Chapter Six
Six
T he following morning, Eli’s gaze swept over the local breakfast hotspot, Sparrow Catching, from his spot in a worn leather booth. The diner always came with comfort and hearty laughter, full of the town’s morning risers: cowboys with shirts rolled to the elbows, young mothers desperate for some adult conversations and elderly patrons who made this diner their morning routine. His gaze flicked over the familiar faces, each one etched with their own stories, their own secrets.
He traced the wood grain of the table with a calloused finger, the ridges and grooves as familiar as the lines of his own weathered palm. The bell above the entrance chimed, and he glanced up, heart hitching just slightly at the sight of Willow stepping into the diner. Her hair cascaded in waves down her shoulders, bright like the sun, much like the spirit that hid behind those striking eyes of hers. Eyes that now darted around the room, betraying her nervousness.
She clutched her purse like a lifeline, her knuckles white, as her gaze finally locked with Eli’s. A subtle nod from him—the barest dip of his chin—was all it took to spur her forward. As she moved through the diner, heads turned, whispers fluttered around the space.
“Will they buy it?” The question whispered off her lips, barely audible over the voices carrying through the restaurant, as she stopped in next to the table.
The diner was full of gossipers. Betty included.
“Oh, they’ll buy it,” Eli said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Timber Falls loves a good love story—even if we have to write it ourselves.”
He rose from the booth, a deliberate motion that stilled the surrounding clamor of Sparrow Catching. The patrons, mid-sip or bite, paused as he stepped into Willow’s space. His eyes fixed on hers, and without hesitation, his hands found their way to her waist, pulling her gently but firmly into him.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he murmured, just loud enough for her alone to stay in line with the boundaries she’d set out. Then, after receiving her nod of approval, and full of purpose, he pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that spoke more than any words could convey. It was a performance, yes, but the heat that hit him spoke of this connection with her he couldn’t outrun, blurring the line between fake and reality.
The breakfast crowd at Sparrow Catching drew in a collective gasp, forks clattered against plates and cups landed a touch too hard on saucers.
His lips curved into a smile against Willow’s, as he whispered, “We’re quite the convincing couple, aren’t we?” The words were meant for her alone, a reminder of the pretense they had carefully constructed. A show. It was all about perception, but as Eli gazed down at the woman in his arms, he knew this wasn’t all for show.
He’d been craving those perfect lips, and he couldn’t fight the satisfaction that he’d had them again.
“Best performance this town’s seen in a while,” Willow whispered back, her voice steady despite the pinkish hue of her cheeks.
As they parted, Betty, who adored Willow from what Eli had seen, shuffled toward them. She was in the bar often, and Eli was sure that Betty adopted Willow as her honorary granddaughter.
“Willow, dear!” she exclaimed, coming to stand by their booth with a gleam in her eye. “How could you keep this wonderful news from me? When were you planning on telling me about this handsome beau of yours?” She rested her hands on her hips, surveying them both with grandmotherly scrutiny. There was no mistaking the twinkle of gossip that danced in her eyes.
“Hi, Betty,” Willow said, her tone warm, “I didn’t say anything because it’s new.”
“I see,” Betty said, studying them intently. “I must say, you two make a lovely picture. How did this all come about?”
Before Willow could respond, Eli interjected smoothly, “Let’s just say life has a funny way of bringing people together when they least expect it.”
“Life and a bit of matchmaking, I suspect,” Betty quipped, her eyes dancing. “Well, I won’t pry any further.” With a knowing nod, she blew Willow a kiss. “So nice to see you, sweet dear. I’m so pleased to see you happy like this.” She set her smile onto Eli. “Goodbye, handsome.”
Eli just grinned at her.
“Bye, Betty,” Willow said, as Betty retreated to her seat, leaving behind a trail of lingering glances and hushed conversations that buzzed like bees around a hive when she returned to her table of five women.
Eli chuckled. “Any doubt now?”
Willow shrugged. “Yes. A million of them.”
He understood and didn’t feel the need to comment. “Holding hands for the show?” he asked, offering his.
