Waiting for Willa

by Kristen Proby

“How has your day been?”

  “Great.”

  He leans in to whisper in my ear. “I will walk through bullshit with you as long as you don’t bullshit me.”

  I sigh. “Been a shit day,” I whisper back. “And, yes, I could use your help with Alex’s homework. It’s math.”

  “I can do math in my sleep,” he reminds me, making me grin.

  I only passed sophomore trigonometry because of Max.

  “I appreciate the help, and I know Alex will get a kick out of it. He likes you.”

  He smiles. “I like him, too. Almost as much as I like his mama.”

  And with that, he winks and hurries off to find my son.

  “Oh, and your car is possessed!” I yell at Max’s back.

  He just waves, not looking back at me, and I can’t help but grin.

  “Gotta love the Lord for making things like that,” Maisey says with a lazy grin as she joins me at the counter, laying a pair of shoes on the glass.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” I reply, doing my best to school my face and ignore the redness in my cheeks.

  “Sure, you don’t,” she says with a snort. “I love these shoes.”

  “So do I,” I reply, happy to change the subject to my favorite topic: fashion. I chat with Maisey and Brooke for about ten minutes before they hurry off.

  About thirty minutes before closing time, Max and Alex come out of my office, smiling and joking about something.

  It’s a bit alarming to see my son enjoying a man who isn’t his grandfather. It makes me wonder if I’m doing right by him by not being married.

  A boy needs a father.

  Before I can think about that in depth, Max says, “Alex and I are going to go get some takeout for dinner so it’s ready when you’re done here.”

  “Max, you’ve done so much already. You really don’t have to—”

  “Are you going to argue with me every time I try to be helpful?” he asks, leaning on the glass of my counter.

  “We’re gonna get subs,” Alex informs me. I reach out to smooth the hair on the side of my son’s head. It always wants to stand on end. “I want the ’talian one. With pepperoni.”

  “I suppose subs sound good,” I relent and smile at Max. “Thanks. I like turkey.”

  “Alex told me,” he says with a wink. “You let us worry about dinner, and we’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Yeah, let us worry about it, Mom,” Alex says before hugging me around the middle and then leading Max to the front door. I stand and watch them leave, pulled from my reverie when my mom’s voice surprises me.

  “I can handle things here, and you can go with them,” she says.

  “I didn’t know you were here.”

  “I just came in the back. I wanted to see if you needed my help, but it looks like someone else beat me to the punch.”

  I sigh and loop my arm through hers. “It’s new.”

  “It’s good,” she says with a smile. “As long as it’s what you want.”

  “I don’t hate it,” I admit with a smile.

  “Max was always special to you.”

  “Is the guilt normal?” I ask, knowing that my mom will understand.

  “Yes, and you need to let it go, darling girl. Cary would want you to live your life. He wouldn’t want you to be alone forever.”

  “I know,” I whisper. “Alex likes Max.”

  “He is a likeable man. He always was.” Mom kisses my cheek. “Want me to close up here?”

  “No. There’re only thirty minutes left, and it’s slowed down. I have interviews tomorrow to fill Krista’s position.”

  “Hire two,” she advises me. “You need the help.”

  I nod, thinking it over. “You’re right. Having the extra help would be nice. And it would free me up more in the afternoons with Alex.”

  “Not to mention if you want to play hooky with a handsome someone whose name rhymes with fax.”

  I giggle, then roll my eyes. “Since when are you such a romantic?”

  “Always have been,” she says. “And it’s time you are, too. Alex is wonderful, but a woman needs more in her life than her children. And you said it yourself, Alex likes him.”

  “He does. Well, who knows? It might not go anywhere at all.”

  “Just enjoy him,” she advises. “Have a little fun.”

  She pats my cheek and smiles. “Now, if you don’t need me, I’ll go get some dinner for Ken and me.”

  “How is Ken?” I ask. Mom married Ken about five years ago. He’s ten years younger than she is and treats her like a queen. It’s fun to watch.

