Chapter 17

Dallas

The sound of the door jostling startles me from staring off into space for the hundredth time today. It's been two days since Willow went back to D.C., and you'd think she broke up with me and flew halfway across the world with the way it's hit me.

But that's the thing—we aren't in a relationship, and she's only six hours away, but her life is up there and soon, she'll be back there permanently.

I knew the reality when I gave in to my attraction toward her. I just never imagined that being without her would hit me this hard.

My pillowcases and sheets still smell like her—warm vanilla and citrus that grabbed hold of my lungs and refused to let go.

I found a piece of her blonde hair on my shirt the other day, and all I could think about is what she looked like on our date with her hair down around her face, and that cherry red lipstick that revealed the siren she truly is.

And when I ran by her house this morning just to check on things and the geese started chasing me in the sand, all I could do was fucking laugh.

Everything reminds me of her in some way, and there's only one logical conclusion I can arrive at—I'm fucked up over this woman.

"Did you see a ghost?" Parker asks as he strides up to the bar, Grady on his heels. It's Thursday so the boys are stopping by for lunch, like usual.

"No, just lost in thought." I turn around, grab the burgers from under the warming lamps, and set them in front of the guys, placing a stack of napkins and a bottle of ketchup on the bar in front of them. "What do you want to drink?"

"The usual," they say in unison before taking bites of their burgers.

I fill up two glasses with Coke and ice, and set them down next to their plates. "There you go."

"Fuck, I needed this today." Grady wipes ketchup from the corner of his mouth. "Mrs. Hansen's car is giving me trouble, and I haven't figured out what the hell the problem is yet. It's been three hours."

"Well, it's a dinosaur, so that's probably why," Parker mumbles around the bite he just took.

"Be careful about calling cars dinosaurs," I say, thinking back to when Willow called my Mustang old.

Fuck. I can't go five minutes without thinking about her.

"I agree." Grady takes a sip of his Coke. "I wish cars were still made that way. All this new technology is a pain in my ass. Did you know I have to take an entire fender off some cars now to change a fucking battery?"

"That's ridiculous," I grumble, only slightly interested in the conversation because the longer I stand here at the bar, the more the mental image of Willow lying on the wooden surface the other night steals my attention.

Fuck, she looked good splayed out on my bar.

Tasted fucking amazing too.

"No, what's ridiculous is that Dallas has been moping around town for the past two days ever since Willow left, and he's pretending that no one has noticed," Parker declares, pulling my attention back to him.

Irritation taps against my temples. "I'm not moping."

"The fuck you aren't," Grady counters. "You look like someone took your favorite toy away."

Well? He's not wrong.

"Willow isn't a toy, asshole." And that's the truth. Of course, I've enjoyed playing with her in the bedroom, but what's going on between us is far more than just casual, regardless of what she thinks and what I convinced myself I was capable of.

"So it's for real then?" Parker questions.

I throw my hands out to the sides. "I don't have a fucking answer for you, okay? You know as much as I do. She needed to leave the house for Penn to finish the floors, which he's doing today, so she decided to go back to D.C. to check on her business."

Parker pops a fry into his mouth. "And what is it that she does?"

"She owns an advertising firm. A fucking successful one."

Yeah, I might have Googled her last night when I couldn't stop thinking about her and was wondering what she was up to.

Marshall Advertising earned $565 million dollars last year in revenue, which is more money than most will ever see in their lifetime.

As soon as I saw that number, my stomach dropped.

No wonder Willow is in a rush to go back to her life.

And how the fuck was I thinking I had anything to offer her if she decided to stay in Carrington Cove.

My restaurant does well, but not that well.

I live in an apartment above my restaurant that is fine for a single guy like me, but not somewhere I would want to start a life with someone.

And as far as money goes, the chunk that I do have was enough for a down payment on the Bayshore house, the house that Willow could sell to me if she leaves, and that's it.

