Chapter Nine
We’ll be there soon,” Willow told her aunt, casting a distracted smile over her shoulder before turning on Noah. “I can’t believe you’re suggesting that I try and seduce you,” she whispered, ignoring the butterflies dancing in her stomach.
“I was teasing you, Willow. I thought it was time for a little payback. Or are you going to deny you’ve spent the better part of today teasing me?”
“I didn’t tease you like that! And in case you’ve forgotten, we have an impressionable teenager in the car.”
“Two.”
“Two what?”
“Two impressionable teenagers.”
She groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“Ah, Noah, I kind of have to go to the bathroom,” Riley said.
Willow swatted Noah’s arm, sending a pointed look from the back seat to him.
“She didn’t hear me,” he said under his breath before meeting Riley’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “We’ll be at Willow’s place in about five minutes.”
Willow’s gaze shot to the familiar scenery rushing past the passenger-side window. She hadn’t been paying attention. She looked back at her aunt. “Cami, you should catch a few more z’s. The doctor said you need lots of sleep, remember? And it’ll take me a while to pack up some things for you.”
Her aunt had refused to wear her own clothes and was wearing a pair of pull-on palazzo pants Willow had brought with her and the top Willow had worn the day before, albeit with a pair of Jimmy Choos that probably cost more than Willow made in a month. Apparently seventeen-year-old Cami didn’t have a problem wearing designer heels.
“And a bag for yourself,” Noah reminded Willow.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
And she knew this because, even before he’d teased her about seducing him, she’d fantasized about kissing him. She blamed being trapped in a car with him for five hours, ten if she included today, for those hot, seductive images that were burned into her brain. Then again, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. He even smelled great, and his deep, velvet-smooth voice… Yeah, totally fantasy inducing.
After Noah had held her in his arms at his apartment the night before, her fantasies had progressed from kissing to making out, and she was afraid the temptation of being under the same roof with him for a week would be too much to withstand. She wasn’t exactly known for her self-discipline. It didn’t help that she hadn’t had sex in almost a year. In an effort to become a contributing, responsible adult who would make her family proud, she’d sworn off men.
Earlier today, when Noah had told her the only way Cami was staying with him and Riley was if she did too, she hadn’t protested. There’d been benefits, not the friends-with-benefits kind—at least, that wasn’t what she’d been thinking at the time. She’d been thinking of all the opportunities she’d have to change his mind about closing the station.
She hadn’t been surprised he’d insisted. He was doing her a huge favor, and it wasn’t fair to expect him to look after her aunt. But he’d been hinting that Willow should stay at the beach house when it was just him and Riley. It had been obvious the siblings hadn’t spent much time together, and Noah was at a loss as to what he was supposed to do with his baby sister.
“Fine, they can both stay with you,” Noah said.
She gritted her teeth and turned to Riley. “Why don’t you listen to your audiobook, honey? It’ll distract you.” She glanced at her aunt, who was watching Willow with an eyebrow raised, looking every one of her experienced forty-seven years or at least thirty-two years. She was remarkably well preserved.
“I’m not tired,” Cami said with a cheeky grin on her gorgeous face. “And your conversation is too interesting to miss.”
Willow didn’t know her aunt but sensed, whether she was seventeen or forty-seven, that no one won an argument with her, and since they were only five minutes from her place, Willow didn’t have time to test her theory.
She faced forward and lowered her voice. “Riley doesn’t want to stay with me, Noah. She wants to stay with you, her brother. She needs this time with you. And you know why my aunt can’t stay with me.”
“I don’t,” Cami said into Willow’s ear.
Willow swore, swiveling her head to her aunt, who was right in her face. “What are you doing? Put your seat belt back on and sit back.”
“Not until you tell me why I can’t stay with you,” her aunt said, looking every inch the mutinous teenager.
“I told you. We don’t want anyone to tell the family that you’re in town before they get back from their vacation. It’ll ruin the surprise,” Willow said with what she felt was incredible patience. She couldn’t tell her aunt the truth. Seventeen-year-old Cami adored her family, and the last thing Willow wanted was to hurt her.
