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I shake my head, feeling like I’ve entered the twilight zone. Talking to Willa is like trying to follow a ball in a pinball machine. She’s the opposite of calm, cool, and collected Winnie.
Except for when we kissed. Winnie was out of control then.
“So?” Willa prompts, “How’d you know I wasn’t my sister?”
That’s a good question. Looking at her now, it’s hard to put a finger on it. She’s identical to Winnie, yet it’s plain as day that she’s not her. “I’m not sure. Something about your expression, maybe? It didn’t seem like a look that would work on Winnie’s face.”
“We have the same face,” she points out, sliding onto the barstool next to mine. “How do you know Winnie?”
Caleb clears his throat. “Jax went to look for a certain spring.”
Willa’s body stiffens, and her face transforms into a hard mask. The twinkle in her eyes turns to ice.
Unfortunately, that’s a look I recognize all too well.
Caleb slaps his palms on the bar. “I’ll go check on your food, Jax. You’ll be taking it to go?” He phrases it like a question, but his stony expression makes it obvious it’s not.
The McAllisters have made themselves clear. I’m not welcome in Frosty Crest.
Chapter 7
Winnie
I angrily swipe a teardrop from my cheek. It’s been hours since I kicked Jax out. The sun is setting, and Jax has probably left the state by now. But angry tears continue to seep from the corners of my eyes.
I’m not even sure who I’m mad at. Jax? Myself?
One thing’s for sure, I never should have kissed him. That was an idiotic move if there ever was one. With that kiss, I sealed my fate. I am hopelessly in love with Jax Whalen, and I always will be. Not the magazine version of him that I’ve had a crush on for so many years but the sensitive, caring man who plays with my dog, calls me beautiful, and kisses me with so much passion that I think making love to him may fracture my sanity.
But none of that was real. It was all a ploy to visit the hot spring. He was just acting, right?
My cell phone chimes with a text message. I glance at the screen, unsurprised when I see Willa’s name. She’s texted numerous times already. If it was Wren, I’d be worried, but with Willa… well, she’s a woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind. Every little detail of every single thing that happens to be on her mind. So, it’s not unusual to get a ton of messages from her every day.
The only time Willa’s mind is laser-focused on a task is when she’s drowning out all the noise with the buzz of a chainsaw. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body, but Willa can transform a log into a unique piece of art. She has an amazing gift.
My phone rings and I glance down in surprise. Willa’s more of a texter than a caller. But this time, it’s Wren.
I push the button to answer the phone. “Wren? What’s wrong? Is Navy okay?”
“Everything’s fine, Win. Your darling nephew is spending the night at Brody’s. I’m here with Willa. You’re on speakerphone.”
“Hey, Winnie,” Willa says. “For the record, I noticed that you answered on the first ring when Wren called, but you haven’t responded to a single text of mine all day. Not cool, sister. Not cool.”
I chuckle. “We both know that Wren only calls if it’s important.”
“I spend enough time at work on the phone,” Wren grumbles. “I hate phones.”
Willa and I both laugh. And suddenly, tears are no longer falling from my eyes. The ache is still there, and I’m not sure it’ll ever go away, but my sisters make everything bearable. They always have.
“Did you read any of Willa’s texts today?” Wren asks.
“No,” I admit. “Sorry, Will. I’ve had a bad day, and I’m just not in the mood for chitchat.”
“If you’d read my messages, you’d know that I met Jax Whalen today at the restaurant,” Willa says.
“And he knew she wasn’t you,” Wren interjects.
I shrug. “That’s hardly a surprise. He knows my hair isn’t pink.”
