Chapter nineteen Willow #2
“No. I’m hoping tonight that I’ll get a moment to speak with his mom alone. I can’t talk to Dallas about my decision to stay until he knows the truth.”
“And what about your company, Willow? Are you going to sell it? Continue to work remotely? I feel like there are a lot of other decisions you need to make too.”
Sighing, I stare at the letter again. “I have a few options but can’t make that call until I talk to Dallas.
” Tears start to build in my eyes. “I can’t believe this is my life right now, Shauna.
This was just supposed to be an adventure, remember?
I wasn’t supposed to fall in love, to find somewhere that actually feels like home for the first time in my life. ”
“But the fact that you did tells you that this is where you are supposed to be, Willow. I just hope it all works out the way you want it to.”
“Me too, Shauna. Me too.”
***
“You look gorgeous, Goose.” Dallas stands just inside my threshold, beaming from ear to ear.
“Are you sure I’m not overdressed?” I opted for a high-waisted, wide leg pair of black linen pants and a tan high neck tank top. It’s not the most formal outfit I could wear, but it isn’t exactly casual.
“You look perfect. In fact, I can’t wait to strip you out of those clothes later.”
I roll my eyes at him. “You would say that.”
“Don’t want you to ever forget how much I want you.” He grabs my hand and yanks me toward him.
“I appreciate that. And just so you know, the feeling is mutual.”
“You ready for this?” he asks as his eyes move all over my face.
“No.”
He chuckles. “Don’t worry. The whole family is going to love you, and you’ve met most of them anyway.”
He leads me out to the Mustang and we head for his mother’s house, which is more inland than my house.
When we arrive at the home with light blue siding, white trim, and a brown roof, I picture a younger version of Dallas running around the sprawling yard, tumbling in the grass, and riding his bike up and down the street, and it instantly makes me smile.
“What are you smiling about?” he asks as he helps me from my seat.
“I just love this yard. It looks like an amazing place to grow up.”
“It was.” He closes my door behind me, placing his hand on the small of my back as we walk up the sidewalk and to the front door. “And the plants and flowers can all be attributed to my mother. She has quite the green thumb.”
“You can tell she takes pride in the yard.”
“Get her talking about it, and she won’t let you leave,” he jokes as we walk right inside, finding all his siblings standing in the kitchen.
“It’s about time. I can’t believe you’d show up late to family dinner,” Penn chides Dallas as he winks at me.
“It was Willow’s fault. She took forever to get ready.”
My jaw drops and I swat his arm. “You liar! I was not late.”
Parker, whom I recognize from the veterans’ dinner and Carrington Cove Games, steps up to us. “He’s just giving you shit, Willow. In this family, you should take that as a compliment.” He sticks out his hand to me. “It’s nice to meet you officially. I’m Parker.”
I glare over my shoulder at Dallas, who’s still grinning. “Likewise. You’re the vet, right?”
“Yup. Do you have any pets?”
“I don’t, but maybe someday soon.”
“Well, when you do, I’ll make sure to give you the family discount.”
Family.
My eyes instantly start to mist over.
If things work out between Dallas and me, these people could be my family.
It would be the first time in my life that I’d belong to one of my choosing.
I clear my throat, warding off the emotion threatening to spill over. “Can I get something to drink, please?” I say to Dallas, avoiding his eyes.
“Sure, babe. Water? Wine?”
Wanting to keep my head clear, I opt for water. He kisses my temple before heading toward the kitchen, and then his sister strides up to me next. “Hey, I’m Hazel.”
“I saw you at the veterans’ dinner, but we didn’t get a chance to speak. It’s nice to meet you,” I say as we shake hands.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I was on Mom duty that night.”
“Oh, don’t act like I need to be babysat.” Katherine walks into the kitchen now, commanding the attention of all her children. The love and admiration they have for her is evident in the way each of their faces softens.
I wonder if I would have had a good relationship with my mother if she were still alive?
When our eyes meet, she walks over to me and grabs my hands. “It’s so good to see you again, Willow. Thank you for coming over.”
“Thank you for having me. Your home is lovely.” There are so many pictures and unique touches that you can tell this house has been lived in for a long time.
