Chapter 7
Willow
‘Lucas?’
Willow squinted in his direction, trying to fight back her confusion.
She was pretty sure it was him, although he looked different from the skinny boy she had known at school.
His dark hair was almost black, slightly wavier than she remembered, but still as thick, and she smiled as he pushed it away from his eyes.
He was obviously still terrible at getting haircuts then.
His dark eyes glinted in the sunlight. His jaw was clenched and covered in stubble.
She remembered how his smile used to light up his whole face, but there was no hint of that smile now.
He looked good. Better than good. He looked freaking gorgeous.
She tried to ignore the tingle that worked through her body.
How could this be the same kid she used to play with? Had he had a body transplant or something?
‘Oh yeah,’ Jenn said, disengaging herself from Greg’s angry protests for a moment. ‘That was what I was trying to say before. Lucas is back now. He only left the town for a few months. He runs The Diner.’
Willow assessed the familiar apron whipped tightly around his body. ‘So I can see.’
She wasn’t sure how to feel about this, but her overriding feeling was awkwardness. She and Lucas hadn’t spoken for years. Things had changed when she had gotten together with Jake, although she never really understood why. It had upset her that their friendship had slipped away so easily.
Lucas was staring back at her now with a cold, unwelcoming gaze. His arms were folded across his body. It was pretty clear he was feeling just as awkward as she was. And maybe something else too? Was it a flash of longing in his stare or was she fooling herself?
Well, this was a great start. Why couldn’t he have stayed in New York?
Willow cleared her throat and walked casually over to him. She attempted a smile, but it felt stiff and unnatural. She quickly released it again.
‘Hey Lucas. Good to see you.’
It didn’t even sound like a convincing lie. Her words were hard, blunt and she was finding it tricky to make eye contact with him. He’d always had such intense brown eyes. It was like staring into a vat of the deepest, darkest chocolate – indulgent and slightly dangerous.
And Willow had sworn off the stuff anyway.
Lucas returned her smile. It was just as forced. His gaze remained cool and guarded.
‘Hi Willow. You were the last person I expected to see back here. I thought you had left for good?’
‘Yeah. I guess it is a little unexpected, but things change,’ she replied as casually as she could. ‘I see you’re working here now.’
She gestured at the building behind them.
It felt so weird to be standing here again at a place that had been so important for them all.
She half expected Jake to come tumbling out the door and then grab her arm and insist that they take one of the far-corner booths for some privacy. She blushed a little at the thought.
Lucas looked back at The Diner too, as if he was seeing it for the first time. His expression seemed to soften a little. ‘Yeah, well, the place means a lot to me.’
‘I was so sorry to hear about your mom,’ Willow said gently. ‘Mel was such a wonderful woman. I know she helped me so many times.’
Lucas nodded slowly. ‘It’s been hard, but you know …’
He shrugged, but his gaze was still fixed on the building. Willow could sense that he seemed to be carrying a heavy burden of sadness and decided it was best not to say anything more.
‘So, is Jake coming here?’ Lucas asked finally, his jaw held in a clench again.
‘No. He’s still in Seattle.’
Lucas nodded, not seeming to look as if he cared either way.
‘The anniversary for Mel is coming up next month,’ Greg said, approaching her. He pushed up his glasses and looked her up and down as if really assessing her. ‘It’s a tricky time for Lucas.’
‘You don’t have to speak for me, Greg,’ Lucas snapped. ‘Besides, don’t you have car issues to sort out?’
‘Calm down, man, I was just explaining your pretty dark mood.’ Greg dangled the car keys in front of him. ‘I have these babies back, and Jenn has assured me she will stay well away from my car for the foreseeable future.’
‘I’m going in two days anyway,’ Jenn said, hands on hips. ‘It will give me great pleasure never to see your moon face again, Greg Stevens.’
‘Moon face!’ Greg rounded on her again. ‘What the hell? If anything, my face is a perfect oval. An art student once used it as a study.’
‘A study for what? How weirdly large it is?’
Lucas sighed. He smiled wanly at Willow. ‘They get like this. It’s worse than school. I think really, they have found deep love for each other.’
‘As if!’ Jenn spluttered, making a face as if she had just been sick.
‘No offense, but I wouldn’t touch her with a twenty-foot pole, let alone a ten-foot one. I don’t know what I might catch.’ Greg sniffed, stuffing his keys back in his pocket. ‘I’m going to open the bar – finally! I take it I won’t be seeing any of you there tonight.’
‘Thanks for the invite, buddy, but I’ll be working,’ Lucas said stiffly.
‘And I will be settling Willow back into town,’ Jenn said more brightly. ‘Although we’re bound to come by tomorrow. Serve us with a smile, hey Greg? Perhaps we can grab some food here first, Luc?’
‘I’ll look forward to it,’ he replied, sounding anything but.
Jenn walked Willow further down the road towards her wooden cabin. It was part of a group of small one-bedroom ones that bordered the fields and the wonderful backdrop of the mountains beyond.
‘I’m renting it from Macguire,’ she told Willow as they approached the front door. ‘But he is happy for me to pass the rental over to you while I travel. It’s dirt cheap, but please don’t be expecting much. I’m lucky if I get hot water most days.’
Macguire ran a small property company in Westpine Ridge but had a lot of places here too. Willow recalled that he was a short, skinny guy with a nervous laugh and a tendency to look at girls’ chests rather than their eyes. He had also dated Lucas’s mom for a while.
The cabin was cute though: small, but sturdy looking – with a red-painted front door and one small window facing the front, which Jenn had decorated with bright, floral curtains.
