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Does she mean Tate? Or Alex?I’m about to ask, when our new front door chime interrupts us. We should have changed the damn bell years ago; I much prefer the soft angelic sound of the replacement.
Sara and I fall silent as we wait for our customer to come into view but when he does, Sara quietly gasps while I stiffen.
“Alex?”
Chapter Five
Willow
“HiWillow.”Alexsmilesshyly, and it’s a complete contradiction to the man I knew last month. “I’m sorry to interrupt you at work, but I’m wondering if you have a moment?”
If that sentence doesn’t make me nervous, I don’t know what else will. He’s sorry to interrupt me at work? Since when?
“Sure, we can talk out back.”
I point in the direction of our back room and wait for him to approach before leading the way.
“Willow. Can you quickly double-check this order so I can send it off?” Sara calls out after I’ve taken a few steps, confirming she’s just as weirded out as I am—we have no orders.
“Of course. Alex, I’ll be there in a moment.”
When I get back to the desk, Sara has a piece of paper waiting for me to review.
Don’t close the door and stay on the right so I can see you.
So dramatic.I bite back a laugh, but nod. “That all looks perfect,” I say out loud before whispering, “Will do.”
Alex is leaning against the left wall when I enter, making me giggle internally as I stand on the right. He moves to shut the door, but I stop him. “Sorry, I need to be able to hear if Sara needs me. She sometimes has to rush off for her son.”
“Ah. Sure. Okay.”
“Thanks. So how can I help?” I ask, trying to project a confidence I only half feel.
Alex runs a hand through his hair and focuses his gaze away from me, looking down at the floor, drawing my eyes in the same direction. “I thought it was time I told you the truth.”
“What?” My gaze flashes to his so quickly it’s almost comical. “What truth?”
He takes a deep breath before finally looking my way, and the emotion in his eyes shocks me. “I knew Jade,” he rasps slowly before pausing, most likely waiting for my reaction.
But I have none because…He what?
“She and I were…something. I don’t know, we never labeled it,” he continues after a beat, causing me even more confusion. “We were something and then she was justgone. And I had no idea what happened. No one knew about us, so there was no one to tell me. Until I heard the news.”
He pauses again and looks away before running his hands down his face. I know it’s my turn to speak, and God knows I should have a million questions, but I can’t compute what he’s saying.
“I’m sorry.” He huffs out a laugh as he looks my way. “This is a lot. But I couldn’t keep quiet anymore. Not if there was a chance you remembered…”
“You knew Jade?” I whisper, hoping that if I say it out loud it will make sense.
Alex laughs again, but it’s full of sadness. “I did.”
“Then why…” I trail off because I was going to ask why he was pursuing me, but that’s not the first thing I should be addressing. I should be saying… “It’s been twelve years.”
“Trust me, I know.”
“Why now?” I ask, my brain finally firing.
“It’s a long story and—”
