Chapter 13
Brett
I leave the shower with my clothes on and head downstairs. I hear Maylee mumbling and I can’t wait to get my hands on her and kiss her after not seeing her the whole day.
I reach the family room and see Willow sitting on the couch with her head leaning back and her eyes closed.
“Hi,” I say, and she startles and opens her eyes. She obviously does not owe me an explanation of where she was today. I also can’t ask her why she didn’t tell me she was going out, but it just seemed like since I got here she was kind of making me aware of her daily plans so we could figure out who would be taking care of Maylee.
She lifts her head off the couch. “Hi.”
“I missed you guys.” I walk over to the floor and lie on my side so I can be close to Maylee.
Willow doesn’t say anything. I don’t exactly expect her to say she missed me too, even after our hot little sexual encounter in the truck.
“What did you guys do today?” I ask in a friendly way.
“We went to visit an old friend of mine from high school,” she says. I realize her answers are very on point and she seems tense.
“Is everything okay?” I ask. I’ve never been in a relationship before or had to answer to anyone, so I am walking on uncharted territory.
She shrugs.
“Did I do something wrong?” I ask. “I thought it made sense that I help your brothers out since I’m staying here.”
“It’s fine that you helped my brothers,” she replies and then she stands. “Do you mind giving Maylee a bath and putting her to bed?” Her tone is terse and her body is rigid.
“Sure. Are you going somewhere?” I ask.
She nods. “I’m going out with Bonnie.”
My eyes pop. “The woman you don’t like?”
“Yes,” she hisses. Damn. I really fucked up somehow and I don’t know what I did.
“I’m happy to take care of Maylee,” I say.
Willow walks away, leaving me confused. I replay the last twenty-four hours in my mind. I don’t know where this attitude is suddenly coming from. I take Maylee in my arms.
“Do you want to go play in the water, baby girl?” I kiss the top of her head.
We head upstairs. I place her in her crib with the mobile on while I prepare her bath. With everything prepared I head back to Maylee’s nursery and bump into Willow. She’s wearing a skintight pair of leather-looking leggings with those sexy cowboy boots, and a loose off-white sweater that dips low in the front. She’s put makeup on and looks stunning but when she looks me in the eyes, I feel the need to take a step back.
“You look gorgeous,” I say to her.
Willow’s blue-green eyes are narrowed, watching me with a wrath I don’t understand.
“Don’t wait up,” she says, walking past me into the nursery. She picks up Maylee and kisses her cheek. “You be good for Daddy.”
My stomach sinks. I am at a loss. Do I go after her? Do I ask her to tell me what has made her so angry? She’s clearly going out to that pickup joint with Bonnie, and the thought of another man having his hands on her is driving me crazy. I can’t exactly tell her she can’t go. We aren’t in a committed relationship.
I take Maylee from her.
“Have a good night?” I say and it comes out like a question.
Willow’s brows furrow and she blows out a breath and walks away.
“Bye,” I call after her.
She doesn’t answer and I watch as she descends the staircase.
“Well, it’s just me and you, baby girl,” I say to Maylee. “Do you want to tell your daddy what happened today?”
I take off her sleeper and place her on the chair in the small bathtub. She kicks her feet in the water, making little splashes and smiling. I use a washcloth to wash her. She loves her bath time and being with her relaxes me, but I still feel unsettled about Willow. I thought I made headway last night. I’ve been thinking about being with her for a damn long time and being with her that night we went out to the bar meant something to me. It showed me I still want her like I remembered I did. It also showed me my feelings for her are real because it was all about me wanting to please her. I’ve never been in this kind of situation where I don’t even care about my own needs. I just want to make Willow feel good and I thought I achieved that goal, but there must have been some sort of miscommunication.
We finish up bath time and I take Maylee to the nursery and lay her flat on her changing table so I can get a diaper on her and put a new sleeper on. Once she is dressed, we head downstairs. I see Willow left us a bottle ready with a note.