  “He’s wonderful. And most likely hungry.”

  “Tell him I said hi. Let’s get together for dinner this weekend.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll make pot roast.”

  Mom leaves just as Max and Alex come back in. Max hugs my mom in greeting and asks her to give his best to Ken when she sees him.

  Yes, Max is a likeable man.

  He watches me as he walks my way, his eyes happy and full of humor.

  “Mom, we got four sandwiches, just in case,” Alex says.

  “In case of what?” I ask.

  “In case we want more,” Alex replies with a shrug, just the way Max would, and it makes me laugh.

  “It’s good to be prepared.”

  It doesn’t take me long to close up shop for the night.

  “I’ll follow you home,” Max says. “It’s icy. Be careful.”

  “Your car—”

  “Alex told me all about it,” he interrupts, and I stare at my son in surprise.

  “You ratted me out?”

  Alex giggles, and Max pushes my hair over my shoulder.

  “Do you need a lesson on the car?” he asks.

  “Too late. I think I have it figured out now. Oh! Except the mirrors. I can’t figure out how to get them to fold out.”

  His lips twitch as he opens the door and pushes a simple button.

  “That was not there this morning.”

  “Buttons do magically appear,” he says with a nod, and I bump his hip with mine.

  “Don’t be a smartass,” I mutter, glaring at him in jest.

  “Let’s go, I’m hungry,” Alex says from the backseat of the Range Rover.

  “You heard the man,” Max says, walking to his Mercedes. “We’re hungry.”

  Chapter Five

  ~Max~

  “WILL YOU PLEASE PASS me that paintbrush?” Jenna asks the next day. We’re standing in one of her rental properties. The former tenants moved out, and she’s sprucing it up for the next ones.

  I hand her the brush, and she gets to work painting the trim on the window in the master bedroom.

  “How much do you rent this for?” I ask, looking around. The house is older, in an original neighborhood in Cunningham Falls. It’s near schools and downtown.

  “Fifteen hundred,” she replies with a smile. “I snatched it up when the market was down.”

  “You could get more than that.”

  “Not everyone can afford more than that,” she reminds me with a shrug. “It covers the mortgage and the upkeep with a little extra, so it’s fine. If you want to start on that wall, the roller is over there.”

  “How did I get roped into this?”

  She offers me a bright smile.

  “You love me, and you miss me. This way, you get to spend time with me.”

  “You’re engaged to a movie star, and your brother has more money than any one person should. We could pay someone to do this.”

  She stares out the window for a second, contemplating, then shrugs again. “I like to do it. You don’t have to paint if you don’t want to. Just chat with me.”

  “I can do both,” I reply, loading the paint on the roller, then gliding it onto the wall.

  “How’s Willa?” she asks.

  “Beautiful,” I reply immediately. “Funny. Sexy. Smart.”

  “But how do you really feel?” she asks with a laugh. “I think i
t’s great you’re spending time together again. Do you like Alex?”

  “He’s great.” I turn back to the tray of paint to reload my roller. “She’s done a good job of raising him. He’s not a brat, he has manners, and he’s a kick in the butt.”

  “Alex is the best,” Jenna agrees. “He’s so fun-loving and sweet.”

  “Like his mom,” I say softly. “But I see a lot of Cary in him, as well.”

  “Agreed,” Jenna says with a sigh before taking a sip of her coffee and examining her handiwork. “They’re a cute little package.”

  “And I’m squarely in the friend zone,” I say in disgust. “I don’t think I can do it, Jen.”

  “Be her friend?”

  “Be just her friend. She’s still the most amazing person I’ve ever known. I don’t want to be her buddy.”

  “Of course, you don’t,” Jenna says, surprising me. “Willa was never just your friend, Max. She was your girl. It makes absolute sense that you want more now.”

