Page 28 of Courageous Demands

“You too.”

She stood in the doorway, watched him walk toward his truck, and smiled sadly. Maybe things had changed more than she realized. She never pictured him as driving a truck. He used to have a little Toyota sedan years ago, but then again, a lot had changed for both of them, and she was asking things to change between them again.

8

* * *

ALEC

Alec pulled his truck over and put it in park, there on the side of the road. Resting his head and forearms on the steering wheel, he was trying to calm his spinning head and racing heart. Maybe this was real? Maybe they had both changed and suffered enough loss to give this a try again. He was shocked at how understanding and easy she seemed to be, and he couldn’t understand the ‘why’ behind it.

He had never been on a date that had been so tense, nor had he left a woman without a kiss or a hug before the end of the evening – and it was unsettling at how much he craved it. It was also part of the reason he left. Neither of them needed to get the wrong idea about whatever this was.

Grabbing his phone in the cupholder of his truck, he texted Willow.

How about coffee tomorrow?

I would really like that.

I’ll bring the tiramisu back, and we can share it.

Is five o’clock okay?

Yes. That sounds perfect.

Coffee between old friends.

Exactly.

Alec put his phone in the cupholder once more and put the truck into gear, only to see the screen light up once more. Putting the truck back into park, he picked up his phone and smiled.

Thank you for this evening – it was so nice to see your smile again.

You too, Willow.

“Mannnn,” Alec muttered aloud. “There is no way I’m telling the guys about this. They’ll never let me live it down that I’m just as stupid and gullible as they are when it comes to the opposite sex. Maybe Colton and Justin were right about letting the past go and learning from it.”

* * *

The next afternoon, Alec grabbed the dish from the fridge and headed out across the gravel driveway toward his truck parked in the distance. His mother was in the yard, pulling weeds and cutting flowers, when he hesitated and walked toward her.

“Are you heading out, sweetie?” his mother asked, looking surprised at the unexpected interruption.

“C-Could I have a few of those?” he blurted out, feeling like a fool and realizing he shouldn’t have stopped because it was only going to cause a bunch of questions from both females – his mother and Willow.

“Flowers?” his mother gaped in shock. “You want some… flowers?” – and shoved the entire bouquet she’d been creating at him. “Here, take the whole bloomin’ thing.”

“Really?”

“Oh my gosh, yes. Just take it and go. I know you, and you’ll talk yourself out of it – so…”

“Actually, you keep them and…”

“Alec! Take the blasted things with you!” she snapped, frowning – and he couldn’t help but laugh. His mother was so easy to get riled up and frustrated. One day he was joking about how he didn’t want any children when he got married, and he thought she was going to have a fit. She started yelling at him, throwing the TV remote, and got up off the couch to chase him with her slipper in her hand. She wanted him happy, surrounded by children, and he just didn’t understand why until she spoke.

“Take the flowers,” she said again with this weird look on her face. “You look so much like your father right now and I was always so happy you got his eyes. I hope that someday you get to look into those eyes and pass along those Beckett Beauties. I’ll never forget that look on your father’s face when you first looked up at him. He was so proud. We may not have had a lot when you were growing up, but family and legacy is something you’ll always have…”

And wiped her eyes, chuckling.

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