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Ezra laughed and Will honestly felt the ground shake. “Fuck no! You’ve done your time, bro. Besides, you need to retire, old man. Let some of us younger boys step up.”
“You’re only ten years younger than me,” Will scoffed.
Ezra quirked his pierced brow. “Exactly. I’ll even help you find a retirement home.”
Will flipped him off and Ezra slung an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, man. Let’s go make some more young entrepreneurs cry and then we can go for a drink. I need my old Will back, I don’t like you like this.”
By some miracle Will made it through the rest of the shoot and went for a drink with Ezra. When the women started crowding him and Will realized he wasn’t needed there anymore, he said goodbye to Ezra and went to his mother’s place.
Will let himself in, grabbed a beer and dropped onto her uncomfortable, fancy-ass sofa. His phone beeped and he pulled it out.
Rebelle:Thanks for sending the new photographer around. She took some great shots, can’t wait to share them on socials and in the next newsletter.
Will’s heart pounded, excitement flooded him at her message, followed by the sudden pain. He missed her. Every heartbeat was a thudding ache in his chest that stole his breath.
He began replying.
I miss you.
I love you.
How are the kittens?
I miss your frown.
How is Parfait?
Do you miss me?
Tell me what to do.
Instead he kept his distance, just like he had been for the last month. Trying not to think about her. Trying to forget her. Trying to forget how she followed him into his dreams and taunted him. How he should have just told her he loved her. Loved her sharpness, so at odds with her caring nature. Her bravery, her selflessness, her loyalty, passion and dedication.
But he didn’t.
Will:You’re welcome.
He hated himself. How could he have thought he could be on the board for the shelter and not let his feelings get in the way?He’d never been so wrong. Did she even miss him? Did he haunt her every waking thought like she did for him?
Will lost himself in some shitty movie until a few hours later when his phone beeped again. He saw Taylor had sent him a picture. He tapped it open and Rebelle’s face filled the screen. Her dark eyes alive with happiness, her cheeks flushed and the widest smile he’d ever seen. The text readliving her best lifeand she was doing it, without him.
Rebelle was right, she didn’t need him. Didn’t miss him. Didn’t love him after all like he’d hoped she was starting to.
He got another message through and reluctantly swiped Rebelle’s face away.
Blake:Getting married in a month. Be there or be a dick.
Will snorted. He got excited, planning his trip out in his mind. Then the thought of going back to Citrus Pines sat heavy with him. He wanted to go with every fiber of his being. But having to leave that placeagainand the reminder of her not loving him split his heart in two.
No, he would stay here and pout. Like a fucking grown up.
*
“Will, I’m tired of you slobbing around my house. It’s been nearly a month and frankly, I’ve had enough.”
Will lifted his head from the TV where he was watching another crappy Christmas movie on the random Christmas365 movie channel he’d found. He was obsessed with them now. Each one made him think of Rebelle’s face as she stood in the trailer with all the lights, the scent of burnt cookies in the air and the apprehension on her face. He blinked in frustration, willing the image away.
“I did what you wanted. I finished filming this series. I did the GQ shoot and I hardly complained. My place is so empty and I like being here.”