But that means she'd be gone too.

I swear, sometimes I hate the fucking internet.

"Like how successful are we talking?" Grady asks as he leans back in his chair.

"Fucking millions."

Both of their sets of eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. "Shit."

"Yeah, so needless to say, she won't be staying."

Grady arches a brow at me. "But you want her to?"

I set the rag I was holding down on the bar. "Look, we don't have to get all touchy feely during lunch, all right? I'm dealing with it."

Parker scoffs. "Sure, whatever you say. Just make sure you get your head in the game for Saturday."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean against the bar. "Don't you worry about me. I'd worry more about Barb from your office slowing you down."

"I've given her light roles to play this time. She might think she can still do the wheelbarrow race, but I think we all know that's not true after she snapped her wrist last year."

Saturday marks the first day of the Carrington Cove Games, and it's probably the only thing that has given me even an ounce of distraction since Willow left. Although, she should be back before then, and I hope she makes it because I want her to be a part of my team.

My crew at Catch Release is ready. We've been practicing for the wheelbarrow race, tug of war, and each year, there's a surprise competition that no one knows details about until the day of. Each team faces off in a tournament-style competition, racking up points based on how they place.

My competitive spirit is alive and well, and I'm ready to bring home the Cove Cup.

Part of that wouldn't be so you can impress Willow, would it?

What are we now? Sixteen? Trying to win over the girl with our athleticism?

Heck, at this point, it couldn't hurt.

"Doesn't matter. Penn and I are gonna wipe the floor with y'all."

Speaking of the devil, Penn walks through the door with a bandana tied around his head, his shirt soaked in sweat, and his jeans and boots covered in dust. "You got another burger back there?"

"I can whip you up something really quick." I move to fill a glass of water for him first, setting it in front of him.

"Thanks." He heaves out a sigh before taking a seat on the stool next to Grady. "Jesus, what a job."

Parker peaks his head around Grady so he can look at Penn. "Finish the floors?"

"Yes. Finally." Penn grabs the water and drains the entire thing. "Now it's just the roof and paint. I talked to Thompson Painting to help with that since if I did it by myself, it would take a week and I don't have time for that. But are you still up for helping me with the roof?" he asks me.

"Yeah, I told you I would."

"Good. Then we're starting next week after the games are over."

"That's if neither of you gets hurt," Grady interjects.

"Look who's talking, old man." Penn smirks back at him.

"I'm only one year older than you."

"Yeah, but you're all in your thirties, which means you could throw your back out just throwing away a piece of trash," Parker says.

Grady flexes his giant arms, and out of all of us, he's definitely the one packing the most muscle. "Not gonna happen."

"Don't get cocky, old friend. Haven't you heard the saying, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall?'" Penn taps the bar with his finger.

Grady, Parker, and Penn continue their trash talking while I head for the kitchen to make Penn something to eat.

But he's right.

The bigger anything is, the harder it falls.

A tree.

A wall.

And a former Marine.

Because as much as I don't want to admit it, I think I fell head over heels for Willow a long time ago. I just didn't want to admit it.

***

The restaurant is packed for a Thursday, a common effect of the games approaching this weekend. Tourists have been flocking in all week, and the residents are all placing bets on which team is going to win.

I'm in the middle of running food out to a table when a blonde by the front door catches my attention.

But it's not just any blonde.

It's Willow.

As soon as I make sure the customers have everything they need, I head toward her and she starts making her way toward me. When we meet in the middle of the crowded restaurant, I don't say one word to her before smashing my lips to hers.

Fucking finally.

I pull her into my chest, bury my hand in her hair that's falling in waves around her face, and show her just how much I missed her over the past two days.

Our tongues tangle as cheers ring out around us, customers clapping and telling us to get a room.

And that's exactly what I intend to do as soon as this place shuts down for the night.

Perks of having a room right upstairs.

"Well, hello to you too," she murmurs when we part, resting her forehead on mine.

