Chapter 33
Willow
Everything felt different.
Willow spent the next day in a daze, not really sure what to think or feel. Not only had Honey Springs been badly impacted by the storm but so had her heart and head. She was all over the place. The storm may have passed, but she was still in turmoil.
The town itself was in a full-blown clean-up operation – directed mainly by Rachel and Greg and assisted by the local and state agencies, volunteers and utility crews.
Honey Springs had made the news, not in the way that any of them would have wanted, but news reporters buzzed around the scene like wasps desperate to get as much footage as they could of the pretty little town in peril.
Influencers like Sapphire and others quickly became involved, making emotional posts that were shared widely.
Luckily for Willow, the matcha wagon hadn’t taken too much of a beating due to Lucas moving it behind The Diner for protection, and what little damage it had sustained, Tommy had said he could easily repair.
Willow just wasn’t sure she was ready to face it yet.
Honey Springs was famous and no longer forgotten about. Long term this could be an amazing thing, but right now it was a bit bewildering.
Of course, some of the residents liked this better than others.
Ava and Alice were becoming real small-town celebrities, especially as in Ava’s words, ‘she was fortunate to survive’.
They had already given interviews to the press and talked in wide-eyed bewilderment about the damage to the Honey Pot Inn that they feared ‘would be costly’.
In reality, Willow knew that the Honey Pot Inn had only really sustained superficial damage and any repairs were likely to improve the shabby building.
Rachel too seemed to be enjoying the attention, as she stepped out of her grocery store and spoke to the press in her brightly colored outfits, eager to add that she was writing a book ‘based on her experiences’.
Willow was staying at the Honey Pot Inn.
Both Eric’s and Jenn’s cabins were far too wrecked and luckily, Eric was being kept in the hospital for a few more days.
Jake had spoken to his dad and managed to persuade him to check into a private treatment clinic for his drinking after his discharge.
Willow hoped that this would be the start of them rebuilding their relationship.
She also hoped that Jake could finally move on.
She hated seeing him so upset at The Diner.
The shock of Eric’s injuries had clearly made Jake feel some guilt.
When he’d held her, he had been shaking – he seemed scared of what might happen to his dad but also scared of the person he had become.
Willow had done all she could to comfort him.
But Jake had to sort himself out on his own.
They had their final conversation that morning in the Honey Pot dining room. They were both eating a frugal breakfast that Alice had thrown together. Jake was staying there too, while Eric was in the hospital, but he was very much in his own room.
Willow took the opportunity, now that things were calmer, to ensure Jake knew how she truly felt.
Willow was still painfully aware that she hadn’t seen Lucas. She hadn’t even dared step into The Diner yet. Her chest felt tight just thinking about it.
She knew she needed to sort this out first, once and for all. She slid her hand across the table and took Jake’s in hers.
‘We need to talk …’
Jake had been scrolling on his phone with his other hand. He put the phone down and frowned. ‘What about, babe? Did I tell you how much my account is blowing up? People can’t believe I’m linked to Honey Springs too. It might actually benefit me staying in this shabby old place.’
‘It’s not a shabby old place.’ Willow’s tone was cold; she withdrew her hand. ‘It’s my home.’
‘Yeah, yeah – it is at the moment. I get that. But once you’re finished with your van nonsense and I’ve increased my online presence, we can move out properly. I was thinking maybe of getting a bigger place over at the Ridge. I’ll still be near Eric—’
‘Jake, you’re not listening to me,’ Willow growled. ‘You never listen to me. That’s part of the problem.’
‘Of course, I listen to you.’ Jake blinked at her. ‘What’s gotten into you?’
‘You have!’ Willow snapped. ‘You swan back here with your rescuer hat on and think that you can have everything just as you want it. Well, you can’t, Jake. Things change. I’ve changed. I’ve realized what I want.’
Jake sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. ‘Oh yeah? And what’s that?’
‘I slept with Lucas,’ she said coolly. ‘I slept with him, and I’m sorry, I know we’d only just broken up, but I don’t regret it one little bit. In fact, I think I love him. I think I always did.’
