Page 7 of Crossed Lines

But now…? The Willow in front of me doesn’t look like that.

No, she’s in denim shorts that show off her long, toned legs and a small T-shirt that doesn’t hide any of her curves. Her brown hair is down and has a slight curl at the bottom, and while she’s not wearing much makeup, I can tell she’s got on enough to make her brown eyes pop. She certainly doesn’t look like a kid anymore.

My throat goes dry.

This Willow is a woman.

This Willow looks beautiful.

But this Willow is also still my best friend’s little sister.

Holy hell, I’m in trouble.

CHAPTER 3

Willow

Beck’s house looks exactly how I remember it. It’s small but charming with a large front porch, two rocking chairs, and a small garden out front. I always used to think it was so cute that he took the time to plant a garden and take care of it. He also made sure the house looked nice with its white siding, light blue shutters, and matching door.

From memory, I know the inside has three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. I know the living room opens up to the kitchen with a big wooden table off to the side. I know that he tried so hard to decorate the inside to make it feel homey so that his daughter wouldn’t feel like she was staying at a bachelor pad.

I remember all of these things because I used to have a teeny tiny, very minuscule crush on him. Not a crush in the way that I felt my heart would be broken forever if he didn’t notice me, but a smaller one. One that was more like “Hey, my brother’s best friend is cute and really sweet, and I kinda like him.” I never minded when Sawyer had Beck hang out with me until he was off work because I was always comfortable around him. But as I got older, I realized that Beck acted like he was another big brother to me. It was hard being a teenager, trying to do regular teenage things, with the two of them always watching out for me.

But seeing Beck now in worn-in blue jeans, a T-shirt that pulled across his broad chest, and a backward ball cap, my teeny tiny crush on him slowly fluttered back to the forefront of my mind. His skin is tan from being in the sun all day, and I can just barely see his dark hair curling from underneath his hat. When he smiles at Jade, little lines appear by his eyes. Eyes that indicate he’s older, but also that he’s happy and smiling all the time. Jade is likely the reason for that.

I remember being sad when Sawyer told me Beck and his girlfriend at the time were going to have a baby. But as soon as I held Jade for the first time, all that sadness was gone. She was perfect. Probably because she was half of Beck.

Beck looks in my direction, and his face falls. It sends a sinking feeling to the pit of my stomach. Was he not expecting me? Sawyer said he knew we were stopping by to talk about the job. Maybe he doesn’t like my outfit? I didn’t think about changing after Sawyer and I spent most of the day unpacking my things, but maybe I should have. Maybe my shorts and tank top aren’t appropriate for this job interview.

I swallow down my worry and walk toward Beck, thinking maybe he’s just uncomfortable around me since he hasn’t seen me in a few years. Once we get reacquainted, everything will go back to normal. I smile at him as I wrap my arms around his torso, bringing him into a hug. He’s just as big and muscly as I remember, and he still smells the same. A touch of citrus mixed with wood and leather. I always liked that.

He’s rigid for a moment before he finally returns my hug.

“Hey, Wills. It’s good to see you,” he says.

“You too, Beck.”

Even though I don’t want to, I pull away and turn toward Jade, who’s walking over now that Sawyer has put her down.

“Hi, Jade. You’ve gotten so big,” I say, crouching down to her. “You probably don’t remember me, but I knew you when you were just a baby. I’m Willow, Sawyer’s little sister.”

“You’re pretty,” she says in greeting.

I chuckle. “Not as pretty as you!” This makes her smile.

“Are you gonna be my babysitter this summer?” she asks.

“I’d like to be, but I’ve got to talk to your dad about it first.”

She nods before she walks to Beck and takes his hand.

“Y’all come on in,” Beck says, waving us in. Sawyer and I follow them into the house. It looks exactly how I remember it, except for a few more toys and some homemade art that I’m sure came from Jade.

“Do you want anything to drink? Water, sweet tea, Coke?” Beck asks us once the three of us have gathered around his kitchen island. Jade ran off to the living room to play with her dolls.

Sawyer chuckles. “Since when do you offer refreshments? I always just help myself.”

Beck sighs and shakes his head. “I’m trying to be welcoming. It’s been awhile since Willow was here.”