Chapter 5 #2
‘And you remember those snoops the Parkers?’ Jenn continued.
Willow nodded in response. Alice and Ava used to drive her grandma crazy with their antics; they were constantly interfering in other people’s business and felt that they had the right to know everything.
For as long as Willow had known, they had run the Honey Pot Inn.
‘Well, they are still going strong,’ Jenn said with a giggle.
‘They’ve started a petition actually, complaining about the bar running too late at night.
As you can imagine Greg isn’t impressed. ’
‘Sounds like they could have a fight on their hands,’ Willow replied. She hesitated a bit and then asked the question that had been troubling her for a while. ‘Jenn – who’s living in my grandma’s house now?’
Her house was on the edge of the town with commanding views of the mountains.
Willow couldn’t imagine anyone else there now; it had been such an important part of her childhood.
Most of her life had been spent in that welcoming space, rather than in her mom’s small, claustrophobic cabin, where she had lived until she was seven.
She had almost been relieved when her mom had finally moved out and followed her latest ‘love’ to Boston.
Jenn tapped on the steering wheel as she considered this. ‘Oh, that is such a beautiful place, isn’t it? I know it was on sale for a while. Oh yeah, that’s right – a guy called Adam moved in recently. He seems really nice.’
Willow nodded slowly. It seemed so strange to think of someone else living there.
‘And Lucas?’ Willow asked cautiously. ‘You said before that he moved away? Where?’
‘Oh yeah, he took off to New York to be with his sister, Mia. I think he was working in a restaurant for some high-flying chef. I forget the name now. And then—’
Jenn was interrupted by the loud ring of her cell phone. She quickly lifted it from its holder and slung it at Willow. ‘Who is it?’ she demanded.
Willow peered at the screen and was surprised to see the name displayed. ‘Greg. I didn’t know you two were friends?’
Jenn’s jaw seemed to clench. ‘We’re not. Cancel the call, please. Whatever he wants can wait, I’m sure.’
‘OK,’ Willow replied, ending the call. She couldn’t help but notice the change in Jenn though. Her face had paled, and she was gripping the steering wheel a little tighter.
‘Are you alright?’ Willow asked carefully.
Jenn glanced over at her and flashed her a wide grin, but it didn’t quite seem to reach her eyes. ‘Oh, I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Anyway, there’s sure to be loads of people to catch up with,’ Jenn said with a wink. ‘But the most important person to meet is Vera.’
‘Vera?’ Willow looked at her blankly.
Jenn chuckled in return. ‘The van. I had to name her. She is too cute not to have a name and I know you are going to fall in love with her.’
Willow was drifting off to sleep when she felt the car move over coarser ground.
She was feeling so tired after their huge lunch and she hadn’t managed to sleep well on the Greyhound bus after the train.
She murmured gently to herself, almost forgetting where she was for a moment, until Jenn nudged her hard in the ribs.
‘Look! Look! We’re here!’
Willow lifted her head up from the glass she was leaning against and slowly took in the scene. They were just passing the huge Honey Springs sign with the famous waterfall illustrated behind the town’s name. Beneath it was the slogan ‘You’ll never want to leave’.
Except she had wanted to – once.
And Jake still never wanted to come back.
A warm feeling washed over her as they continued down the dusty road towards the town itself.
Dotted on either side were the familiar houses that she had grown up alongside.
They passed the town hall, the local grocery store and the bar.
Willow pressed her face against the glass, wondering if she would catch sight of Greg, but the town was pretty much deserted.
Her stomach tugged as they drove past the side street where her mom’s cabin had been.
Jake’s dad, Eric, still lived there of course, right next door. That might be an area she would avoid.
Jenn turned the corner and pulled the car into the small parking lot opposite The Diner.
Behind it was the extraordinary backdrop of the mountains.
It still took Willow’s breath away. Willow couldn’t hold back her smile.
This place really hadn’t changed at all, even the crooked ‘open’ sign in the window was the same.
‘I always loved this place.’ She sighed. ‘So, who’s running it now?’
Jenn stared back at her confused. ‘I thought I said. Didn’t I say before—’
‘What do you mean?’
But before Jenn could say another word, the door to The Diner opened and out flew a very angry and red-faced Greg, heading straight for the car.
And behind him was someone that Willow could not forget in a hurry. Somebody who, judging from his dress, was clearly working at The Diner.
Somebody who had filled out a great deal in height and muscle, but whose brooding dark features were just as she remembered.
Her heart flipped for a moment.
It was Lucas.