"Hey, Goose."

"That was quite the greeting."

"There's more where that came from. Just wait." I give her one more soft kiss and then lead her by the hand toward the bar.

"Hey, Willow!" Baron calls out to her from the table where he's seated..

"Willow, you look gorgeous, honey!" Dolly says as we walk past her table.

"Thanks, Dolly."

"Good to see you've found someone to keep you busy in town." She waggles her eyebrows as Willow's cheeks turn pink.

When we get behind the bar, she's practically burying her head in my chest. "I feel like everyone is looking at me."

I cast my eyes over the restaurant, confirming that we are definitely the topic of discussion as my customers glance in this direction.

So that's when I reach down and grasp her chin softly, forcing it back up. "They are. They're taken back by the beautiful woman that just walked into my restaurant, the woman that doesn't look frigid with a chip on her shoulder like the first night you walked in here." Willow continues to stare up at me. "You aren't wearing shoes that cost more than their mortgages anymore. Your hair is down instead of pulled back in that bun that must give you a fucking headache, and you're smiling easily. You look human. Beautiful. Like you're one of us." Her eyes move back and forth between mine. "You look happy, Willow."

I can see her fight the curl of her lips, like she wants to smile but won't let herself. "I don't know about happy…but I am definitely optimistic for a change."

Hell. I'll take what I can get. "Optimistic is a far cry from frigid."

"Did you think I was a bitch?" she asks, her voice just a whisper now.

"At first, I wasn't sure what to think of you." I drag my finger down the side of her face. "But now? Now I just can't stop thinking about you, in multiple ways if you catch my drift."

Her arms move around my neck. "Perhaps you can share those thoughts with me sometime."

"I'll do you one better. I'll show you just what I'm thinking later."

"Yes, please," she whispers before kissing me again.

"Fuck. You know what those manners do to me, Willow." I press my hips into hers so she can feel what she's been doing to me since the moment I met her.

"I do. So I'm ready to beg later if that's what you want."

"Hell yeah, I do."

Giggling, she takes a step back. "I do want to go check on the house first and drop off my stuff."

Disappointment rolls through me that she doesn't plan on staying. "Aren't you hungry?"

"I picked up some food on the way down here." She pushes my hair back with her hand. "Don't worry. I promise I'll be back."

"Okay. I'll be here."

She starts to back away from me. "I'm counting on it."

***

I'm finishing up balancing the register when I hear a knock on the back door. It's way past closing, and the only people that use that door are my employees. For a moment I wonder if someone forgot something or needs some kind of help, but when I exit my office and walk back to answer it, I realize the person standing on the other side is exactly the surprise visitor that I was waiting on.

"Hey, Goose."

Willow stands there in the same white tank top and jean shorts from earlier, looking like a delectable treat, her hair down around her face still and her smile bright and wide. "Hey."

"Fuck. Get in here." I pull her inside by her arm, slam the door behind her, and then press her up against it, covering her mouth with mine.

"You act like we didn't see each other a few hours ago," she mumbles against my lips as my hands cup her ass and pull her closer to me. "I take it you're happy to see me again?"

I thrust my hips into her stomach. "I don't know. You tell me."

Her eyes bounce all over my face as she drags her nails through my beard. "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm happy to see you too. Thankfully alone this time."

Our mouths meet once more as I push her against the door, showing her how much I've thought of her for the past two days and ready to make good on my promise.

She tastes like chocolate and bad decisions, warmth and sin, and her body in this outfit is the perfect kind of trouble that I want to get wrapped up in.

Unfortunately, she detaches her mouth from mine. "Not that I'm not enjoying our reunion, but I'm really thirsty and need to pee."

"I'll meet you behind the bar then."

Willow heads out toward the bathrooms while I adjust my dick in my jeans and make my way to the bar. But when I get out to the front of the restaurant, I notice that one of the tables has chairs that weren't put up. Walking over there, I flip the chairs over and rest the seats on the tabletop, making the floors clear and easier to be mopped in the morning.

