Page 135 of Still Love You

When we're finished eating, she starts putting our dishes back in the picnic basket.

"Need some help?" I ask. 

"No, I got it."

"Thanks again for lunch. It was really good." I stand up. "I better get back to work."

"Silas?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitates. "Are you, um, going out tonight?"

"No. I'm working on a logo for my mom."

"Really?" Her brows rise. "I thought maybe you'd go out. I mean, it's Friday." She smiles nervously. "That's date night, right?"

I smile. "I guess, but I don't have a date."

"What about your—" She stops and shakes her head. "Never mind. It's none of my business."

"My what? What were you going to say?"

"I just..." She sweeps the crumbs off the tablecloth in short, quick strokes. "I thought you'd be out with that girl."

"What girl?"

"The one you're going out with." She sets the picnic basket on the ground and whips the checkered cloth off the table.

"Willow." I hold her wrist so she'll stop moving. "I'm not going out with anyone."

She looks up at me. "Silas, you can tell me. It's okay. I assumed you'd start dating again."

I release her wrist. "I'm not dating anyone. Why did you think I was? Did someone tell you that?"

She folds up the tablecloth. "I saw her sweater in your truck. I didn't mean to, but it was right there."

Her attempt to hide her jealousy is a complete fail. I can hear it in her tone. And on her face I see the hurt she's feeling over thinking about me with someone else. 

I take the tablecloth from her and set it down. "Just stop for a minute and listen to me. That was Leah's sweater. Leah, as in the bartender who makes your favorite margaritas. She's dating Trent, and one day I had to give her a ride and she left her sweater in my truck. I'm not dating her. I'm not dating anyone."

"Oh." Willow's shoulders relax and she gives me a hesitant smile. "Okay. Well, do you maybe want to have dinner with me tonight before you get to work on your logo?"

I cross my arms over my chest, a grin on my face. "Are you asking me out?"

She bites her lip, avoiding my gaze. "Maybe. I don't really know."

"Well, I need you to know. So when you figure that out, ask me again." I turn and walk back to the fields.

"Wait." Willow catches up to me, but I keep walking. "Could we maybe try being friends again?"

I stop and face her. "Just friends? Or more than that?"

"Just friends. For now."

I almost tell her no because I'm afraid this will just lead us back to where we were a few weeks ago. Friends with benefits and nothing more.

"If we do this, we're just going to be friends. It's strictly platonic. Unless you've decided something about us. But I get the feeling you haven't."

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