The words shocked her more than they seemed to shock him. Did she? Did she love him? She couldn’t stop thinking about him and her heart stilled in her chest every time she thought of what they did together, the kiss, his touch on hers—
Jake broke the spell with a short, cruel laugh. ‘Lucas! Lucas Dawson. That jerk? You are kidding, right?’
‘No. I’m not kidding.’ Her words were clipped.
‘But we used to tease him in school. We hated him back then.’ He blinked at her. ‘Why would you want to be with someone like that?’
Memories swirled around Willow. Realization hit her like a hammer.
‘I didn’t tease him. You did,’ she spat. ‘You were horrible to him. I’d forgotten just how much! I think I tried to dismiss it at the time because you used to act like you were joking – but you weren’t, were you? You always hated him. You were jealous.’
‘Jealous? Of him?’ His eyes glinted.
‘You were jealous of our friendship. You did everything you could to move me away from him. And you were jealous that Lucas had a loving family, that he had Mel—’
‘This is bullcrap, Willow.’
‘I don’t think it is,’ she replied coolly. ‘I always knew who you were really, Jake, but I chose to ignore it. That was my mistake. I’m not making it again.’
Jake had picked up his phone. ‘I don’t have time for this, Will. If you want to throw away the chance to be back with me that’s up to you. There are plenty of girls on here who would love the opportunity. Alex for one. I’ve only been resisting her because I thought we still had a chance—’
‘She’s welcome to you, Jake,’ Willow said, standing up. ‘I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to realize it.’
There was only one person she wanted now. And he seemed to be the one person avoiding her.
This was a clean-up operation that only Willow could fix.
Willow rushed to The Diner. She wished she hadn’t taken so long to do so, but the past few days had been so blurry and confusing. She tried calling him on the way, but the phone went to voicemail.
‘Lucas,’ she blurted. ‘We really need to talk. Please call me.’
She muscled past the volunteers and workers who were helping clear a route outside The Diner.
She could see the bright colors of her wagon nestled behind the building and felt a pang of regret.
Had all this been her fault? If she hadn’t come back here to set up the matcha business, none of this would have happened.
She would never have pulled Lucas into her mess.
And she would still have been unhappy in Seattle, following a dream that had never been hers to begin with.
She walked into The Diner, and the familiar scent of coffee and cinnamon immediately made her want to smile. She could see Janice serving some volunteers coffee at the counter. Mia was sitting at a table with Adam. There was no sign of Lucas.
She walked over to Mia. Mia nodded as she approached.
‘Hey,’ Willow said softly. ‘I was hoping to catch up with your brother?’
Mia’s expression was grave; she glanced over briefly at Adam and then sighed. ‘He’s gone away for while. I think he needed to get his head straight.’
Willow tried to bite back her frustration. She should have come to find him sooner. ‘When did he go?’
‘This morning,’ Mia said quietly. ‘And don’t ask me where; I really don’t know. He’s in bad shape, Willow. I’ve not seen him like this since Mom died.’
Willow sat heavily on the chair between Mia and Adam. ‘It’s me. I hurt him. I didn’t mean to. Everything was so confusing and messed up when Jake came back. But I know what I want now.’
Mia leaned forward. ‘Willow, you know my brother is crazy about you, right? This situation with Jake is tearing him up. Jake drove you apart before, didn’t he?’
‘I didn’t mean for that to happen though.’
‘Perhaps you didn’t – I mean, you were just a kid, right? But you knew how awful Jake was to him, didn’t you?’
‘I knew Jake teased him sometimes,’ Willow said sheepishly. ‘He did to loads of people. It was just his character.’
Adam snorted. ‘He sounds delightful.’
Willow glared at him. ‘At the time, I thought he was just being funny; you know like the popular kid. Everyone treated him the same.’
‘I don’t think you realized how bad things were for Luc, though,’ Mia said quietly.
‘Jake was doing stuff to him when you weren’t there.
Giving him grief at football practice and times like that.
