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I shrug. “I’d be very proud of him if he turned out like you.” When she tilts her head, one soft tendril of hair slips out and caresses the side of her face. “Really?” “Yes, Willa. What more could I want for him? Intelligent, independent, a solid sense of humor, a good head on his shoulders.”
But I’m caught on the part where she’s married to some man who rolls his eyes at her. A man who isn’t me.
“Why?” I husk. “Because I want your attention when I thank you.” “For what?” She lets out an exhausted sigh. “Taking care of me.”
“You’re a good man, Cade Eaton.”
“I heard Dad tell Grandpa it doesn’t matter how much money Blueberry is worth because she’s the biggest bitch he’s ever ridden, and her mean attitude already makes her a winner.”
“He’s probably going to need a massage tomorrow,” Jasper tosses back. “Willa can do that for him,” Luke slides in casually.
Rhett looks like a goddamn dog with a bone. “Oh yeah? Have Willa and your dad been swapping massages?” “No. Just beds.”
“Keep talking like that and I’m going to fuck the filth right out of your pretty mouth.”
“Woman.” He always sounds so snarky when he calls me woman. “Are you insane? You think I went three years without laying my hand on a single person to break my streak with one as exceptional as you and then let you just walk away?”
“No.” He holds up a hand. “I’m going to talk. And you’re going to close your mouth and listen. Because if you’d let me finish what I was saying out there, you wouldn’t have spent a single moment in here thinking I don’t want to complicate things with you. I said I promised myself I wouldn’t complicate this with you. You’re young, you’re restless, and I’m truthfully too
fucking jealous to do anything casual with you.” He runs a hand through his hair, giving the ends a frustrated little tug. “I’ve watched you with my son. I’ve watched you, period. I’ve longed for you. I went crazy tonight thinking of you out with Lance. I know in my bones that I won’t want to let you go at the end of the summer, but I’ll take what I can get. Because you’re too fucking special to pass up. Fuck my promises, that’s what I was going to say.”
Cade: Just need like ten more minutes. Willa: Any guesses on whether or not I put panties on this morning? Cade: I’m sitting with my dad right now. I don’t need a boner. Willa: No panties. My kitty is too sore from riding your massive pole. Cade: Woman, are you intentionally ignoring my instructions? Willa: You don’t tell me what to do. I thought we’d established that by now?
“Sometimes I wish you were my mom.”
“At that birthday party? Where I got held under the water? He told me that even my mom didn’t like me.”
“He’s a total shithead and I love you too.”
“Luke!” Cade’s voice is closer this time. “Willa! Why does it look like Valentine’s Day threw up all over the driveway?”
“You’re in love with my best friend, aren’t you?”
Rhett: You know Medusa? Willa: Not personally, no. Rhett: Remember the part about not looking her in the eyes? Willa: I’ve always kind of liked Medusa. If I were her, I’d wanna turn men into stone too. Rhett: Pretend Talia is Medusa. But a version we don’t like.
“Because you’ve never been just the nanny, Willa.”
“You’ve always been more. The woman I wanted but wouldn’t let myself have.”
“Do you know what I care about though?” His fingers bite into my skin. “You, Willa. I care about you. You have nothing—and I mean nothing—to be jealous of.”
“But she’s had everything. Everything I didn’t even realize I wanted, and she just took it all for granted and walked away. And now she’s here acting all entitled, and I’m so jealous that my teeth ache with it. I have never, never felt like this, and I want it to stop.”
“You don’t want what she’s had. You want more. You deserve more. And I’m going to give it to you.
In the blink of an eye, he’s adjusted his grip to pop open my jaw and stuffs my panties inside.
“I wouldn’t care. You’re mine, Willa. And I don’t give a fuck who knows it.”
Cade: Baby, why are you blushing? Willa: Because I swear people are looking at me like I just got my brains fucked out. Cade: You did. Willa: I think these panties are ruined. Cade: I’ll wash them for you. And then shove them in your mouth again the next time you say something rude. Willa: Fuck off. Cade: Careful. They haven’t even been washed yet.
“I’m—fuck—I’m scared, Willa. I’m scared you’re too young. That you haven’t lived enough. That you’re too far out of my league. I’m scared I won’t be enough for you and you’ll walk away. And I’ll be stuck here in the shambles again. And so will Luke this time.”
I love her, period.
“You got something against condoms?”
“Some sort of breeding kink I don’t know about?”
“I haven’t shaved my legs.” I chuckle. “I don’t care. Don’t you get it? I’m in love with you, Willa. Prickly legs, random carrots in your purse, pregnant, not pregnant. I want you.”
“More than
anything in the world, I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.”
One soft cheek hitches up, and he glances back down into the dark well. “I wished for Willa to come back.” My eyes burn when I pull him into me, feel his tiny arms clutching at my waist. And my voice cracks when I say, “Me too, pal. Me too.”
“I know. But dad made that one. I told him the same thing.” My head snaps around to Cade, who still hasn’t moved but is staring at me like I might disappear if he blinks. “But he said they wouldn’t be for long.”
“See,
Dad? I told you not to be sad. I told you she’d come back. Our wishes came true! She loves us too much to leave.”
A sigh lifts and then drops his small shoulders as he glances down at his cookie. “Do you think . . .” He peers back up at me now. “Do you think it would be okay if I called you mom too?”
“I’m sorry if the magic is gone after this,” he replies with, “It’s okay, I’ve lived through a lot of calving seasons.”