When I turn around, I find Willow standing behind my bar with a coy smile on her mouth and a sparkle in her eyes.

"You look good standing there," I say, watching her every movement.

"Do I now?" She purses her lips and spins a glass in her hand, attempting to be fancy as she moves to fill a drink. But then she almost drops it on the floor, saving it at just the last second. "Um, just pretend you didn't see that."

Chuckling, I reply, "No can do, Goose. That image is now tattooed on my brain among the others."

She rolls her eyes, but then smirks in my direction again. "That's fine. Let me give you another one to add to the collection then, shall we?"

Slowly, she drags her tank top up her torso, extracting it from her body, leaving her standing there in a simple white bra that looks so good against her tan skin. Next, she unbuttons her shorts and shoves them down, shimmying her hips as she does so, and then stands tall again, licking her lips seductively.

And I'm instantly hard again, contemplating just how fucking lucky I am to be here with her, and not questioning how we got here.

Because all I see in front of me is not a practically naked woman whom I'm about to devour.

No.

I see a woman rooted in place.

She looks happy.

She looks like she belongs there.

She looks like she's mine.

And I show her how much I like that idea all night long.

***

"I wasn't sure if you were going to make it." My mother treads across the sand to where I'm standing with my team, waiting for the first game to begin. The Carrington Cove Games are about to be underway and we couldn't have asked for better weather.

The sun is shining, the ocean breeze is light but strong enough to ward off the heat, and the crowd of spectators is growing by the minute.

"You know I wouldn't miss the games." She pats me on the shoulder before pulling me in for a hug.

"I know. It's just the first one since Dad died, and…"

She straightens her spine. "I can't be afraid to live because of the emotions that are going to pop up, Dallas. Your father may not be here, but I still am."

I pull her closer and kiss her temple. "Yes you are, Mom."

As I go to release her, Willow approaches us from behind, her voice causing me to spin around. "Sorry I'm late." But before she gets close to me, she freezes. "Oh. Um, hi."

My mother clears her throat. "Hello there."

My eyes bounce back and forth between them, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say that Willow is nervous about meeting my mother. I didn't exactly tell Willow that she'd be here, but I knew this meeting was inevitable.

This is a small town after all.

"Willow, this is my mother, Katherine. Mom, this is Willow, the woman…"

"Who inherited the Bayshore house," my mother finishes for me. "I know."

"You two have met?" I ask, staring at them both.

"Not officially," my mother answers. "But you know how people talk, Dallas, and a name like Willow isn't one you hear very often."

Willow tucks her hair behind her ear even though most of it is pulled back in her signature low bun. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Sheppard."

"Please, honey. Call me Katherine."

"If you insist." Willow turns to me now. "Anything you need me to do?"

"Actually there is." I reach down to the bag by my feet and pull out the shirt I brought just for her. "You can put this on." Holding up the navy blue t-shirt with the Catch Release logo on it, I study her face for her reaction.

Her eyes bounce between me and my mom. "You want me to be on your team?"

I cup the side of her face. "Yeah, Goose. I do."

My mother clears her throat. "I'll give you two a minute."

I watch her walk away and then pull Willow into my chest. "What do you say? Wanna help me bring home the cup?"

She gnaws on her bottom lip. "I'm honored, Dallas. I am, but I'm not a resident of Carrington Cove…"

"Yes, you are, Willow," I cut her off. "You can fight it all you want, but you own a house here now, which makes you one of us. And the best way to experience the Carrington Cove Games is to participate."

Her smile slowly takes over her face. "Okay, but I'm warning you. I have the athletic ability of a giraffe that's just been born, so don't get upset if my lack of physical prowess prevents us from winning."

I give her a quick kiss. "Don't worry. Something tells me you're stronger than you think."