“I can’t believe they went on vacation and left me home on my own,” Cami grumbled, struggling with her seat belt. Riley leaned over to help her.
Willow covered her face with her palm. There was no way she’d survive a week of this. Through her fingers, her street came into view. It couldn’t be. She spread her fingers to get a better look. It was!
She swallowed a panicked yelp at the sight of the people carrying boxes out of her house before demanding, “Noah, do not stop at my place. Drive past it and drive fast.”
“Faster than twenty-five miles an hour?”
Okay, that was kind of funny. But right now, she could do without a teasing Noah. He obviously hadn’t noticed that her mother, her grandmother, and Bruno were moving her out of her house.
“Fifty. A hundred. I don’t care, just make sure we’re a blur,” she said, twisting in her seat as she undid her seat belt. She dove into the back seat to hide her aunt from her family’s view.
“Willow, what the hell are you…?” Noah growled, and then he must’ve seen what she had and hit the gas.
She wanted to kiss him—again—but she was too busy fending off her aunt’s slaps.
“Are you nuts?” Cami cried. “You could’ve given Riley a concussion and me another one.”
“Stop slapping me or you’re going to give me a concussion. I was just trying to help you do up your seat belt and then Noah hit a bump.”
A big hand landed on her butt, and she shivered when strong, warm fingers grazed the bare skin of her back.
Noah hauled her over the seat and into the front. “Next time, give me some warning,” he muttered.
She opened her mouth to tell him she could use a warning next time he planned on touching her but was afraid her face was flushed and she’d sound as turned on as she felt.
She cleared her throat. “Stop at the next corner and I’ll get out. I don’t know how long this will take but I’ll meet you at the beach house.”
“You can’t ride your scooter to the beach house carrying bags for you and Cami. I’ll drop them off and come back and give you a hand,” Noah said as he pulled alongside the curb at the corner of the next street over from hers.
“Okay, but don’t rush. It might take a while to get rid of my… movers.” She looked back at her aunt. “Do what Noah tells you, and no leaving the beach house.” She smiled at Riley. “I’ll see you soon, honey.”
As Willow opened the door to get out of the car, Cami said, “I’ll need a bathing suit and some shorts and T-shirts, and don’t forget, my boobs are bigger than yours so nothing too low cut or Ma will have a conniption.”
“’Cause your boobs are fake and mine aren’t,” Willow said under her breath as she got out of the car.
“I heard you,” Cami said. “And they’re not fake. They’re just… swollen.”
Noah rubbed his hand over his mouth, his broad shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“It’s not funny,” Willow grumbled. Then she looked at her aunt. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Underwear, but not the kind you wear. I don’t want to walk around with a string up my butt, thank you very much.”
“Good, because I wasn’t going to share my underwear with you. You can wear your granny panties.” Willow slammed the door on her aunt defending her underwear and Noah laughing out loud. She didn’t slam the door because he was laughing but because of how her body responded to him laughing.
The worrisome warm fuzzies disappeared as soon as she rounded the corner onto her street. “Mom, Nonna, Bruno, put those boxes back in my house!” she shouted, waving her arms to get their attention.
“Where have you been?” Her mother dropped the box she’d been carrying onto the front lawn and put her hands on her hips. “I’ve been calling you all morning.”
Willow had sent her mom a text before turning off her phone when they’d arrived at the hospital that morning. She’d turned it back on when she called the station.
“I told you I was busy and wouldn’t be answering my phone.” Her gaze moved over the three of them. “What’s going on?”
“Unless you’ve found a place to live, we’re moving you into your zia’s apartment,” her mom said, looking decidedly unhappy with Willow.
“I have two weeks before I have to move out,” she said, taking a box from her grandmother.
“You had two weeks. Mr. Lowell’s son got back to town late yesterday afternoon, and Mr. Lowell wanted to measure for his furniture.” Her grandmother gave her a sour look while stabbing a finger at the open door. “And he walked into that mess.”