Pushing him around. Luc was a lot skinnier then; he couldn’t stick up for himself.
It was like Jake had a real problem with him; he wouldn’t let up. ’
Willow felt sickness wash over her. How had she not seen what Jake was doing to Lucas? Was she as bad as Jake? How had she let Lucas drift away from her so easily?
‘Sounds to me that Jake was jealous that you two used to be close,’ Adam mused.
Willow nodded slowly. ‘Jake always made sure I was with him all the time. I didn’t have time for anything else.’
Mia sighed. ‘Jake destroyed your friendship and took away any hope Lucas had for you two to be together. And now it’s happening all over again.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Willow insisted. ‘It’s Lucas I want to be with, Mia. I know that now. But I need your help.’
Mia blinked at her. ‘What can I do? I don’t know where he is. He’s not answering calls either.’
‘You can help me find out,’ Willow insisted. ‘I can’t risk losing him again.’
‘I don’t see how being here will help?’
Mia and Willow were in Lucas’s apartment. Willow was moving around the place carefully, trying to think logically.
‘There must be clues here somewhere. How many clothes has he packed?’
‘Hang on,’ Mia said, slipping into his room. ‘I’ll check.’
Willow followed her, not really knowing what else to do with herself. Lucas’s room was small and tidy and smelt of him – fresh and slightly woody. She stared at the newly made bed and felt an ache deep inside her. What she wouldn’t give to be curled up beside him right now.
Mia was rifling through the wardrobe. ‘It’s hard to make out. I think he’s taken a few tops maybe. Some jeans—’
Willow scanned the room. ‘Did he have a bag?’ Her heart fluttered briefly.
‘I didn’t see him leave. It was before I woke up. He just called me to say he had gone.’
Willow felt like she was sinking. ‘Did he take a passport?’
Mia snapped open a bedside cabinet. ‘No, look, his passport is here.’
Willow almost fainted with relief. He was still in the country then. ‘Do you think he would go back to New York?’
Mia was now looking under the bed. ‘I don’t think so. Now I’m not there, he’s got no connections. He didn’t like Joshua much. Hey, what’s this—’
She pulled out a leather overnight bag.
‘Is that his normal one?’ Willow asked, crouching beside her.
‘I don’t know; this one looks pretty old,’ Mia said. She opened the zip carefully and peered in. ‘Oh my …’
Mia pushed the bag towards her, and Willow stared in. Carefully, she drew out the items. There were several things. Photos. Key rings. Old soda tabs. Drawings. Oreo wrappings.
They were all items that linked her and Lucas.
Willow’s breath caught in her throat. She realized she was shaking.
She carefully took in each object. A photo of her and Lucas together, taken at The Diner.
They were both laughing and hugging each other.
The key ring was the first birthday present she had gotten him after a trip to Boston.
The drawing was a silly one that she had done of the pair them, splashing in the lake.
All beautiful, sweet memories.
And then, there was one final item. A folded piece of paper with her name scrawled on it. She would recognize thirteen-year-old Lucas’s handwriting anywhere.
She carefully opened it.
Dear Willow,
I know that you are thinking about dating Jake, but I want you to know that that is a really bad idea. I know he’s big and good looking and everything, but he’s pretty mean too. And I don’t think you know about half the stuff he does around here.
I think you deserve better.
Mom said I should be honest about my feelings and tell you the truth, but I’m scared that you might go forever if I do.
I guess this letter is me being brave for once and telling you that I think you are the most amazing person in the WORLD, and you deserve the best.
I would always give you the best because I am your friend. And I love you.
If you think, maybe, there is a chance for us, meet me at our cabin by the Falls tonight.
You will always be the one for me,
Luc
Willow gasped. Her heart, which had been beating so fast, finally cracked in two. The pain seeped into her bones.
‘What is it?’ Mia whispered.
‘He always loved me,’ Willow replied, her world shattered. ‘He always loved me, but he didn’t tell me. Why didn’t he tell me?’
And then she read the letter again.
‘Mia. I know exactly where he is.’