“I’ve heard the same about yours.” There’s a twinkle in her eyes when she mentions the Bayshore house. The last time she was there, the inside and outside looked vastly different. “Penn’s been taking care of you?”
“He has.”
Dallas inserts himself in the conversation. “What about me? Have I not been taking care of you, Goose?” The smirk on his lips is suggestive, and Hazel picks up on it, of course.
“Really, Dallas? I thought you were supposed to be the mature one since you’re the oldest.”
Katherine laughs. “Hazel, honey, men never fully grow up. The sooner you learn that lesson, the better.” She moves deeper into the kitchen, washing her hands at the sink as the smell of whatever is cooking in the oven hits my nose.
“Hey, Dallas. I wanted to get your opinion on the tree that needs trimming out back. Come with me, yeah?” Penn stands from his chair, motioning toward the backyard.
“Sure.” Dallas turns to me and says, “You’ll be okay if I’m gone a minute?”
“Yes, she’ll be fine,” Katherine answers for me. “In fact, all boys outside. Now. I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”
Parker pops the top on his beer as he follows Penn and Dallas to the back door. “It’s just like when we were kids. Some things never change, I guess.”
All three boys hustle outside, leaving me alone with Hazel and the matriarch of the family.
“Hazel, honey. Can you go outside and make sure those boys aren’t talking about rearranging my yard, please? You know how Penn gets when he gets an idea in his mind.”
Hazel rolls her eyes, grabbing her glass of wine and moving toward the door. “Sure, but you and I both know none of them listen to me.”
“That’s not true. Now go on. Willow can help me with the last-minute touches on dinner.”
Hazel grumbles as she heads outside, leaving me and Katherine alone.
Finally.
“Take a deep breath, Willow,” she tells me, like she could sense that I was holding mine in.
I inhale and release just as quickly. “I’m sorry. This is just…”
“Nerve-wracking. I know.” She reaches out for my hand across the counter before darting her eyes to the window that gives a view of the backyard. “But you haven’t said anything to him, have you?”
“No, but I have a feeling he’s not going to be so thrilled with me when he finds out.”
“Well, that depends on what you’ve decided to do.”
“I want to stay here,” I tell her. “I’m falling for your son, but this is so complicated, Katherine.”
She hangs her head. “I know, but I signed on for this, Willow. Michael and I knew Dallas would be angry, but my husband was adamant that the house was yours.”
“I just don’t get it. Why me?”
She straightens her spine. “My husband was not in a good place after he came back home, after your parents…” She clears her throat.
“The guilt he was living with was so heavy I thought I was going to lose him to it. Then, one day, he came up with a way to give you something in an attempt to make amends, even though he knew it would never bring your parents back. It was all he had to give, a piece of our town that he felt could make a difference in your life.”
“But I never thought I’d fall for your son…”
“Neither did we, honey.” Her face softens and a smile forms on her lips.
“But I’d say that’s a pretty amazing thing to come out of all this, wouldn’t you?
” I shrug, not sure how to answer that because part of me thinks it’s true, and the other part is so frustrated by the circumstances.
“You’ve made my son smile again, Willow—find his light.
He’s different with you, more of the boy he was before he left for the Marines, my son who wanted to help people, who loved to laugh and enjoy life, not the one who fought with his dad in a circle about the path he chose for his life or the man who witnessed death and destruction that no one should ever have to see. ”
“If my parents never died, this mess wouldn’t have happened.” The emotion I’ve been shoving down starts to bubble up. “I wouldn’t be here…”
Katherine comes around the counter to wrap her arms around me as I let a few tears free. “Oh, honey. It was an accident, a horrible accident that impacted us all.”
“My entire life changed because of that day, and now so has Dallas’s.”
With her hand, she gently grabs my chin and turns my face toward hers.
“Honey, you can sit here, blaming everyone else for how your life has turned out…or, you can start living your story the way you want it written. Those are your options and I have a feeling you know which one makes sense.” My bottom lip trembles as her hand moves to my shoulder.
“I’m just so angry, for how everything has played out and put me in this position now. I’m so mad at them for leaving me—”