Page 65 of Forever Player

I shrug. “I kinda noticed.”

“Growing up, my parents weren’t really involved. I’d make up stories about why they weren’t involved in the PTA or didn’t come out to see our plays at school, but the reality is they were just both self-absorbed with their own needs and fighting each other. I have no clue why they wanted so many kids. Mom just said she kept on getting knocked up every time they made up. My grandparents were around when we were small so I remember my grandma helping out a lot. The farm belonged to them. Grandpa was kind of shut down like Daddy. Gram used to say it was because he fought in Vietnam and saw nasty things.”

I don’t say a word because she is finally talking to me and I am fixated on her every word, hoping it allows me to know her better.

“Gram passed when I started high school. She would cook and take care of us, so her loss was a hard pill to swallow,” Willow shares.

“Sounds like you were lucky to have her. In my house we fended for ourselves. Although my mom always did leave us cooked meals before she left for work.”

“I was lucky to have Gram. All of us Heaton kids survived because of her,” she says.

“And none of the Heaton kids believe in love, except for Finn,” I state, but I mean it as a question.

She raises her right brow. “How do you know that?”

“Finn and I had a heart-to-heart one evening,” I confess.

“Of course you did.” She rolls her eyes playfully.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“It means my family is very closed down, yet you managed to bond with Jacob, get along somewhat with Lev—which as a side note was impressive—and got to know Finn, who is literally never around.”

“We had a heart-to-heart like I said. I was trying to find out what makes you tick,” I admit, looking in her eyes. Maylee stops nursing and Willow covers herself up and then puts Maylee over her shoulder to burp her.

“I told you about myself that first night we were together,” she says.

“You’ve changed a whole lot since that night,” I rebut.

“True. I love being a mom.”

“You’re a great mom,” I agree.

She blushes. “Thank you, but I still don’t want to settle down.”

“You’re scared to feel something,” I point out, knowing I am pushing boundaries she may not be willing to cross. “But you can’t run from feelings forever. I think we have something real here, and I think deep down you know it too. It’s scaring the hell out of you and I’m here to say it scares me too, but I won’t walk away because feelings like this happen once in a lifetime.”

Her breath hitches and she stands, looking flustered. “You have a good night,” she says, walking to my bedroom door. “I’ll get Maylee settled in her crib for the night.”

“I can be up with her in the morning,” I offer. “You get some rest.”

“You’re spoiling me,” she replies.

“I’m gone the day after tomorrow. I want to do what I can while I’m still home.”

“Sure.” She nods. “Night, Brett.”

I want to ask her if I can come sleep in her bed. I got used to sleeping beside her. We may not have touched, but I liked having her warm body close to mine. I liked hearing her slow breaths as she slept. I liked when she pushed that fine ass of hers into my crotch without knowing. I may have woken up hard every morning, but being beside her was worth it.

“Night, Willow. Don’t forget we are on for breakfast tomorrow.”

“Yup,” I hear her say from down the hall.

Damn, that woman has me wrapped around her little finger and she doesn’t know it.

I go to take a shower and I get myself off to thoughts of Willow. Then I get into bed and text my sister because she went above and beyond with getting my apartment ready for our return home.

I set up the baby monitor in my room and I go to Maylee’s room to make sure it’s activated on her end. With everything working, I head back to bed. Today felt like I made some headway with Willow. She opened up about her family. She’s talking to me without being angry. I just fear she has somehow friend zoned me and that thought terrifies me.

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