16. Willa
CHAPTER 16
WILLA
I have spent the past few days working really hard to get Noah out of my head.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. Trying to be the smarter adult, I think I could have pushed him away. Yet there’s a part of me that thinks it’s logical that we take this time to think. I mean, I know I needed to. And part of my why has come to a head with today’s video call with Frank.
The week since I saw Noah last has flown by. I’ve been busy filling out loan forms in my spare time, trying to see if I could get help to surprise my mom while juggling my work schedule. My actual game day photos were done after the second game because of other assignments I was asked to do. Athletic Edge had gotten someone else to cover the games so I could wrap up my other deadlines, and most importantly, finish all the edits on Noah’s pictures for the feature they’re running on him next month.
As I glance across the room to where Noah’s jersey still sits folded on the top of my suitcase, a pit forms in my stomach. I’ve not been to a game since the second one where Noah scored, but like the rest of the town, and the hockey fandom, of course I know they lost that third game. In my mind, I figure he forgot to wear his Blue Rock Thrush pin, but never mind. I hope he took it okay, not that we’ve spoken. We’ve texted, but I’ve not heard his voice in days.
Sitting at the table in my hotel room, I tap the button on my computer to join the meeting. True to his usual form, Frank is already there, grinning as I log on.
“Willa!” he practically shouts. Bless his heart, this man thinks a video call means talk louder. Someone needs to explain mic placement to him.
“Hey there,” I say, trying to loosen my shoulders. “How’s New York?”
“The magazine is busy, but we’re loving all of the content you’ve sent. You know, we’ve heard rumors that Sports Illustrated wants to get a hold of you and make you a full-time employee.”
“Really?” I hadn’t heard that, but wow. I’ll take it. “All from the shots I’ve taken here?”
“All of it.” He laughs. “But, I’m hoping this conversation we have today will keep you from thinking of anyone else except us. First, though, are you almost done with the edits and tweaks to those pictures that are due?”
“You’ll have everything tomorrow morning, boss,” I say, giving him a little salute. “It’ll hit your shared folder by midnight at the latest.” I’d already planned a night hunched over the computer in pajamas making sure everything was ready. In reality, I’d rather be out trying to find that bird, but this needs to happen now.
“That’s why we adore you, Willa,” he says, his voice softening. “Now, before I get into my pitch to lock you in as our senior photography editor, you emailed saying you had something you wanted to tell me.”
I can’t stop my jaw from going slack. I’m surprised it doesn't hit the desk with so much force it breaks the table. I have to look comical; even Frank starts laughing.
“You gonna take the job, or what?” he asks .
“You bet I want to,” I say, holding my heart, “but, there’s something I need to tell you.”
I grab the necklace I’m wearing and clutch it like a good luck charm. Ugh. I should have kept that pin for myself. My eyes dart around the room, looking for an escape hatch. Anyone else in here about to throw themselves under the bus at the precise moment they’re being offered the job they want? Steeling myself, I clasp my hands and place them on the table in front of me. “I know in journalism it’s not a good look for someone who works for a publication to get involved with their subject.”
Frank’s eyebrows hike up. “Go on.”
“Well, I kind of … did.” I hold my hands up, keeping my game face. “I didn’t enter into a relationship with them, but I did go on a few dates and spend time with someone I was taking photos of for your magazine.”
Frank closes his eyes and goes quiet. Too quiet. I wonder if I was in the same room if I’d be able to feel the love he obviously has for my work starting to fade away already.
But, as I’m learning on this trip, life has other plans and I’m here for them.
“Willa,” he says, opening his eyes and staring at me, “we’ve already had a call from some woman claiming this.”
I know the confused look that makes its way across my face has to be distracting for Frank. Squinting my eyes, I lean forward. “And you’re still offering me the job?”
A huge grin breaks across his face, making Frank look softer than he ever has. “As long as you’re not doing investigative journalism, I’m fine with it. I mean, I don’t want or need our employees causing chaos when they’re out on assignment, but who you date and spend time with is your business. Not ours. Okay? We good?”
Again, my jaw goes slack, only this time I’m prepared and I clench my jaw closed.
“We’re good,” I squeak. Catching myself, I tilt my chin up and sit taller, moving in closer to the camera. “We’re more than good. In fact, I’d like to hear about this offer from Athletic Edge . I’ve set aside time for us. Feel like talking further?”
He claps his hands together. “Let’s dig in!”
The farmers’ market is crowded this morning, bustling and buzzing with locals and tourists alike. People file past me, snug in their winter coats and layers, but mostly there is a sea of Ice Breakers jerseys and swag flowing.
I weave my way through the crowd, the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot harmonizing with the murmur of cheerful conversations and the occasional burst of laughter. Stalls brim with the vibrant colors of the season. Piles of shiny red apples, bumpy orange squash, and deep purple eggplants are artfully arranged, creating a picturesque display of nature’s bounty. I feel like I’m in the middle of a film set, it’s that pristine.
There’s a scent in the air that reminds me of Noah, making me pause. Casting a glance at one of the stalls nearby, I spot a sign touting the best apple cider in all of Maple Falls. I can’t help but stop at a stand where a farmer is offering samples, my thoughts returning to our trip to Maple Fest and the highs and lows of the day.
The spicy, cinnamon-infused drink warms me from the inside out, perfectly complementing the chill in the air. There’s a table beside this stall piled with tea towels; someone’s gotten creative and put the town motto on them— Maple Falls: You’ll never want to leave —surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves and they’ve added two tiny crossed hockey sticks at the bottom, too. It’s super cute and, like the cider, does nothing but remind me of Noah.
