Chapter 6
Chapter Six
“I’d say this looked like a walk of shame, but you texted that you were on your way home, and you picked up breakfast, so…”
Grinning, Sloane placed the box of pastries and coffee tray on the kitchen island before facing her sister. “Luckily, Jade and Billie weren’t in yet, so I didn’t have to answer any family questions at the coffee shop. Not that I would have lied,” she rambled on. “Everyone knows I was here hoping to find Will, and now I did! Yay!”
Hailey’s eyes narrowed as she got up from her spot at the kitchen table and padded toward her. “Are you okay? Your voice sounds weird.”
“What? No, I’m fine. Really. I’m good. Fine. Totally, totally good.” Turning, she walked over to the coffeemaker. “Want some coffee?” she squeaked.
“You just brought some from Books I don’t trust this girl yet. She played with your head for three years and so did her family.” Stepping back, he shook his head. “And I’m having a hard time with that one because Levi’s our friend and he even joked around with us about the whole thing. It really pisses me off.”
If Will let himself think about it too much, it pissed him off too.
“I’m trying not to focus on that,” he admitted. “And I just thought the festival would be fun because this time, she wouldn’t be running away. I already told Jade I wouldn’t work the kissing booth anymore.”
Devin’s eyes went wide. “Seriously? Wow.”
He shrugged. “Well, it was fun for a while, but for the last two years I was only doing it because I was hoping Sloane would come back.”
“So you’re really committed to doing this, huh? Taking her to this thing?”
“You and MacKenzie socialized with everyone,” Will said, a little too defensively. “And you didn’t know her all that well in the beginning.”
“It was totally different,” Devin argued lightly. “MacKenzie and I were working together every day, and she was living in my house. We had plenty of time alone. If I were in your shoes? I’d want to spend all of our weekend time alone. Take her out on a proper date—one that doesn’t involve hanging out at a town festival—and maybe make that weekend a little less about the physical and get to know her more.”
In theory, it sounded good, but there was no guarantee that Will was going to have any kind of self-control by the time she came back. As of now, it had only been a couple of hours and he was already missing Sloane and thinking about seeing her again.
Kissing her.
Touching her.
“Oh, man…I know that look,” Devin murmured. “You’re a goner.”
Yeah, tell me something I didn’t already know , Will said to himself.
Fortunately, MacKenzie called out that there was a call for Devin, so that officially ended their conversation.
Working on cars all day, however, gave him lots of time to think, but at the end of the day, he didn’t have any answers. Only more questions.
When he got home, it was a little after six and he went through his nightly ritual of showering before making himself something to eat. Tonight, he was a little more exhausted than usual—thanks to Sloane—and he was satisfied with whipping up a batch of mac and cheese. After he finished eating, he was sitting with his feet up on the couch when his phone dinged with an incoming text.
Sloane: Hey! How was your day?
His face hurt from smiling so hard. It was so freaking amazing that she was texting him and he wished she were just sitting here with him right now.
“I guess texting is like the next best thing,” he murmured before responding.
Will: Hey! It was a long and dirty day. A typical Monday.
Will: How was your day?
Sloane: It was a good day. I took a yoga class at Hailey’s studio and then spent the afternoon babysitting my niece.
Sloane: I had no idea babies could poop that much.
Sloane: I must have changed her diaper like four times.
Sloane: Zero stars. Do not recommend.
Sloane: LOL!
Will chuckled as he got a little more comfortable.
Will: How come you were babysitting?
Sloane: Max had to meet with some inspectors at the bar and one of Hailey’s instructors called in sick so she had to cover a class.
Sloane: So it was me and Layla for around four hours total.
Sloane: Hailey ran errands after class and I told her I didn’t mind.
Sloane: That was before I realized what a big pooper Layla was!
Sloane: Lesson learned.
Will: Well, other than all the pooping, did you have fun bonding with her?
Sloane: Totally! I hate that I’m not going to get to see her all the time.
Sloane: Living far away from Hailey really sucks.
It was on the tip of his tongue to remind her she could always move here, but it was too soon.
That didn’t stop him from wanting it, though.
Will: You’ll be back in a few weeks and you’ll get to spend time with her.
Sloane: I know, but babies change a lot in a few weeks. I think it’s just going to get harder and harder every time I leave.
Again, he held his tongue.
Sloane: Anyway, they’re already all in bed and I was just sitting up here in the guest room all alone and missing you.
She was killing him.
Will: I miss you too. I thought about you all day.
Sloane: I was going to sneak out and come to see you, but Hailey must have read my mind and kept mentioning how happy she was that I was here and that we’d get to hang out during Layla’s midnight bottle.
Sloane: Cue the guilt trip, right?
Will: She probably hates living far away from you too.
Will: And your flight is early tomorrow, so get in as much time together as you can.
Will: I feel guilty about taking up so much of your time.
Even though he wished he could have taken up even more.
Sloane: Don’t. It was my choice and you were the real reason I came to town.
Sloane: Spending time with Hailey and Layla was just a bonus.
Will: I really wish you could sneak out. Especially after that admission.
Sloane: Lol! Sorry.
Sloane: But I need to go. Hailey just walked in, so I think we’re going to hang out even while Layla’s asleep.
Disappointment hit him hard.
Will: Go. Text me when you land tomorrow so I know you made it home okay.
Sloane: I will. Goodnight.
Will: Goodnight.
Putting the phone down, he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have found her, and how much he already missed her.
It was going to be a long two weeks.