AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let me say goodbye,” she laughs, patting my chest. I reluctantly let her take over, and she pulls me by the hand over to the happy couple.
“We’re going to head home,” Willow says casually, but the words hit me dead in the chest. We share a home, and at least right now, I make her happy. Maybe I can protect her from the evils of my world and keep her happy. Just maybe.
“Thanks for coming,” Cole says to me as we shake hands. He seems like a great guy, definitely a great brother, even if he annoys the shit out of his sister.
“Congratulations,” I offer them both.
He just nods in reply, and Lyla thanks me. We make our way around the room to say goodbye. I’m both shocked and honored when Harmony asks me for a hug, but I graciously accept her warm offer. Everyone, in fact, seems to have welcomed me into their fold.
“We can’t leave until I say goodbye to Grace and Marcus. Have you seen them?” she asks Charlie, who reminds me where I know the rowdy group of guys from; they’re her bandmates. Headspace.
“I think they went downstairs,” Charlie says with a shrug.
“Ok. I’ll miss you guys. I hope you come back soon,” Willow says.
“Actually, we’ve accepted a permanent residency in Vegas, so we’ll be closer.”
This news makes my woman outwardly happy, and she bounces back into Charlie’s arms, hugging her and telling her how excited she is. Charlie promises to give her details for us to visit. Like a fool, I overthink the invite and feel, even for a split second, like I’m part of the family.
We head downstairs in search of our last people to say goodbye to when we hear yelling. I hurry in front of her, following the sound to the kitchen. I stop dead when I turn into the open space and see Marcus kissing Grace. Instead of being a cock block, I retreat quietly and put my hand over Willow’s mouth. She looks at me in confusion, but I back her up and out of the doorway with a stern shake of my head. She stays quiet, and we leave hand in hand. Out on the street, I turn to her and tell her what I saw. Her shock is clear. The couple has had a very rocky relationship, but she’s suspected something might be going on behind their daughter’s back. We both voice our hope that they’re trying to work things out as we walk down the sidewalk.
“Dinner was wonderful, thank you for inviting me. Your friends are all really great, so different from mine. I can see why you left New York and high society behind. The thought itself is tempting.”
She looks over at me with a curious expression but doesn’t comment on my inner musings. Instead, she looks around like she’s making a plan.
“What? What is it?” I ask, looking around, worried, but when she grins up at me, I realize I’ve overreacted a bit.
“Do you trust me?”
“Without question.” My honesty surprises me, but I’m the untrustworthy one, not Willow. She’s perfect.
Suddenly, I’m being pulled by Willow onto the pier. She doesn’t say a word as we slowly make our way to the end, hopping on the bottom board and throwing her leg over. I grab her waist, worried she’ll fall, but my worries make her laugh.
“Without question?” She repeats my words. A beat passes as we stare at each other, her looking back at me, still sitting on the wooden railing. My nerves seem to disappear, and I can’t help but grin back at her as adrenaline courses through me. I grip the board beside her and hop up to sit. Our feet dangle off as the ocean roars beneath us, and still, hope bubbles up inside me, instead of fear.
“This doesn’t scare you? Even after what happened to your friend?”
She looks out over the water, deep in thought.
“You know, I’ve seen a lot of therapists since the accident, and I thought they were all a waste of my time. For two years after moving here, I lived free of my family, except Cole, of course. He dropped everything and moved here with me.” She smiles at the thought. “Anyway, I was still haunted. It wasn’t New York or my family; it was Vicky, because I hadn’t really dealt with her death. I mourned her and missed her every day but pushed the accident itself to the back of my mind, telling myself not to think about it. The day I thought about it for the first time, I was right here.” Her last words are choked with emotion. “Then I jumped.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears as she looks over at me. The wind blowing up off the water causes her hair to rise and fall around her face. The sweetest expression crosses her face, and I can’t help it. I break.
“I love you,” I say.
Her smile is wide and genuine, but she doesn’t say a word. Instead, she takes my hand. I nod, and just like that, we’re falling. In the short span of time before we hit the water, my eyes never leave my girl.
“I love you!” she shouts, and we hit the water. I lose her hand on impact and kick my way back to the surface, drowning in emotion. Gasping for fresh air as I break the surface, I have a sudden moment of panic until Willow surfaces beside me. We swim the small distance to meet each other, and I take her mouth with mine. I kiss her possessively, treading water for the both of us. I hold her tight and let myself soak in her love.
