Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
For an instant, the warmth and peace that had settled around me like a cozy blanket shuddered. Anger wanted to creep in. Vengeance. But what had that gotten me so far?
“I have to go,” I said, the realization coming on me all at once.
“Of course you do.” Darla rose with me and led me down the back staircase. She took me to a side door so that we didn’t have to go past the parlor again. “Good luck, darling.”
I was in a hurry to get to my car, to get to Julian, but a few steps down the path, I felt compelled to turn around. She was still standing there in the doorway. Backlit, so I couldn’t see her expression, but I sensed she was smiling. “Thank you, Darla. For everything over the years, but especially for this.”
And then I turned away from my old life and began to run lightly down the path, buoyant with hope for the future.
32
JULIAN
By the time I pulled back into my driveway, I had driven all over town. Landon had procured me the addresses of Willow’s mom and two closest friends. I’d started at Willow’s apartment, then began working my way methodically down the list. Not finding her at any of them, I drove back to her apartment, then checked the wine bar where she used to work. I’d even driven past Fletcher’s monstrosity of a house, the peaks rising above the trees, but even if she was in there, there was no way I’d make it past the guard shack. And if she was in there, hobnobbing with dear old dad, she probably didn’t want me to make it past.
I was vibrating with frustration as I slammed my car door shut behind me. I’d set off with so much purpose, so much conviction. I’d known I would find her. I’d practically felt her sitting beside me, guiding me. Instead, I’d taken myself on a goose chase. How the hell had I been so wrong?
Inside, I kicked my shoes off too hard and began the climb to the main level. Halfway up the stairs, I realized that someone was already up there. I stopped dead, listening to the soft but distinct movements. The refrigerator door being opened and then shut. Then the cabinet door. The louder notes of plates being pulled free and set on the counter. The soft pop of a cork.
Either a burglar had decided to make dinner, or all this time, Willow had been here.
My heart pounded harder as I took the rest of the steps two at a time. Even though I knew it had to be Willow–she was the only person besides Dana who had the door code, it was still a shock to see her standing there in the kitchen, like this was any other night. Like it hadn’t been two weeks since I last saw her. Like everything wasn’t different.
Her head came up sharply, her eyes wide and startled like I was the intruder instead of her. “Hi,” she breathed when she saw me standing there.
Though I didn’t mean it to, my voice came out stiff and cold. “Hi yourself.”
She flinched. “I–I made dinner.”
I saw the takeout from my favorite Italian place sitting on the edge of the counter. She’d slid the to-go meals into the deep dinner plates. She’d poured one glass of wine. The other wine glass was filled with water. My eyes rested on it for a long time. So it was true. A strange combination of earth-shattering joy and fear fought a war in my chest. “I see,” I said, my voice still not my own. It was like I was borrowing a stranger’s vocal cords.
Looking unsure of what else to do, Willow picked up one of the dinner plates, stacked the next on her arm, and reached for the wine glasses. Though I’d seen her carry all this and more, effortlessly–her years as a waitress showing through–I stepped forward.
“I’ve got these.”
I followed her out to the little table we’d eaten so many meals at, drank so many glasses of wine, spent so many hours talking over. I pulled out her chair, and with a flicker of surprise in her eyes, she sat down.
I sat down opposite her, but I didn’t pick up my fork. I just stared at her. I’d driven all over town to find her, but now that I had her, I had no idea what to say. “What are you doing here, Willow?”
She set her fork down and swallowed hard. “I came to apologize.”
“For what?”
“For…for everything.”
Willow looked skyward, and I realized it was because her eyes were filling. Instinctively, I reached for her, then pulled my hand back before she saw. I had to fight the other instincts, too. The ones that told me to go to her, to wrap my arms around her. I wanted to, but I wasn’t ready, not yet. I had to hear what she had to say first. “What’s everything?” I asked, my voice calm but with an undergirding of iron.