
Two things flashed into Willow’s mind immediately. The first was that this was Jenn Havers her old school friend and complete nutcase. How on earth had she gotten herself a van?
And the second was how much Willow suddenly wanted it.
Chapter 2
The restaurant was one of Jake’s favorites, nestled downtown on the main strip. Willow knew he liked to come to practice his French, which he had been avidly learning in his spare time. Honestly, Jake really was one of those multitaskers who could do a million things at once. Willow sometimes marveled at the fact that he had any time for her.
‘You look dreamy,’ he remarked, raising a glass. As he smiled, he revealed his cute dimples that had made Willow feel weak-headed when she was only thirteen.
‘Did you have a good day?’ he asked.
‘It was busy. We are working nonstop on this new campaign …’
‘Oh yeah.’ Jake’s gaze began to drift as he attempted to catch the attention of the waiter. ‘That sounds … interesting.’
Willow knew she would bore him if she went into any more detail, so she held back. This evening was about them. They had barely seen each other for the past two weeks, so she knew above everything else that they needed this.
The waiter saw Jake gesturing wildly and strode over. ‘Are you ready to order?’ he asked brightly, his notepad ready.
Jake nodded enthusiastically.
‘Pour commencer, nous aimerions du fromage de chèvre, et ensuite le bar, s’il vous plaît.’
‘Very good,’ the waiter replied in his perfect American accent. ‘And wine?’
‘Juste le vin blanc de la maison, le moins cher.’
Jake sat back with a smug look on his face and handed the menu over. Willow wondered if she should applaud him.
The waiter nodded, giving Willow a wry smile. She wondered if he felt sorry for her. The thought of that made her cringe. She glanced away.
‘What did you order?’ Willow asked once the waiter had left them.
‘The goat’s cheese and the seabass. I’ve been told it’s the best around.’ He paused. ‘I hope you don’t mind me taking charge like that, I just wanted a chance to practice my French. I know you’re going to love it.’
‘Jake, you know I don’t even like fish.’
‘That’s because you’ve never properly tried it before. You always pick at it. And this seabass has been reviewed online as one of the best.’ Jake’s smile widened. ‘Trust me, Willow. I wouldn’t order you something you wouldn’t like, OK? I’ll be having the same.’
‘No, of course not.’ She busied herself laying her napkin on her lap.
‘I ordered the expensive white wine too. As a treat.’