Just warm it a little.
There are only four words on the note but they tell me she is pulling away from me, and for the life of me I can’t understand why.
I warm up Maylee’s bottle and give it to her, sitting on the couch. I realize Jacob, Lev, Finn, and Willow’s mom are barely ever home, which means Willow and Maylee have been alone most of the time, and I know Willow wasn’t getting out much before I came along. I want to think that she is using this time while I am still here to go out and relax. I don’t believe my own arguments because she was angry this evening, or maybe hurt.
Maylee falls asleep as she drinks the end of her bottle. I take her up to the crib and get her settled. I take the baby monitor with me and grab my cell phone from my bag in the nursery, since I have tried to stay off social media since the blow up at the arena.
I head downstairs and call Connor, my teammate. He was a single dad for a long time before he married Ellie. I’m hoping he can give me some insight into what the hell I am supposed to do with the fact that Willow seems mad at me.
I am about to call Connor when Finn walks through the door. He’s wearing a hoodie with the hood on his head and a winter jacket. I have all the lights off so he doesn’t immediately see me as he takes off his jacket and walks into the kitchen, opening the fridge.
“Hi,” I say into the darkness.
He flinches backward. “Shit. I forgot you’re still here.” He palms his chest.
“I’m still here,” I confirm. “I don’t see you around much.”
He pours himself a tall glass of orange juice and chugs it.
“I’ve got a lot of hockey games. When I’m not playing or in school I stay at Chelsea’s,” he says.
“You two been together a long time?” I ask.
“Since freshman year but we’ve known each other since we were kids,” he says.
“And you like spending time with her at her house?” I ask. I know I’m being a nosy asshole but I want to understand the family dynamics around here.
“I’ve known her family a long time too. What’s it to you?” he asks on defense.
“Sorry, I just wanted to understand your family dynamics. I’m Maylee’s dad, but I also want a future with your sister,” I say.
He snorts, “Good luck with that.” His demeanor softens somewhat. “Look, bro, my family isn’t into relationships.”
“But you are,” I clarify.
He nods. “I love Chelsea. I also like being around her family. They are just normal in a way mine isn’t. Her parents are supportive and stuff.”
“I get it. That’s nice to have. What’s the deal with you and hockey?”
“I’m hoping to get a scholarship for Riverside U’s NCAA team,” he says.
“No shit. That’s where I went. They are the best.”
“Yeah, I’ve met with the coaches, but we’ll see. Westfall came to see me too,” he adds with stars in his eyes. I remember back to the time when I was banking on a scholarship to college.
“If there is anything I can do to help out, let me know,” I offer.
He daps me up. “Thanks, bro.”
“You have a good night,” I tell him.
“You too,” he says and pauses. “Willow’s changed since Maylee was born. Maybe you’ll find a way to get through to her.”
“Thanks. I’m banking on it,” I say.
The kid heads upstairs and I stare into the blank space in front of me.
Then I call Connor. The team is off tonight because they are on the road traveling, which means he may not have a private space to talk. I don’t care though because I am desperate.
He doesn’t pick up on my first try so I head to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of juice and lean back on the counter. I really have my work cut out for me with Willow. I was always the one who said I would never settle down, but now I know it’s because I never met the right woman. Now I am at the point in my life where I am ready, and it’s all because of Willow. But how do I tear down the walls she’s built around herself?
The second time I call Connor, he picks up after two rings.
“Sorry, bro. We’re on the bus,” he says.
“Figured.”
“How are things going in the sticks?” he asks.
“I thought they were going well until they weren’t,” I answer dryly.
“What does that mean? You not enjoying fatherhood?”
“On the contrary, I love being a dad. I’m head over heels for my little girl.”
He sighs. “Yeah, I get it, bro. So why do you sound. . . I don’t know, like something is wrong?”
“I like Willow too. After we hooked up, I couldn’t get her out of my head. I want to make her mine and she is just not having it,” I explain.