  “I don’t know what to do about it,” I admit. “She fights me at every turn. I offer to help with things, simple things, and she immediately puts up a wall and says, ‘that’s okay.’ She’s so damn stubborn.”

  “It’s been just her for nine years,” Jenna reminds me. “She’s had to depend on herself. Yes, she has parents and friends who help, but it’s not the same as having a partner. So, it makes sense that she is resistant to accept help from a man. A man that she has feelings for but who hasn’t been a part of her life in a very long time.”

  “Are you a shrink now?” I ask, setting the roller down and propping my hands on my hips.

  “I’m smart,” she says. “You’re not the only one in the family with brains. So, here’s the million-dollar question.”

  “I’ll pay you a million dollars if we can change the subject,” I reply, making her snort.

  “Why haven’t you asked her out?”

  I blink at her, then scowl. “Because this is Willa.”

  “And?”

  “And up until a couple weeks ago, we weren’t even speaking.”

  “You are now.” She sips her coffee. “And Willa is a woman, Max. Not just a mom or your old girlfriend. She’s a woman who wants some romance. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.”

  “Huh.” I rub my hand over the back of my neck. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Because you’re smart, but you’re too stuck in your head. You romanced her once before, and it worked because she was head over heels in love with you. Do what you did then but on steroids. Court her.”

  “That’s not a bad idea.” I check the time on my Apple watch and grin. “It’s lunchtime.”

  “Are you thinking of food now?” she asks.

  “No. I’m going to take Willa some lunch and ask her out.”

  “Atta boy,” she says, offering me her fist to bump. “Go get your girl.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and paint?”

  “Yeah, I do want you to stay and paint,” she replies, making me pause and stare at her. “Kidding. Get out of here. I’ll call Willa later and get all the details.”

  I grin, then hurry out of the house and to my SUV. If I remember correctly, Willa could never resist the tacos from José’s, so I swing through there and order her favorite—chicken tacos with chips and salsa—then walk down the block to Willa’s shop.

  The bell over the door dings as I walk inside. There are no customers, and Willa isn’t behind the counter. I set the bag down and go looking for her.

  “That won’t work for me,” I hear her say. She’s in her office and on the phone. She sees me walk in and smiles, holding her finger up to signal that she’ll be just a minute. “I ordered those blouses ten days ago and paid for overnight shipping. You’ll refund all of my money and send the blouses, today, or I pull my business from you altogether. And that’s a lot of lost money for you. …That’s right. See that you do.”

  She hangs up, crosses something off her to-do list, and smiles at me.

  “Hi,” she says.

  “That was damn sexy,” I reply. I want to pull her against me and kiss the ever-loving hell out of her, but this isn’t the time or place for that.

  Not yet.

  But soon.

  “Me complaining is sexy?”

  “You running your business like a damn boss is sexy.” I drag my knuckles down her cheek. “I’m proud of you, Wills.”

  Her cheeks redden, and she offers me a shy smile.

  “I don’t like people who don’t run their business well,” she admits. “And this distributor has been on my last nerve.”

  “Time to find a new one.” I take her hand and lead her out of her office. “I hope you’re hungry because I brought food.”

  “You feed me a lot,” she says, but her eyes light up when she sees the bag from José’s. “Chicken tacos?”

  “Of course.”

  “You know I can’t resist these.”

  I laugh as she tears into the bag and takes a bite of her taco. “I know.”

  I clear my throat, suddenly as nervous as I was the first time I asked her out when I was sixteen.

  “I also came by to ask you out,” I blurt. Willa stops chewing and stares at me with wide, brown eyes. “Why do you look like a deer caught in the headlights?”

  She shakes her head and swallows the bite in her mouth.

  “Like, on a date?”

  I smile, trying to hide the fact that her lack of enthusiasm is killing my ego.

  “That’s usually how it works, yes.”

  She scoops some salsa onto a chip but just stares at it while she seems to think it over.

  “If you’d rather not—”

  “That would be fun,” she says at the same time.

  “Friday night?”