‘I mean, this is going to seem so shabby compared to your city apartment.’ Jenn chuckled as she struggled to open the door. ‘You have to watch this – the lock gets stuck sometimes and in the winter, the door can get stiff. It’s kind of a pain. Get on Macguire’s case to fix it.’
‘Honestly, I’m just so grateful you have a place for me to stay,’ Willow replied. ‘I really didn’t want to grab a room at the Parkers’s inn.’
‘Now, why would I expose you to that! Those women would be nosing through your luggage within hours of you checking in.’
Light was already flooding the main room as the women walked in, and Willow could see that Jenn had made every effort to make it as homely and cozy as possible.
There was a double bed in the far corner, concealed by a curtain.
In the main space was a sofa and a bashed-up La-Z-Boy chair.
The kitchen was on the far side, small but perfectly stocked with brightly painted wooden units.
‘You might not remember, but old man Malc used to live here. When he passed, the place was a mess, so I got a discount from Macguire for fixing it up while I lived here. I never really planned to stick around, but it got easy to stay. Lucas’s sister Mia stayed with me for a while before she moved to New York.
That was kind of cool. She’s a nice girl. ’
Willow flopped down on the chair, which creaked gently under her. She hadn’t realized how tired she was. ‘So, how come you’re going now?’
Jenn pulled a face. ‘I dunno. I had this bright idea to fix up the van. That was Malc’s too, so I got it for a bargain price.
I had this dream of selling coffee and cakes from it.
But as soon as I finished the van, I realized my heart wasn’t in it.
’ She paused. ‘I guess I just need a break, Willow. I love it here, I really do – but I’ve never been anywhere else. It feels like the right time to go.’
‘I totally get that. Sometimes you have to follow your heart.’
‘Well, that certainly sounds like what you did. I think it’s exciting. Embracing the new and all that!’
‘When do I get to see the van?’ Willow asked hesitantly. It still felt weird. She was buying this thing. It was going to be her new business venture. If someone had told her a few months ago that she would be back in Honey Springs – planning this – she would have laughed in their face.
Jenn slammed her hand against her face. ‘Jeez, I’m such an idiot. The van is behind The Diner at the moment. I could’ve shown you when we were there, but I totally forgot. I was too swept up in trying to calm gorgeous Greg down.’
The icy way she said ‘gorgeous Greg’ clearly meant she thought he was anything but. Willow couldn’t help laughing.
‘We can go back there now?’ Jenn offered.
‘Oh no – I’m way too tired and this chair is way too comfy …’ Willow said, sinking into it even further. ‘We’re going back there tomorrow. You can show me around then.’
‘Cool. Sure.’ Jenn nodded, looking just as tired.
‘Is that where the spot will be though, right by The Diner?’
‘Yeah.’ Jenn looked nonplussed. ‘I’m going to move it out by the parking lot, prime spot.’
‘And Lucas doesn’t mind?’
Jenn shrugged. ‘Why should he? My idea was a bit all over the place and he still agreed, but you’ll be selling matcha, won’t you? He doesn’t have that stuff – I doubt he even knows what it is. So, you’re not going to affect his business, are you?’
‘No, I guess not,’ Willow said, feeling a little reassured.
Even so, there was a nagging doubt deep inside her. This was Lucas after all, the old friend that was no longer so friendly.
Who knew what he was really thinking?
And why did she care so much?
Willow slept better than she had for months, even though it was only on Jenn’s lumpy pull-out. Maybe it was the fresh mountain air or something, but she felt different. Lighter perhaps?
Jenn was already making coffee and juice for them. ‘I’m sorry I don’t have any food,’ she said. ‘I haven’t been to the store since I’m leaving later today.’
‘No, it’s fine. I’ll go later today and stock up.’
Willow was looking forward to going back to the store. Apparently, it was Rachel who ran it now. She had gone to school with them all but was a couple of years older. Willow was interested to see how she had turned out.
The women ate and tidied the cabin a little. Jenn was finishing her packing.
‘I’m not taking much,’ she said, gesturing at her large, bulging wardrobe. ‘We’re about the same size, so anything you need, please just borrow.’
‘I might need to.’
Willow had packed lightly but was already aware that there would still be colder evenings here, even though it was spring. She only had one sweater and that was flimsy at best. Jenn’s wardrobe would save her a huge shopping trip in Westpine Ridge.
It wasn’t long until they were heading back to the main square to check out the van. Jenn wanted to show her before she left. She jingled the keys in excitement.
‘I can’t wait for you to see her. I know you’re going to love her.’
Willow felt the little bubbles of anticipation build up in her body. She knew nothing about vans but did know a little about selling and how to make things look good. She prayed she was the right person for the job.
They turned the corner towards The Diner.
It was still late morning and the doors were closed, but Willow knew that there would be customers inside enjoying a warming breakfast. Willow’s eyes drifted up to the closed curtains of the apartment above.
She guessed Lucas lived there alone now.
She couldn’t help but wonder whether he was working downstairs, or up there …
‘It was a bit frosty between you two yesterday,’ Jenn said, following her eyes and nudging her. ‘Did something happen between you? I couldn’t remember?’
‘Nothing that I can think of.’ Willow shrugged. ‘We used to be friends when we were kids and then suddenly, we weren’t anymore. I barely spoke to him through high school. I guess these things happen. We stopped caring for each other.’
She couldn’t help but shiver softly as she walked away from the building. Was it just her imagination, or did she feel like someone was staring right back at her?
And why did the thought of that warm her?