Page 32 of Somewhere You Belong

“He was acting like an ass, and I don’t know…” I shake my head.

Astrid eyes me suspiciously, a small smile forming on her lips. “Well, there’s still time for you to change your mind about the house…and him.”

There is. There’s time for me to change my mind about a lot of things.

“Willow?” she asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?”

She leans over the counter, resting on her forearms. “Dallas really is a good guy, underneath all of that surly attitude, of course. His brother is too. Hell, most of the people you find in this town are good people. He’s got his issues, just like anyone else, but don’t write him off just yet. You probably caught him off guard. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you…”

“What?” I bark out through a laugh. “I think you’ve got it all wrong, Astrid. The man acts like he can barely stand the sight of me.”

She just hums. “I know what I saw.” But then she changes the subject. “Obviously though, because you own the house that he wants, he’s going to throw a fit about it. I mean, the old owner of that house wouldn’t even meet with him when he offered to buy the place…”

Yeah, because he was saving it for me.

“I’ve known his family for more than half my life, and I’ve worked for him for the past four years. I think if you two sat down and talked, you might be able to reach an agreement.”

“I’m—I’m not even sure what I want to do with the house yet, Astrid.” I blow out a harsh breath, my stomach feeling uneasy again. “I had no idea I would be inheriting the place. It all happened so fast, and now I have to make all of these decisions…”

She places her hand on mine this time. “I get it. Believe me. Life can change in an instant,” she says as her voice begins to crack. “But time helps put things into perspective. Just keep an open mind when it comes to Dallas. And maybe Penn can give you some insight into his brother as well.”

“Those boys sure are attractive, aren’t they?” I whisper, shocking myself at my candid words. But let’s be honest—my attraction toward the man is clouding my judgment and making this far more complicated than it already is.

Astrid laughs as she stands up again. “Oh, yes they are. And their other brother is too.”

“There’s another brother?”

She nods. “Yup. Parker. He’s the vet here in town.”

“Wow.”

“And they have a little sister, Hazel.”

My eyes bug out. “I couldn’t imagine having that many siblings.”

“Only child?” she asks.

“Yeah.”

“Where are you from?”

“Virginia. But I’ve lived in D.C. for the past eight years.”

“Big city life is very different from life in Carrington Cove.”

I scoff. “You’re telling me.”

“Well, enjoy this place while you’re here then and don’t be a stranger. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.” She squeezes my hand again before I reach for the box of muffins. “And I’ll try to keep some muffins put aside for you.”

“I appreciate that, Astrid. A lot. Thank you.”

Ugh, my chest feels all warm and fuzzy right now.

Am I developing feelings for this town?

Or just the woman in front of me that has offered me friendship with no strings attached?

---