Chapter 27
Willow
‘I’ve been checking the weather apps all morning.
I can’t see anything much. Just rain and high winds.
’ Greg was sitting at one of Willow’s tables, drinking one of her hot matcha lattes and scanning his phone.
‘I’m hoping it’s not going to be too bad.
I’m doing a demo of my game tonight at the bar.
Rachel is coming and Mia said she’d come too with that Adam guy.
Apparently, they got talking at the bar last night. ’
‘I’m probably worrying about nothing,’ Willow agreed.
It didn’t help that Jake had sent her several warning messages this morning.
He knew that she had a fear of storms. It had been something that she had had since she was a little girl and a bad one hit the town.
It was the same evening that her mom left for the last time and Willow was getting used to her new room at Grandma’s.
Lucas was there playing with her, trying to take her mind off all the bad things in her life.
The storm itself wasn’t a particularly strong one, but there was something terrifying about being in an unfamiliar space with the wind howling and lashing outside.
It was silly perhaps, but Willow thought she was being punished by something or someone.
That something bad was coming to get her.
And that feeling had never quite left her.
She remembered how the lights went out that evening. She screamed and cried, cowering under the bed because she was so frightened of the shadows. Grandma couldn’t reassure her. She couldn’t beckon her out. But Lucas was there and when Grandma couldn’t reach her, he tried.
He held out his little hand. How old were they? Barely seven?
‘Come on, Will,’ he said gently. ‘I’ll keep you safe.’
And she took it. Because she knew he would.
She always believed him.
‘I guess it’s good that Jake is still looking out for you,’ Greg said, nodding in her direction. ‘At least it shows he has your best interests at heart.’
‘I guess—’
‘You don’t exactly sound sure.’
Willow wasn’t sure and she didn’t really know how best to answer this.
She was glad Jake had called to warn her, of course, but it had also been irritating.
The timing had been so bad and was just complicating things again.
She was enjoying having Lucas with her and it looked like he was finally going to open up to her.
That had all been destroyed the minute Jake called.
Willow had been so distracted, thinking about Jake up mountains and the incoming nightmare weather, that she had barely noticed Lucas afterwards. She knew she had messed up. Lucas was bound to be feeling rejected.
If only he knew that something stirred inside her every time he moved closer to her or touched her.
It was driving her crazy.
‘Did Jake say anything else?’ Greg asked.
‘Not really,’ she admitted. ‘He was too busy talking about his day and then this storm. He suggested I should come back today. Spend the rest of the week in Seattle.’
Greg raised an eyebrow. ‘Go back? I thought you two were over?’
‘It would be platonic,’ Willow replied quickly, even though doubt niggled at her. There was something in Jake’s tone – the way he said ‘come home’ that made her think that he was starting to regret their breakup.
And that wasn’t something she was ready to deal with right now.
‘Well, I guess that’s thoughtful of him,’ Greg said dryly. ‘I’m sure he’d like some company …’
Willow shot him a warning look. She didn’t want to carry on this conversation. It didn’t matter anyway, even though there was something appealing about running away from her worst fear – she was not going back to Seattle.
And she was not going back to Jake.
‘Seems to me that being apart is a good thing for you both,’ Greg said, getting up. ‘And don’t worry about the storm. It’ll be nothing, I’m sure.’
Mia and Adam came over to the van at lunchtime when Willow was having a busy period.
She was pleased to see Mia though; there was something about her bright smile that immediately put Willow at ease.
Mia looked so cute in her neat skirt and plain white shirt; she was clearly making an effort to fit into her new role at the bookstore.
‘How was your first day?’ Willow asked, preparing them both a strawberry matcha.
‘I think OK so far,’ Mia said, looking to Adam for reassurance.
Adam took both the drinks and nodded. ‘I stopped by today to order a book. I have to say, I’m impressed. Mia is a natural. Great on the phone and the customers love her. I’m thinking Ernie is lucky to have her.’
‘Really?’ Mia replied, glowing. ‘You really think that?’
Adam grinned. ‘I do.’
Willow couldn’t help but notice how Adam was looking at Mia. It was like he was totally in awe of her.
‘We can’t stay long,’ Mia explained. ‘Ernie has a class he needs to get to, so I have to take over. Adam has his own issues at his place. Alice Parker is demanding her cat is seen before he closes.’
‘I want to shut early, just in case this storm picks up.’ Adam stared up towards the sky as if he could already sense it. ‘It’s best to be sensible about these things.’
‘We’re going to the Watering Hole after,’ Mia said, smiling. ‘What better excuse, hey? Anyway, I want to celebrate my first day.’
