Page 69 of Still Love You

I give her a look, wondering why she asked.

"Of course you're invited," he says. "So can you guys make it?"

"Yeah, we'll be there," I tell him. "Do you want us to bring anything?"

"Only if you plan to eat that vegan shit. I'm cooking burgers and steaks, not tofu."

"Willow and I are good with burgers. We'll see you Saturday." I end the call.

"Now we have something to do this weekend," Willow says.

I was hoping to spend Saturday night alone with her, but I'm sure we'll only spend a couple hours at the party. Then we can go home and have alone time.

"Why did you ask if you were invited?" I say.

"Because Trent doesn't like me."

"He likes you."

"No, he doesn't. He keeps setting you up with other girls, twice that I know of. Maybe more than that. He doesn't want me with you."

"It's not his decision."

"So you agree he doesn't want me to be with you?"

I sigh. "He just doesn't want a repeat of the past. But I told him to mind his own business."

"He thinks I'll hurt you again." She looks out the side window.

"Willow." I put my hand on her knee. "The past is the past. It just wasn't the right time for us back then."

I want her to say that now is the right time, but she doesn't. I knew she wouldn't, but I had to give her a chance to.

When we arrive at the farm, the other guys are already in the fields. Usually I would be too, but I didn't want to make Willow get here that early. She has no idea how many hours I normally work.

"Why is my mom still here?" she asks, noticing their car. "She should be on her way to the office by now."

"Maybe she's going in late today."

"Yeah, maybe." Willow gets out of the truck and starts walking to the trailer. I'm worried about what she'll find in there. Her parents might have gotten here early so they could meet privately without her overhearing.

"Willow, wait up." I catch her hand, stopping her. I need an excuse to keep her outside. I spot the sunscreen bottle sitting on the picnic table. "Could you put sunscreen on me? I forgot to get my neck, and it might burn now that my hair's not covering it."

We go over to one of the picnic tables and I sit down so she can reach. She squirts some lotion in her hand and rubs it on the back of my neck.

When she's done, she hands me the bottle. "Could you put some on mine too?"

"Sure." I rub it on her neck, extra slow, trying to kill time.

"That should be good." She pops up from the bench. "Thanks."

I motion to the fields. "We need to get out there before it gets too hot."

"I'm just going to say hi to my mom quick. She and my dad left before I got up so I didn't see her."

Before I can stop her, she goes in the trailer. I follow her in there.

"What are you guys doing?" she asks when she sees paperwork scattered all over the table her parents are sitting at.

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