Willow nodded, sliding her slender fingers into his.
As they settled back into their seats, they soon placed their orders and began fixing their coffee. It wasn’t long before Jenna, the owner and beacon of warm welcomes, approached their booth with plates in hand. The smells of hearty breakfast fare—sizzling bacon, fluffy eggs and golden-brown toast—wafted toward Eli.
“Here you go, two Sparrow Specials,” Jenna announced with her trademark grin, sliding the dishes onto the table. Her eyes flickered to their interlocked hands still resting on the tabletop, a silent question hanging in the air like the steam rising from his mug. “So, what’s the special occasion?”
“Just enjoying a good start to the day,” Eli replied.
Jenna nodded, her smiling knowing. “Well, if you need anything else, just holler.” With a final wink at Willow, she sauntered off.
Eli turned his attention back to Willow, whose hand shook a little before letting go of his as she reached for her fork. That couldn’t do, not only for the ruse, but seeing her unsettled left a bad taste in his mouth. That last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable, and he realized that this was likely her first meal with a man in a very long time, and she’d been clear—she did not want a relationship.
Grabbing the saltshaker, he broke into the past, a place he rarely visited. “Now that we’re dating, guess you should know a thing or two about me,” he said with a smirk.
She laughed softly, meeting his gaze. “Yes, I guess I should.”
He sprinkled the salt and then reached for the pepper shaker. “I grew up here in Timber Falls with my mom and my sister. My dad wasn’t in the picture, and still isn’t. But for me, Jaxon and Gunner, it was adventuring every day, whether we were fishing by the creek or building forts in the woods.”
Willow’s expression softened, her eyes brightening.
“Jaxon was always the levelheaded one, planning our next adventure. And Gunner—” Eli chuckled “—he could charm the birds from the trees with his guitar, even back then. We had a great childhood.”
“Sounds like it,” Willow said.
Eli paused, taking a forkful of eggs before continuing. “And then there was bull riding. It’s a beast of a sport. You’ve got to have grit, balance and a touch of madness.” Willow laughed, and the sound warmed something icy in his chest as he continued. “I started older than most, because a company out in Seattle had seen some of my carpentry work.”
Her brows lifted. “You’re a carpenter?”
He nodded. “Really, it was something I did on the side while working for Jaxon’s father on the ranch—just some passion projects—but the CEO had come to town and had been impressed by some live edge furniture I’d done. He offered to fly me out and give me a job.” Eli took a quick sip of his coffee before continuing, “I had nothing really going on, so I jumped on it. I lasted three weeks before moving back home.”
“You didn’t like it?” she asked.
“Hated it,” he replied. “The big city wasn’t for me. I didn’t mind the carpentry though, and still enjoy building the odd piece of furniture, but I came home and entered the rodeos around Montana and eventually hit the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit, working my way up the ranks.”
Willow took a bite of her toast. “What made you choose such a dangerous career path?”
“Guess I was chasing thrills, proving something to myself after the carpentry path didn’t work out,” Eli confessed. “But looking back, out there, on the back of a bull, nothing else mattered. I loved it.”
“And now?” she asked softly.
“Now,” Eli said with a sigh. “I’m more about finding peace, something steady and real.” He locked eyes with her, allowing the truth of his words to sink in. “My home is Jaxon’s ranch. I’ve got a good purpose there.”
“It’s a beautiful place to spend your days that’s for sure,” Willow said.
He agreed with a nod, not planning on going any deeper into his past. Nothing good lived there. “What about your life before moving here?”
Eli watched as Willow played with the rim of her coffee mug, a hint of hesitation in her eyes before she looked up at him. “I grew up in Ann Arbor, which was always exciting, you know? Full of life and fun. Charly, Aubrey and I—we were inseparable. Dreamers, each of us chasing this life we planned all out.”
He nodded, taking in the sweet smile that danced across her lips. Eli could picture it—the trio of friends, their laughter spilling, young and brimming with aspirations.
“Got my MBA from the University of California,” she continued, as Eli devoured his eggs. “The girls and I lived in this cramped apartment in Berkeley that somehow felt more like home than any place I’d ever been.” She paused to shrug. “Until I came here.”
