7. Millie
CHAPTER 7
Millie
I t was a kiss. A fucking kiss.
Get yourself together, Millie .
I can’t stop being mad at Will because he’s a good kisser.
Right?
Yeah. Stay strong , Millie.
I should have slept in today, but my body woke at six a.m. and I couldn’t fall back asleep. My mind wouldn’t stop racing about yesterday, and Will, and how we have to plan the spring festival together. It’s not even something I can get mad about, though, because I do need the help.
Miss Jane asked me last week to take over planning for the spring festival. She’s the contact for the vendors, but this year, she’s going to be too busy to take care of her usual duties.
Since I’m the designated event planner for Willow Pines, and I normally say yes to everything, it wasn’t something I could say no to. I’ll figure it out, like I always do.
I check the weather on my phone before rolling out of bed, and it’s not raining, which means I’m going on a run.
I’m pretty certain running is the only way I stay sane.
Well, that and my to-do lists .
And my best friends: Florence, Ava, and Riley.
Okay, so there are a few things that help, but running is number one.
I run the same route religiously, but I like it best in the spring when everything is blooming. It’s the florist in me.
Laundry seems to have taken the backseat this week, so I’m stuck digging through a pile to find a clean pair of black leggings, pink sports bra, and some socks. After I’m dressed, I tie my hair in a ponytail and throw on my favorite hat. It was a gift. We aren’t going to talk about who gifted it to me, but it says “Pot Head” with three cute little embroidered succulents, and it makes me laugh every time. After slipping on a pair of running shoes and placing my keys, wallet, phone, and headphones case in my fanny pack, I’m all set.
I take off from my place and run north on the main strip for ten minutes. Instead of jogging toward the center of town, I bank left. This road leads to a small man-made lake on the western side of Willow Pines. It’s beautiful this time of the morning, when a short layer of fog rests over the water and the birds are chirping around me. I leave one earbud out while I run, both for safety and to take in the sounds of the town.
It’s quiet at seven in the morning, likely because most towns folk are headed to breakfast at the diner after partying at the weddings yesterday.
It’s around a three mile run from my house to Willow Pines Diner. With it being after seven-thirty, and the diner opening thirty minutes prior, I’m not surprised every booth is full. At least every seat at the bar isn’t taken.
I make sure to wave, give my favorite waitress, Donna, a hug, and say good morning to others as I walk to take a seat at the end of the bar. Coffee is placed in front of me without having to ask, which I’m grateful for after the late night. While coffee is necessary for me to wake up, runs help me clear my head. This morning I needed both more than normal. It was forty minutes of not thinking about Will, and now I get to figure out how to both avoid him and work with him at the same time.
That’s possible, right? Because we can’t kiss anymore.
Even if I want to.
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to kiss Will? He’s tall, tattooed, and walks around like he owns the place in his worn black leather jacket that he’s had for as long as I can remember.
When Donna comes around a few minutes later to refill my mug, I place an order for their omelette special and a yogurt parfait. It’s my usual.
Since the weddings in town were on Friday, I’m taking the morning off before going to the shop to check in on Mom and clean up from all the chaos I caused in the back room this week. I also need to clean the coolers and prepare for Valentine’s Day.
And I’m sure I have other things written in my notebook, but I left that at home. I’m not so obsessed with lists that I have to bring my notebook everywhere. Plus, I have my phone on me if I need to remember something. I can always transfer it later.
My food arrives, putting me out of the mental misery of trying to remember everything that I want to get done today.
“Does everything look alright?” Donna asks.
“Yeah, thanks, Donna.”
“Of course. Are you here alone this morning? I have someone I need to seat, and I was wondering if I could sit them next to you.”
With my mouth full of food I try to say, “of course,” but it comes out all muffled.
“Great, thanks, Millie.”
I take a sip from my second cup of coffee. Or my third? Either way, I’ll likely have one more before I walk the twenty or so minutes home down the main strip.
