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“I make no promises,” Nash called back as they disappeared through the doorway.
“Maybe we should go somewhere and give them some privacy,” I suggested. “They just got back together after two years.”
Gunner seemed to think about it for a moment then nodded. “Yeah, okay. Grab some of those cookies and brownies, though. I’ll go get my keys.”
I stood up and he grabbed my butt, making me squeal in surprise. “Damn, I love your ass.”
I glanced back at him and smiled. “Good, because I’m about to eat a brownie, and I am not at all worried about the calories. There will be no running them off for me.”
CHAPTER FOUR
GUNNER
Willa had been silent most of the way to her grandmother’s house. I knew she was nervous. She had been so distracted all afternoon that when I got the call that the owners of the house that had once been mine accepted my offer, she hadn’t questioned who I was talking on the phone or what it was about.
That had worked in my favor, but I didn’t like seeing her so tensed up. I had taken her hand in mine to keep her from fidgeting with them. I thought maybe my touch would calm her, but so far that wasn’t working. The closer we had gotten, the more tense she had grown.
When I pulled into the driveway, I parked the car, thenreached over and took her chin between my fingers to turn her face toward me. Her eyes were wide and so many emotions were on display I wanted to pull her into my arms and run off with her. Somewhere that nothing could hurt her or upset her. It wasn’t rational, but that was what I wanted.
“I won’t leave your side. If at any moment you need to get out, you take my hand and I will make our excuses. Everyone in there loves you. One just doesn’t know it yet, but she will. Take a deep breath,” I said, then leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “It’ll all be fine. I swear.”
She nodded and squeezed my hand. “You’re right. It’s time I start making up for not being there,” she whispered. “Let’s go.”
I got out of the G-Wagon and walked over to her side to take her hand in mine. We walked to the front door just as it opened up and Chance stepped out. He and Willa shared the same smile. That had thrown me the first time I met him.
“God, I’ve missed you!” he said, coming down the stairs, and I let her hand go so she could go to her younger brother.
He enveloped her in a hug, towering over her and me. By the time he was seventeen he had been six feet, five inches. It was a shame he didn’t care for basketball. He’d have been great at it.
I watched them hug tightly. Chance looked at me over her head and nodded with his friendly smile. “Good to see you too, Gunner. Looks like you’re taking care of my sister.”
“Always,” I assured him.
The expression on his face told me he respected me for that alone.
“Is she here?” a small voice asked as a tiny blonde with a head full of wild curls stepped out onto the porch.
Chance looked down at the girl. “Bella, this is your sister, Willa. Willa, this is Bella.”
The girl stared up at Willa, and I watched as Willa stepped closer to her, then squatted down to her level. “It’s really nice to meet you, Bella. I’ve heard so much about you from Chance.”
Bella gave her a small smile. “You don’t look like her,” she said as if she were relieved.
Willa glanced up at Chance, confused.
He cleared his throat and ruffled her blond curls. “I told you she didn’t,” he replied to the girl.
She smiled brighter then. “You smile pretty,” she then told Willa.
“Thank you,” Willa said. “So do you.”
Bella seemed pleased with that. “Her smile isn’t nice.”
“Whose?” Willa asked, glancing at Chance again but Icould see the pain in her eyes. She knew and it was hurting her to think that Bella had suffered.
“Mother’s,” she replied.
I saw the glance that passed between Chance and Willa, and I knew there were more things that Willa didn’t know. But even from here I was understanding it, so I knew Willa was too. She’d lived it. This was going to be hard on her. Much harder than I had realized. She was already beating herself up about not knowing. The more demons that came out of the closet, the more Willa would take it as her fault.
