Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“When did you get so smart?”
“About five months ago when I hit my growth spurt.”
I chuckled and rubbed his head with my fist before shoving him away playfully. “I’m actually pretty bummed you’re not my kid.”
“Yeah. You would’ve been an okay dad.” He rocked in his chair slightly. “I’m sorry my mom hurt you.”
“What do you mean? I never said she hurt me.”
“I know, but you aren’t the type of person who has to say things, Theo. Everything you feel kind of shows up in your eyes.” He paused his rocking. “What was different? Between how you loved my mom versus Willow?”
“I loved your mother for how she made me feel seen. I love Willow for who she is. My love for Willow has nothing to do with me. It’s everything she is, with or without me in the equation.”
Jensen smiled. “You said love. Not loved. You still love her, huh?”
“Unfortunately.”
“So…don’t be a little bitch. Go get your hummingbird.”
I didn’t reply, but I doubted Jensen expected me to say anything. He knew how hardheaded I could be about issues. Same with Grandma.
We rocked in the chairs for a while and watched as the sun began to set over the lakefront.
“Hey, Theo?”
“Yeah, kid?”
“Do you think it’s okay if sometimes I pretend you’re my dad when I’m having bad days?”
I patted his shoulder. “Always.”
I meant that, too.
Always.
After Jensen left, I went inside and stared at the letter Willow had left me. It sat unopened on my dining room table. It took me a solid thirty minutes before I built up enough courage to open it, and when I did, it instantly pissed me off.
“What the fuck is this?” I blurted out, rereading her words.
Leave it to Weeping Willow to somehow piss me off, even from a distance.
CHAPTER 40
Willow
I’d been staying at Avery and Nathan’s house for the past few weeks, helping them take care of the twins. During breaks of not washing dishes, cooking meals, and holding the two most adorable babies ever, I’d pull out a road map to plot out my next adventure. Arizona was probably nice in the wintertime. It had been a while since Big Bird and I took a solid road trip. Yet planning the trip didn’t seem as thrilling as before. It all felt a little…empty.
As I rocked baby Riley in my arms, Nathan popped his head into the nursery. “Hey, Willow?”
“Yeah?”
“Someone’s at the door for you.”
“For me?”
“Yup. I can take Riley for you. I should probably get her a bottle going, too.” Nathan took Riley into his arms and stared at her like she was the greatest gift he’d ever received. He stared at Sterling the same way. Watching him and Avery become parents felt like such a treasure to witness. They kept going on and on about how grateful they were that I stayed around to help them out, but truthfully, I was thankful to have their new bundles of joy to distract me from my own thoughts.
My thoughts that only revolved around Theo and how much I missed him.
I walked through the house and then stepped out onto the front porch. I arched an eyebrow, and my heart started beating faster when I saw who stood there. “Theo, what are you—”
He held up a piece of paper. “I read your letter.”
“Oh, I…”
He unfolded it and read. “Thank you for a lovely summer, signed Willow.” He tossed his hand up in frustration. “What the hell was that, Willow? ‘Thank you for a lovely summer’? That’s it? That’s all you could come up with?”
I bit my lip and shook my head. “I didn’t know what to—”
“I was wrong about you. You’re not my clementine,” he coldly stated as he stood on the front porch. Those words only took a second to feel like a punch to my gut. But he continued, his eyes simmering with irritation. “You’re a damn hummingbird. A hyper, nonstop, dizzying hummingbird that crashed into my life uninvited. You talk a mile a minute as if the world would end if you didn’t keep yapping. You move around on your tiptoes as if you’re scared the solid ground is hot lava. You buzzed into my life, and then you buzzed out of my life, like a goddamn hummingbird. And it’s been fucking infuriating watching you dart around like nothing can catch you. Like you’re untouchable, and then you have enough nerve to buzz around my fucking heart nonstop yet never really landing.”
“Theo, I—”
“Wait. I’m not done,” he said, cutting me off. He paused, glanced at the porch, raked a hand through his hair, and then sighed. “Do you know what you’ve done to me? Do you know how much you buzzing in and buzzing out fucked with my head? It drove me mad thinking about you these past few weeks. I drove down here livid for the past five hours, too. You pissed me off, Willow, but I can’t truly be mad because I know you.”