“It happens all the time,” he said with a smile. “The magic of the mountains makes it hard to leave.” According to an old legend in this town, the Absaroka Mountains possessed a unique power that brought soulmates together. With the fresh air, vibrant energy and endless blue skies and water, it was easy to see why some people believed that. Eli wasn’t sure about all that, but he did notice that many visitors who came to Timber Falls ended up staying for good.
“I did hear of that legend,” she said, before taking a bite of her toast and then continuing on, “After college, Portland called with a promise—a job that would catapult me forward.”
“Sounds like you’ve always been moving forward. Seeking. Striving,” he said.
“Maybe,” she agreed, shrugging. “But then...”
“You came here,” he finished for her, knowing as much as he didn’t want to revisit the darkness, he was certain she didn’t want too either.
She nodded, picking up her toast again. “I came here.”
Eli watched the play of emotions across her face. Her eyes, once clouded with nervousness began to soften.
“And now I’m doing this...with you,” she said with a smile.
“Life’s funny that way,” Eli responded, reaching for his mug. “You end up in places you never expected.”
He took a long sip of his coffee as at a nearby table, two women suddenly said, with voices carrying over the noise, “They look good together, don’t they?”
“Sure do,” the other agreed.
Willow winced, staring down at her plate, obviously hit with the realization that in no time the whole town would know they were dating.
Eli reached out his hand again for permission. She took it as he said, “This isn’t real, don’t forget that,” he said quietly. “We know what we’re doing, and why.”
Her gaze lifted to his and held. “Right,” she said, exhaling softly, her shoulders lowering. “This isn’t real.”
The heavy door of the Timber Falls Police Station swung open with an authoritative creak, and Willow stepped into its sterile embrace, Eli following her. A knot tightened in her stomach as she inhaled, the harsh scent of antiseptic hanging in the air. With every step toward the reception desk, her heartbeat quickened.
The last time she’d entered a police station...
She swallowed hard.
Eli’s fingers brushed against hers, a whisper of contact that shocked her, until she remembered that the affection was for show. She needed as many people to see them together as possible. She began to realize it was impossible for him to ask every time they should do a little PDA, so she took his fingers.
“Hey,” Eli’s voice cut through the quiet, low and soothing, “just remember why we’re here.” His words were meant to anchor her, and they did, even as memories surged to engulf her. “You’re not alone here.”
“Thank you for that,” she murmured, forcing herself to lift her chin. This was about taking control, about protecting herself and The Naked Moose, the bar that was more than just a livelihood—it was a dream between three best friends that all started with a pact they’d made to start over if they weren’t happy in their lives by the age of twenty-eight.
This was their do-over, and they would succeed.
Her gaze fixed on the badge emblazoned on the front desk, as Eli introduced them and asked to speak with Detective Harris. With the seconds that passed, the flashbacks clawed at her: Niko’s sneer, his grip bruising her arms, his voice a venomous roar that left scars deeper than skin.
Before she could sink further into the solace of Eli’s grasp, a voice broke through the hush of the corridor.
“Miss Quinn? Eli?” Detective Harris stood before them. There was a gentleness in his eyes that belied the seriousness of their meeting, as if he understood the weight of the pain both she and Eli carried.
“Detective Harris,” Willow acknowledged, her grip instinctively tightening around Eli’s hand as they turned to face him. “Please call me Willow.”
“Willow,” he said, accompanied by a soft smile. “Please, come with me.” He led them past the bustling hum of the precinct and into a private room with comfortable chairs and a coffee table. The door shut behind them with a click.
“Thank you for coming in,” Detective Harris said.
Willow sank into the chair, and Eli took the seat next to her. The detective sat across from them with documents on his lap.
The detective’s gaze locked with Willow’s. “Before we get to signing the consent forms, I want you to know that I have confirmed that Niko is still incarcerated,” he said.
“Thank you,” she breathed out. Yet if not Niko, then who would do this?