“Bro, you can’t force someone to like you,” he says like I am a dumbass.
“Fuck, Connor. I know how the basics work. I know Willow is attracted to me. That woman wants me. She admitted it to me the other night when we hooked up, but then she shut down on me today. I don’t know what I did wrong. I’ve been trying to be supportive of her and give her time for herself after she went through the whole pregnancy, birth, and raising Maylee on her own.”
“Aw, that’s a cute name,” he gets sidetracked.
“Thanks, bro. She really is cute as a button,” I agree. “But tell me what I can do? Willow has pulled away.”
“Give me the phone,” I hear Liam say.
Connor argues with him.
“Hey, bro,” Liam greets.
I huff out a breath. We’ve all been friends a damn long time and we definitely get into each other’s business.
“Have you seen social media?” he asks.
“Nah, I don’t want to see the shit that’s being said about me,” I reply.
“There’s a lot. There have been whole articles about what went down at the arena with Willow. There are also articles with the long list of your conquests. Some of them assessing whether there are other little Bretts around.”
I hiss, “Fuck me.”
I rake my hands over my face.
“You telling me you think Willow has been reading that shit?”
“It’s possible,” Liam says. “Skylar did not let me in at first either. She didn’t want me walking in and shaking up the world she built for her and Crew.”
“But I’m here to stay. I’m not going anywhere. I told her I’d retire at the end of the season if I have to. I don’t know what else to do.”
“It hasn’t been that long. Those are just words. She needs to see you mean what you say. She may also think you’re a big manwhore after all those articles.”
“I mean he is,” Connor confirms.
“Thanks,” I say dryly. “Not helping, guys.”
“Sorry,” I hear Connor say.
“And for the record, I’m not that guy anymore.”
“Fair, but you better confront her and let her know. Hopefully she won’t use your past against you,” Liam advises.
“Thanks guys,” I say to them.
“No problem,” they answer in unison. I picture them sitting beside each other on the bus with their heads leaned into the phone.
We say bye and I turn on the television but nothing catches my interest, so I open my socials to see what all the hoopla is about. My eyes bulge as I read article after article. Fuck me. No wonder Willow pulled away. This shit is over the top. I realize it’s also true to a certain extent, and I have some damage control to tend to.
My eye lull shut. The door opening wakes me up. Willow walks in. Quietly turning the knob on the door as to not make noise.
“How was your night?” I ask.
She jumps and spins around to look at me.
“Great, thanks.” She walks to the kitchen and grabs a glass and fills it with water.
“Can we talk?” I ask her back.
“It’s late,” she replies and she refills the glass.
“Did you want me to sleep on the floor tonight?” I ask, not wanting to intrude on her space if she is pissed.
“You can sleep in the bed. It’s big enough,” she replies, but she isn’t looking me in the eyes and it irks me.
“I can wake up with Maylee in the morning. You should get sleep,” I offer.
It’s then she looks in my eyes. “Fine.” She takes her glass and heads upstairs. I figure it’s best if I wait down here and give her privacy in her room to get changed.
I’m really out of my element here. I have no relationship skills and nothing to grasp on to from childhood. All I have are examples of my teammates and their relationships. The closest one being Kaleb with my sister, Maddie. Kaleb was there for her over and over again. That’s what I have to do for Willow. Prove to her that she is it for me.
I head to the kitchen and drink some water, then I head upstairs. As I am taking the stairs, I hear the front door open again but I don’t stop to see who it is. I do hear Willow’s mom humming though so I make a straight line for Willow’s room. She’s tucked in bed with her back facing me. I get into bed and stare at the ceiling for a bit before I drift off.
The next few days follow the same routine of Willow barely speaking to me. I wake up with Maylee and let her sleep in. I work the farm a few hours and Willow takes Maylee to town. When I get back from a day’s work she barely acknowledges me, no matter how many times I plead with her. By the fourth day I’ve had enough. I only have a few days left in Sugar Meadow, and there is no way I can leave things the way they are.