So I bought three of them. One for me, one for my mom, and one to give to Harlow, who I’d spoken to the other day. She could use this to make her smile.
A few steps away, a baker’s table is laden with rustic loaves of bread and pastries, their golden crusts beckoning. I snag a warm croissant, its flaky exterior giving way to a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth center. This is when I need to—how did Shirley May put it?—feed my feelings. I also swipe an apple fritter and a cinnamon roll with maple glaze, only to spot someone holding a very familiar piece of what I consider to be cake in their hands beside me.
“Where’d you get that?” I ask, pointing at the woman’s plate.
The blonde woman turns to me, her gray-blue eyes flashing bright. “Over there,” she says, indicating a table a few stalls away from us. “By the flower vendor. They’re a guest vendor for the next few weeks. The local women’s junior hockey league is fundraising.”
“Thanks. I thought I recognized Charlie’s caramel banana bread,” I say with a smile, taking a bite of my apple fritter. My emotions need the carbs.
“You know Charlie?” she asks.
“We met recently,” I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Man, I feel like an animal. This fritter is about to be gone, but at least I have a donut to tide me over until I get some of Charlie’s cake. “She seems to have quite the reputation as a mover and shaker around here.”
“To be sure!” The woman giggles. “I’m Keira. I run the farmers’ market, so it’s my job to know who everyone is and why they’re here.”
As I watch her I get a feeling we’ve met before only to realize she’s the same person I saw exiting the bookstore the other day, saying goodbye to the girl behind the counter. Small towns … am I right ?
“Nice to meet you.” Looking at the bag in my hands, I decide to stop force-feeding myself sugar for comfort and tuck the rest of my treats into my bag. I give her a nod of gratitude and jog over to the table, grinning when I find Charlie and her mother, Sarah, manning it.
“Willa,” Charlie calls out as she runs around the table and gives me a big hug. “Are you here for more of my caramel banana bread?”
I point to a whole loaf. “I’d like the whole thing, please.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she says, blushing.
“I want to.” I watch while she wraps it up, waving to Sarah. “How are you?”
She leans on the table, sipping a hot drink from a travel mug. “It’s been busy. Between raising funds for the team, to dealing with someone who is about to go on her first date.”
“Mom.” Charlie groans, turning red with embarrassment as she rolls her eyes.
“Well, you are.” Sarah chuckles, throwing a wink my way. “He’s also approved by the parents.”
“Wow,” I concur, taking my parcel and handing Charlie some cash. “What did he do to win all of you over?”
Charlie shoves her hands in her jacket pockets. “Billy told everyone he liked me for a long time, but he was always getting into trouble. So I never paid him any attention,” she whispers, looking around us to make sure no one else can hear. “Then, he started showing up at our practices. He said he was volunteering because he wanted to ‘maybe’ play ice hockey himself.”
When I make eye contact with Sarah, she’s biting her lower lip holding her laughter in. “Seriously, it’s cute. Go on, Charlie.”
“He asked if I wanted to go get ice cream one day, and I said no. Because of his reputation.”
Cocking my head to one side, I have to admit, the kid’s got me hooked. “Why was that?”
“It scared me.” She looks to her mom for support, who sweetly nods as if giving her the encouragement to go on. “He used to be really bad. Like, he’d cause fights when we were in third grade and fourth grade. He was like, I don’t know, kinda mean to everyone.”
“But something changed?” I know. I’m pressing this poor kid like she’s my relationship guru. My hand sneaks its way back into my bag, pulling out the donut I was saving for later. Mama needs it now. “Did he change?”
She nods, cutting her eyes slyly to the side. “He did. When I said no, he started to try to be better.”
“And he was,” her mother pipes in. “At the beginning of the school year, he would wait for Charlie to get to school and hold the door open for her. He’d walk her home some days, and he even collected her homework a few times when she was out sick.”
“It was the little things,” Charlie says with a shrug, nonchalant. “He knew he messed up and then he did everything he could to show me he changed so I’d say yes.”
Why do I feel like I’m watching a teenage version of the last six weeks of my life play out? “Why did you finally say yes?”
Charlie beams. “He showed up at school wearing a jersey for my hockey team, but he’d put my last name on the back of it with duct tape. It was very sweet.”
We’re interrupted when another customer appears. Sarah and I exchange amused looks, but Charlie is back to me as fast as she can. “Anyway, you’re going to the game tonight, right?”
I swallow the giant bite of donut that I’d taken. “I can’t, I’m stuck editing photos to get them into the magazine.”
“No worry.” Sarah’s tone is laid back. “We're going tomorrow night, too. Will you be done by then?”
I hold up crossed fingers. “Here's hoping.”
“Then you should come with us.” Charlie’s tone is insistent. “Come on, Willa, please? Noah will be playing, right? It’s the last one. We’ll sit together.”
One thing for sure, Charlie’s right. Noah will be playing. He’s already been in touch, asking if I’ll be at tonight’s game, and I told him no.
My bad boy. The leopard who changed his spots. The Comeback King. The man who kissed me. He told me he’d been thinking about me for years, and here I am. Not leaping when the time comes. Playing it safe. Where’s it gotten me so far besides being alone in my room, hunched over a computer, thinking the worst?
When I think about how careful I’m trying to be, it’s laughable. Everything is changing in my world. This trip has put so many things in motion, my head has been spinning. I’m about to change my career path, why not throw a wrench into everything and take a risk as well?
When I look back at Charlie and Sarah, I’m grinning as I slowly nod my head. There are grand gestures, but taking inspiration from her story, I know one that will hit home with a certain defenseman.
And I want to see his face when it happens.