“Furthermore,” Detective Harris continued, “my preliminary investigation traced the online comment to an IP address here in town. My gut is my telling me this has nothing to do with your ex-boyfriend.”
“I’m very relieved to hear that,” she said, glancing at Eli.
He gave a firm nod. “One worry off the list.”
“Indeed,” Detective Harris said. “However, this leads me to ask—have you had any recent conflicts or issues with anyone in town? Anything at all that might shed light on who could be behind this?”
Willow searched the depths of her memory, each encounter at The Naked Moose playing out in her mind. But no face stood out, no altercation came to mind. She shook her head slowly. “No, nothing. Maybe at first people’s feathers were a little ruffled that big-city girls came in and changed their beloved country bar, but not now—our customers are very happy.”
“All right.” He scribbled a note, his pen moving in decisive strokes. “We’ll keep digging, but if anything comes to mind, even the smallest detail, please let me know immediately.”
“Of course,” she said with a quick nod.
Detective Harris locked eyes with her, his brow furrowed in a blend of compassion and unyielding resolve. “I promise you, we will not let this go. Whoever is trying to intimidate you, we’ll find them. Your safety is our top priority.”
“Thank you so much,” she whispered, the words wrapping around her like a shield. “I really just don’t understand any of this.”
Eli added, “No one understands any of this.”
Detective Harris agreed with a nod, reaching for a stack of papers on his lap, “I’ll need your full cooperation to move forward effectively.” He slid the forms across the coffee table toward her. “These are consent forms authorizing me to access your cell phone records. It’s crucial for tracing back any communication linked to the text.”
“Okay, of course,” she said, and quickly signed her name.
“I’ll get started right away,” Detective Harris said as he collected the signed forms, “and will let you know about any developments.”
Willow nodded. “Thank you.” As she rose from her chair, Eli joined her.
With final goodbyes to the detective, Willow followed Eli back out into the hallway.
Stepping out of the police station, she felt the weight that had been pressing on her chest begin to lift. The freezing Montana air was a stark contrast to the stifling heat inside, and she lifted her head, letting the snowflakes fall on her skin.
“You did good in there,” he said softly.
Willow glanced up at him, and the sun caught the edges of his rugged profile. “Thank you for coming with me. I don’t think I could’ve walked through those doors alone.”
His gentle smile was his only response. “I have a hard time with police stations too, but we got through, didn’t we?”
“Yeah,” she said. “We did it.”
Eli smiled big, offered his hand again. “Shall we continue with our show?”
Willow laughed and nodded, sliding her hand into his.
The walk along Main Street was too fast. Willow felt like she could have walked just like this for an hour, in comfortable silence, and still would want to walk longer. Eli had a calmness about him that felt good.
As they approached the bar, Eli glanced around, and she realized he was noting all the pedestrians on the road. Clearly, he recognized some as gossipers since he turned to face her. “Another kiss?” he asked.
She nodded approval. “Seems like the right thing to do.”
He cupped her face gently with his roughened hands. His penetrating eyes searched hers, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. Then he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that whispered of protection, promise and something deeper that Willow didn’t even want to think about right now. Because she was not ready. And this was not real.
“Call me if you need me,” he murmured against her lips.
“I will,” she replied, stepping away from his hold. “Thanks for everything today.”
With one last lingering look as Eli headed toward his truck parked further down near the diner, Willow turned and pushed open the door to The Naked Moose.
Laughter spilled out, enveloping her as Charly and Aubrey used their hands to make a heart symbol.
“Stop it.” Willow rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the blush that warmed her cheeks. She slid behind the bar, knowing after her morning, only one thing mattered. And it was five o’clock somewhere. “Can we focus on what matters?” she said.
Charly grinned. “What’s that?”
“My killer margarita skills,” Willow deflected, grabbing margarita glasses to pour herself a much-needed drink.
Aubrey gave a mischievous smirk, playfully raising her eyebrows. “Feeling hot and bothered?”
Willow looked at her two closest friends. “Not even a little.”
Charly just chuckled. Aubrey grinned. Thankfully, neither of them outed her for the liar that she was.