  She nods. “Sure. What time?”

  “Six,” I reply, an idea taking shape in my head.

  “I’ll be ready,” she says with a sweet smile. “And thanks for lunch.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  ***

  Her porch lights are on, and my Range Rover is parked in front of the garage. It’s snowed every day, so I stopped by while she was at work to shovel for her.

  I don’t like the idea of her working her ass off all day, then coming home and doing more. I know she has enough to do with Alex.

  Shoveling is the least I can do.

  Willa’s home is a beautiful farmhouse that sits on about ten acres. When you think of the houses on Christmas cards, well, this is what you see.

  It’s tasteful and pretty, just like Willa.

  I get out of my car, smooth my hands down my jacket, and take a deep breath.

  You’d think I’d never been on a date before.

  I just don’t want to fuck this up. This is Willa.

  I climb the steps to the porch and ring the doorbell. When Willa answers the door, I just about swallow my tongue.

  She’s in a pretty pink sweater that falls off one shoulder, black leggings, and grey boots that go up to her knees.

  “Hey,” she says with a smile, stepping back to let me inside. “I’m just about ready. Mom just left with Alex.”

  “Sleepover?” I ask, my dick twitching at the thought of Willa being free all night long.

  Calm the fuck down, Hull.

  “Yes, and he was excited. He was also sure to remind me to ask you to come to his birthday party tomorrow afternoon. No obligation, of course.”

  “I’d love to,” I reply honestly, relieved that I thought to pick him up a present earlier this week. “What time should I be here?”

  “It starts at two. There will be a herd of young boys here, my mom and Ken, and Cary’s parents on FaceTime.”

  “That’s cool,” I reply. “I’ll be here at two.”

  She grins and drapes her jacket over her arm, then reaches for her small purse and nods. “I’m set.”

  “Perfect.”

  I wait while she locks her house, then open the c
ar door for her. Once she’s settled in her seat, I shut the door and hurry around to the driver’s side.

  “What’s on tap for tonight?” she asks as I pull away from her house.

  “I thought we’d start with dinner at Ed’s.” I glance over to see her lips tip up in a grin. “And maybe a movie after.”

  “So, our first date all over again?”

  “Is that too cheesy?”

  She laughs. “Not at all. It’s actually really sweet. And comfortable.”

  I reach over and link her fingers with mine, the same way I did on that first date, and she sighs happily, gripping my fingers in return.

  “You do have a nicer car now,” she admits.

  “You didn’t like my old Datsun truck?”

  “I mean, it was fine. It got us around. But it didn’t have heated seats or satellite radio.”

  “It didn’t have a radio at all,” I reply with a laugh. “And it broke down more than it ran.”

  “I think that’s how first cars are supposed to be,” she says with a shrug. “Maybe I’ll feel differently when it’s time for Alex to have a vehicle. Thank God we’re a few years out from that.”

  I blink, thinking about Alex as a teenager. I hope I’m still a part of their lives then. I’d happily buy him any car he wants.

  “Speaking of cars, have you heard anything on yours?”

  “Still at least a week until it’s finished,” she says with a sigh. “If you need the Rover back, I’m sure I can borrow my mom’s.”

  “That’s not why I was asking. You can keep it.”

  She stares at me in shock. “Until my car is done.”

  “Sure.”

  I glance over to find her eyes narrowed.

  “You didn’t mean I can keep it forever.”

  “What if I did?”

  “I’d laugh and ask you if you’ve been drinking.”

  My lips twitch. Most of the women I’ve dated over the past ten years would have simply said, “thanks, I’ll keep it.”

  Not Willa.

  “I don’t need it.”

  “Then why did you buy it?” she asks.

  “Good question.” I sigh and slow down to stop at a red light. “Because I can? Does that make me sound like an asshole?”

  “No, it makes you sound rich,” she replies.

  “I am rich, Wills. No more Datsun trucks for me. I can buy pretty much anything in the world.”