Page 64 of Everything I Crave

Holy shit, she’s been gone because she’s been hiding this man from us. Don’t blame ya girl.

New trend #willowisinlove #whosthehottie

Then I found some of the troll comments.

She needs a man to bring her back into relevance. Typical.

Heard she screwed her manager and it was so bad he dropped her ass and she went crazy on him.

Why did she even come back? She can’t sing and Nashville was right to chase her out.

My blood boils. Usually I don’t let them get to me, because there’s always trolls.

Then I find the comment from Jake.

Stop trying to come back. You know you burned your bridges, and you’ll never work in this industry again. You can’t screw everyone, figuratively and literally, who tried to help you, and then expect to be welcomed back. Of course you’d need to be screwing someone new to come back.

I screwed people? “Is he fucking serious?” I yell.

“Yea, that’s about the reaction we were expecting from you,” Addy says, walking over to join me on the couch. She sits next to me and wraps her arms around my shoulders.

“He’s a dick,” Scarlett yells from the kitchen. “Technically, according to Donna, based on your paperwork, he wasn’t allowed to make any comment about you at all. And you him. So unfortunately, you can’t address him directly.”

A grin spreads across Lacey’s face. “But it doesn’t say anywhere in there that we can’t comment.”

“No girls. We aren’t stooping to his level,” Mom places a tray in the oven.

“Mom is right. As much as we all want to, it’s best to take the high road,” Addy says. “We’ll fuck him in other ways.” She smiles.

We spend the next couple of hours planning out what I’m going to post on social media, calling Gunnar to get his permission, and talking to Donna on the phone.

We have a solid plan, and I’m ready to take this on, with the support of my family and Gunnar.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Gunnar

It’s been three days without Willow, and I feel like I’m missing a limb. She’s finally on her way to the inn today; I feel like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for their presents.

I have been sitting on the porch in one of the freshly painted rocking chairs waiting for her since she texted to let me know that she was getting off the highway.

“Aww, look at G, waiting for his girl,” Hunter teases on his way inside.

“At least I have one and didn’t let her get away!”

He scowls at me.

I was sworn to secrecy during boot camp aboutthe one that got away. I haven’t said a word, but that comment could have any of our siblings up his ass about who it is. Good thing I know all of them are down by the stairs to the cove to finish repairing the last few steps.

Willow’s car pulls in the driveway and parks behind my truck. The sight of her makes my stomach flip, and my palms are sweaty. I try to containmy excitement by walking over to her instead of running like I want to. I’m ready to hold her in my arms.

When she sees me her smile broadens and I know I’m not the only one who was ready to see the other.

She launches her body at me and I catch her when she wraps her legs around my waist and peppers my face with kisses.

I grab the back of her neck and hold her in place to capture her mouth with mine.

She pulls back to look at me. “Hey handsome.”

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