Timid (Lark Cove, #2)

by Devney Perry

One day, I am going to marry Jackson Page. I just had to get him to notice me first.

My first kiss.

After years of watching and waiting and hoping, Jackson had finally noticed me. Me, the shy girl who’d loved him from a distance. Tonight, he’d made one of my dreams come true.

Tequila and weed. That was the taste I couldn’t pinpoint last night. That was the reason for the haze in his eyes. He’d been drunk and high during my first kiss.

Who knew if we’d work as a couple? But I would have settled for friendship. Now even friendship was impossible.

“Are you going to stare at that list all day or tell me what happened with Jackson?” “Stare at the list,” I said, not looking her way. “Fine,” she muttered. “I’ll just ask him. Hey, Jackson.” “Hi,” a deep voice rumbled.

“Good,” Hazel declared. “Be mad. Take it out on him. I’m sure that whatever he did, he deserves it. Just like he deserves a thump on the back of the head every now and again.” “He deserves it,” I muttered. “Just don’t be mad forever. I’m not sure what has finally caused that boy’s eyes to open, but I’m glad for it. The best thing that could happen to him is you.”

“Hey, Wayne. You know Willa, don’t you?” I asked. He choked on his beer. “Willa Doon?” I handed him a stack of napkins to clean the beer slobber on his chin. He dried his face and gave me a sideways glance. “Yeah, I know Willa.”

I was good at picking up on subtle hints from women. Wasn’t I?

The right retort would come eventually. I’d be sitting at home, stewing, and think of exactly what to say and how to say it. My comebacks were witty and hilarious. They were crafted with the perfect amount of sarcasm and bite. They just came too late.

It hadn’t been easy to swallow my pride and write that note. But Willa was worth the hit to my ego and she’d deserved that apology for a long time coming.

“You’re not sure?” Mom nearly spit out her sip of martini. “You’ve had a crush on him since you were seventeen. I think the obvious answer here is yes.”

“You guys need anything else?” he asked. “Another martini, Betty?” “Do you mind?” she asked Dad. I always thought it was cute when she did that. My mom’s alcohol tolerance was low and after two martinis, she’d be a ball of giggles. She always made sure Dad didn’t care if she got tipsy, which he never did. But she always asked his permission, not because she had to, but because above all else, they were thoughtful of one another. “Of course not.” He patted her knee. “Go for it. I’ll have another too.”

But she stayed. She sat quietly, taking the moments I had to spare until the place finally cleared out five hours later.

I nearly toppled over. Who was this woman? Was she for real? Most women who sat across from me thought I could do better for myself. To them, I was just a good-looking bartender with no ambition.

I caught my breath and scowled down at Willa. “When were you going to tell me that we’ve kissed before?”

“I’m not bold. Or daring. But you . . . you were my risk. I put myself out there for you and it didn’t work. So yeah, I didn’t tell you about the kiss.”

“I think what’s important is finding a person who makes you better. And someone you can trust with your heart. And, Jackson? I trust you with mine.” Even after our rocky start, I trusted him. “Can I tell you a secret?” He leaned down and whispered, “I have a crush on you.” I smiled. “It’s about time.”

One day, Willa would realize I wasn’t anything special and I couldn’t give her what she needed. I wasn’t a marriage-and-babies kind of guy, but until then, I’d do my best to make this good for her.

And when the time came, it was going to be damn hard to walk away from this woman.

“Me too, babe.” Babe. He’d called me babe earlier, right before I’d come. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. Maybe it was actually kind of perfect. “That one. Babe. I think I like it now.” “Thank god.” He laughed. “I was running out of options.”

I was glad I’d been able to give her this dream. Some other man—a man who believed in love—would get her others. But at least I’d gotten this one.

I wasn’t letting him go.

I’d let him into my home completely, even giving him his own key.

My shy Willa, ready to throw down against my shitty mother. If I hadn’t started falling for her already, that would have tipped me over.

I stuttered my step as I walked, crushing a peanut shell. Willa had power over me. Even in a positive light, it was still power. The realization scared the hell out of me. I’d been relying on myself for so long I wasn’t good at leaning on anyone else. I didn’t want to be at anyone else’s mercy, even if it was just to give me comfort.

“I like your bed,” I told him. “I like you in my bed.”

My boyfriend had left me alone in his bed only to come back hours later smelling like tequila and women’s perfume.

Willa hadn’t stayed a night at my house for the last week, not since I’d gotten that late-night phone call to come down to the bar. Not since I’d made one of the biggest fucking mistakes of my life.

I looked her right in the eye, hoping like hell this was the one lie I could pull off today. “It was no one. Just a wrong number.”

“You’ll be too busy fucking me to worry about dinner.” “Wowzah,” I whispered, enjoying another shiver.

“Who is he accused of killing?” Logan asked. Porter’s eyes reluctantly came to mine. “His mother.”

“What did she say?” “She told me you left your house that night after a phone call. And that you came back three hours and seven minutes later.” She’d been awake? Fuck. I’d been so drunk and exhausted that I hadn’t realized.

Dakota crossed the room and walked right up to Sheriff Magee. “Uncle.”

Whoever has that phone is probably the person who killed her.”

“It’s easy to love someone when times are good. Real love is about holding on to one another when times aren’t.”

“Willa Doon.” I held the ring between my thumb and index finger, then dropped to a knee. “I love you. You’re the reason I smile every day. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You’re my everything. And I want to be yours. I want to make every dream you’ve ever had come true. Will you marry me?”