Page 38

“And?” I lift the bottle to my lips. “Not sure where you’re going with this.”

She rolls her eyes. “Were you ever going to tell your sister that you’re talking to your ex-girlfriend again?”

It probably would’ve been the right thing. Willa and El were close growing up. While I was Ellie’s first best friend, Willa was like the big sister from another family. She had her own big sister in mine. Willa gave her something different from her own siblings.

Consequently, when I ended my relationship with Eliana, their friendship ended. It took my sister months to forgive me.

I sigh, setting my drink down. “It really isn’t that big of a deal, Will.” I say.

“You could’ve said something to me.” She raised a brow at me.

“I had no idea who was coming into my house until I followed my dog upstairs to the guest room and saw her.”

“And how was that?”

I let out a slow breath, dragging a hand over the back of my neck. “It was…Interesting.”

She smiled slightly. “Not surprised.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know,” she said. “That’s why I’m asking you to tell me the truth.”

I glanced down at the table, then back at her.

“She’s…good at her job.”

Willa blinked. “That’s what you’re going with? You’re living with the ex you dumped five years ago, and the first thing you say about her is she’s good at her job?”

I frowned. “What do you want me to say? That I think she looked incredible and I wanted to fuck her right there in the hallway?”

She huffed with amusement. “That’s exactly what I was looking for.”

I lean back against my chair. “She’s different this time. And that’s the problem..”

“Different how?”

“More closed off, I guess,” I said. “Everything’s very professional. Structured.”

Willa tilts her head slightly. “And that bugs you?”

I hesitated for a beat. I then told her about our hotel room argument. How I was basically kicked out of Eliana’s hotel room after she couldn’t tell me what she wanted with me.

“Was it your fault?” She questions. “Y’know, the reason the argument escalated the way it did?”

I let out a short laugh. “You really want me to spell everything out for you, don’t you?”

“Well, yes,” she said immediately. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

I shrug my shoulders. “She wasn’t like that before.”

“And you were?”

That throws me for a loop. “What?”

“Were you the same guy five years ago as you are now?”

“I,” I frowned. “That’s not the point.”