Her face hot with embarrassment, Willow carried the box into the house. “He had no right to do that.”
“Bella, you didn’t sign a lease. He can do what he wants,” Bruno said, following her inside with two boxes, his voice gentle.
Willow turned away from his kind, familiar face. She didn’t want him to see her cry. Her grandmother was right. The house was a mess. She was a mess. And they’d never forgive her when they found out what she’d done.
She pulled herself together and forced a smile. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ve got this.” There was no help for it now. She had to stay at the beach house. “I have a place until the end of August. I’ll just…” She looked around her living room. “I’ll put everything in storage.” She set the box on the floor and walked to her mom and gave her a hug. “Sorry I worried you. You too, Nonna and Bruno.” She hugged them both. “Now go. I know you’re busy.”
“You can’t do this on your own,” Bruno said. “You have to be out by tonight.”
“I won’t be doing it on my own but I’m also not letting Mr. Lowell change the agreement just because it suits him.”
“Good for you. I always thought he was a culo,” her grandmother said.
“Ma, don’t encourage her.” Her mother raised an eyebrow at Willow. “I don’t like to say I told you so, but I did.”
“I know. But honestly, Mom. I’ve got this.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want Mr. Lowell to make trouble for you. It might be better if one of us plays intermediary.”
“I have a lawyer friend who can be pretty persuasive. I’ll have him call Mr. Lowell. I just need a few extra days.”
“Does this lawyer friend have a name?” her mom asked.
“Noah,” Willow mumbled. Then, plastering a wide smile on her face, she shooed them out the door. “Now off you go. I’ll see you at six.”
Her mother shook her head. “No. You have enough on your plate. You’re off the schedule until you settle into your new place.”
Willow opened her mouth to argue. She couldn’t afford to lose the money. Her mom patted her cheek. “Don’t argue with your mother. And don’t think you can keep this lawyer friend of yours a secret.”
No secret was safe around her mom, grandmother, and aunt, unless it was one of their own. “I’m not. He’s just a friend,” she said as she ushered them onto the walkway. “I love you guys, and I really do appreciate your rushing over here to help me out.”
“We love you too, even though you can be a pain in our culi, bella,” her grandmother said.
“Don’t listen to her. You’ve never been a pain in our culi. You’re our darling girl,” Bruno said.
Willow flung her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you best.”
Her grandmother rolled her eyes. “This one,” she said, jerking a thumb at Willow. “She’s been wrapping men around her baby finger since she could talk. And you,” her grandmother lifted her chin at Bruno. “Are you forgetting the time she snuck half the teenagers of Sunshine Bay into the restaurant after we were closed and had a party, or the time she packed up all the boxed and canned goods we had in the kitchen and gave it to the food pantry without telling us, or the time she took in two stray dogs and hid…”
Willow took a page out of Cami’s book and covered her ears, humming loudly as she closed the front door. Then she leaned her back against it, dropped her hands to her sides, and looked around the house. Overwhelmed, she slid down the door and sat on the floor while the tears she could no longer hold back rolled down her cheeks.
She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there when the door began opening, sliding her butt across the floor. “Willow?”
“Hey, I told you not to rush.” She kept her back to Noah as she got up off the floor, scrubbing her hands over her face to get rid of the evidence that she’d been crying. She turned with what she hoped looked like a bright and happy smile on her face.
His eyes narrowed on her while he carried two boxes inside. “I didn’t rush. I dropped you off over an hour ago.”
She briefly closed her eyes at the knowledge that she’d been sitting there feeling sorry for herself for that long. “Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.” She glanced around, pointing to a clear space near the couch. “You can just drop them there, thanks. I’ll organize them later.”
“Are you going to tell me why your family was moving you out and why you’ve been crying?”
“I haven’t been crying. It’s just dusty in here.”
He put down the boxes and then came back to her, took her by the hand, moved the boxes over with his foot, and led her to the couch. “Sit.”
She didn’t have the bandwidth to argue and did as he said. He sat beside her, resting his arm along the back of the couch. “Now tell me what’s going on.”