‘Do you think it might be bad?’ Willow asked, her hackles rising again. She gazed over at The Diner and wondered how Lucas was. Was he still unbothered by the threat, or was he taking things a little more seriously now?
She kind of wished he was here right now.
‘I know to be on guard,’ Adam said seriously. ‘I lived in Florida for a time. I experienced the hurricane season and it’s no fun. If I see a storm warning, I take it seriously. If I were you, I would close early too.’
Willow nodded. ‘Yeah, I think I might.’ But she couldn’t help feeling under prepared. She lived in a tiny, exposed cabin. This wagon wasn’t particularly sturdy. The last thing she needed was for a storm to tear away everything she had begun to build up.
‘I’m sure Adam is just thinking the worst,’ Mia said quietly. Adam had gone over to one of the tables, but she lingered behind. ‘He’s a bit of a serious type.’
‘He’s probably right though,’ Willow said. The sky seemed to be changing by the minute and already had a more threatening look to it.
‘Just close early and enjoy some hours to yourself,’ Mia said casually. ‘It’ll probably be a bit blowy and nothing else.’
‘Well, at least it sounds like you’ve had a good morning,’ Willow replied, wanting to change the subject.
Mia grinned. ‘I really enjoyed it. I just hope Ernie doesn’t put too much faith in me. I have a habit of screwing things up. He seems to think I can turn the bookstore’s fortunes around.’
‘You won’t screw this up,’ Willow assured her. ‘Also, I think Adam really likes you.’
Mia cast her gaze towards him. He waved back nervously in their direction. ‘Do you think? He’s just a nice guy. He’s very shy. I think he likes everyone.’
‘Sure.’ Willow kept her tone light. ‘But he doesn’t look at everyone the way he looks at you.’
Mia flapped her hand in Willow’s direction. ‘Don’t be silly. Adam is friendly, that’s all. Besides, he’s not my type.’
‘And what is your type?’
Mia leaned forward and hissed the words, ‘bad boys’ before flouncing back to Adam’s table, leaving Willow giggling to herself.
Mia might normally go for bad boys, but Willow noticed how close she sat to Adam and how she laughed at every joke he made.
For a nice guy, Adam certainly seemed to be making her happy.
The afternoon grew cooler and restless; there was a heaviness in the air that Willow was struggling to ignore.
It made her headache throb a little and nausea swam in her throat.
Customers ebbed away, probably due to the heavy dark clouds that drifted over the mountains like a cloak.
Willow could sense the rain. It was coming. And coming soon.
And she could sense something else too. A hint of danger. It clung to her bones like a limpet. She couldn’t shake it off.
She checked the news apps on her phone. There were more weather warnings posted now. Jake had sent a message telling her he was covering extra shifts and that she needed to be prepared.
At the same time, a sudden gust of wind rocked the van, almost as if it was taunting her.
She shouldn’t be here.
‘Willow.’
She looked up. Lucas was there with Tommy beside him. Lucas was already wearing a dark raincoat. His expression was grim. He looked up at the sky and his eyes narrowed.
‘Let’s move your wagon behind The Diner,’ he said softly. ‘I don’t like the look of those clouds and the wind is picking up. We need to protect it.’
Willow didn’t protest. She had already packed up her tables and chairs, and she let the boys maneuver the van back into the shadow of The Diner. As she waited, the first drops of rain began to fall, initially light and cool against her thin clothes, but then more relentless.
Lucas jumped out of the van. ‘Go into The Diner,’ he told her. ‘Get some shelter.’
She ran to the door. The wind was already picking up strength and whipping around her in angry bursts. How had it gotten so dark so quickly?
By the time she reached The Diner, Willow was already soaked through.
Lucas was right behind her. He slammed the door against the ever-building wind.
‘I’ve sent Tommy to check on Janice,’ he said. ‘They live in a cabin like yours. I’ve told them to come here.’
Willow thought of Jenn’s little home and shivered. Would it survive? Before she could worry anymore, Lucas wrapped a huge towel around her.
‘Let’s get you up in the warmth,’ he said. ‘We can go in the apartment. I have a dry shirt you can change into. I’m sure Mia has some pants.’
Willow was still trembling under the towel. ‘Thank you,’ she breathed. ‘I can’t believe how quickly it’s come on.’
Lucas was staring out the window. ‘I think I might have been wrong before. This looks fast and brutal.’
‘Will Honey Springs be OK?’ Willow asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. The wind was already beginning to batter the side of The Diner as if it was demanding to be let in. It was scary how quickly it had developed pace.
‘I hope so,’ he replied. Then he turned back towards her and suddenly she saw the seven-year-old boy again. The one who had taken her hand and led her out of the darkness before. He was gesturing for her to take his hand again.
‘I’ll look after you,’ he said.
And she believed him again.