“Thanks, Donna.” A familiar voice smacks me in the side of the head.
This is exactly what I was trying to avoid this morning.
The smell of sage and pine with a hint of mint fills my every sense as Will sits on the stool next to me. It takes everything in me to remain faced forward. Too many mornings were spent here with him, and too many late nights. Our normal table was a booth toward the back, somewhere we could hold hands and flirt in private. Here, I’m exposed, and I swear everyone in the diner is looking at us.
Crap. I forgot. Am I supposed to pretend to be dating him?
“Morning, Rose.”
“Carter.” I throw his last name back at him before taking a bite of my eggs.
Will laughs. Me calling him by his last name doesn’t have the same ring to it.
“How was your run?”
“Fine.”
“It’s good weather outside today. Sun’s out.”
“Mhm,” I grumble, not in the mood to make small talk. The extra cup of coffee might not be happening after all.
“Want to go on a hike with me?” Will asks. He’s turned toward me enough that his legs are brushing against mine. Every time he moves, it sends a new thrill down my spine. I might be more mad at myself for how my body reacts around him than I am mad at him. “Jeremy and Grant are busy, and I have some extra time before I have to help Grandpa at the store later.”
Spending the afternoon alone with Will is not on my list of items to do today.
“I have to do…things.”
“Things? Is that a technical term?” Will teases, flirting with me when he knows he shouldn’t. He also rests his hand on my leg, which is something else he shouldn’t be doing.
My mouth hangs open, my fork stopped mid-way. “Why are you touching me?”
“You’re my girlfriend.” He squeezes my leg.
I’m trying diligently to hate how it’s making me react. My palms shouldn’t be getting sweaty, my breath turning shallow. I haven’t spent the past three years getting over him for my body to revolt against me.
My mind flashes to what it feels like to have his body pressed against mine.
And now I’m imagining it, which doesn’t help my current situation.
I don’t like Will like that anymore.
“We don’t even know if people assume that,” I say. I grab his hand and toss it off my leg.
Will leans closer to whisper in my ear. “You sure about that? Have you looked around?”
Slowly, I turn in my chair. Nearly everyone is looking at us, but when they see me catching them, they quickly avert their eyes.
I shake my head. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
Will sighs, pulls out his phone, and shows me a text from Jeremy.
“What does this mean?” I ask.
“It’s how much money he won in the town bet and the new bet.”
“He got a hundred dollars? And is now betting on how long we stay together?” I groan.
“That’s Willow Pines for you, love.” Will shrugs, putting away his phone.
Him calling me love should make me cringe, as it’s the nickname he used for me when we were more than friends, but it makes me sad.
We’ve been friends for over twenty five years. Best friends for most of that. And when we started to become more, it felt right. It’s not like the town bet was a secret. I was never angry about it because, to me, it was so obvious.
I was meant to be with Will.
Until that didn’t happen, he left me, and I shut out everyone that isn’t my inner circle .
“So, for our first date I want to go hiking.” Will pushes, interrupting my thoughts.
“I don’t know, Will. I have a lot to do today.”
“You always have a lot to do, Mills. Live a little.”
Will places more than enough money to cover my meal on the table, stands, and holds out his hand for me.
Everyone in the diner is looking to see what I’ll do.
Aren’t they supposed to be on my side? He’s the one that left. I’ve been here my entire life.
Will’s pleading eyes and dimples are the only things that get me to interlace my fingers with his. It doesn’t mean anything. And I want to hate the attention. I want to hate it because we aren’t even together.
Nevertheless, I let him drag me to the door and I wave bye to Donna, Miss Jane, and a few other townspeople I recognize.
Since this hike will postpone my arrival to the store, I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a voice message to my mom. Will hollers his hello, calling her Mom , and tells her he’ll see her later.
It’s at that moment I’m hit with the realization that I might still be in love with my brother’s best friend.