Page 33 of Mine to Take

W?

I frown.

Is it possible that her name starts with a W?

Wendy?

Nah.

She didn’t strike me as a Wendy.

Or a Winnie.

Or even a Winter.

I stare at it for a few more seconds before securing it around my own neck. It must have hung loosely on her, because it fits me perfectly.

Looks like I have a souvenir from our night together.

I recline against the pillows and stack my hands behind my head before staring up at the ceiling.

A slow smile tips the corners of my lips.

I guess if my little ray of sunshine wants her necklace back, she’ll have to come and get it.

11

Willow

I push through the glass doors into the Mexican restaurant and scan the colorful space. The place is packed and bursting with music and noise. Although, I’ve been here enough times to know this would be the case.

It’s Tuesday.

Taco Tuesday, to be precise.

And the place?

Taco Loco.

When I announced last year that I would be transferring colleges, my brother flipped his lid. He couldn’t understand why I needed breathing room.

Let’s just say that the way he introduced me to his teammates the other night hadn’t been the first time.

Or even the dozenth.

Getting together once a week for lunch was part of the agreement to soften the blow so he wouldn’t grumble too much.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped him from complaining about the distance.

Or meant that he doesn’t know what’s going on in my life every second of the day.

“Hey, Willow,” Lola, a waitress at the restaurant, greets from near the hostess stand.

My smile brightens when I spot her. “Hi! How are you doing? I haven’t seen you around campus much this semester.”

She blows out a breath before glancing around the crowded dining area. “I’ve picked up more hours here, and midterms have been brutal.”

I nod in understanding. Balancing a job and school can be difficult. “Same. You must be excited to graduate this spring. I’m so envious. I still have another year to go.”

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