Page 53 of New Hope, Old Grudges

I titled my head, adjusting the final decoration—a crooked witch’s hat—then stepped back.

Arms went around my middle, and Brody rested his head on my shoulder after kissing my neck. “I’ve never had a tree in this house,” he murmured.

“Well you’ve never hadmein your house,” I told him smartly.

His arms flexed around me. “I’m well aware of that. Two things that look fucking perfect here.”

My heart fluttered.

He kept saying things like that. Things that made it seem like he didn’t consider this a holiday fling.

I’d told myself that’s all this was.

It was getting harder and harder to lie.

“Didn’t we make plans to fuck in front of this tree?” I whirled around in his arms.

Brody’s eyes smoldered with desire as his hand slipped under my sweater.

“Oh, fuck yeah, we did,” he growled.

For the next few hours, I didn’t think of anything but Brody fucking me. I didn’t think of the future beyond that.

But I couldn’t escape it forever.

I also couldn’t escape the dread I felt at the thought of a future without Brody Adams.

ChapterSixteen

WILLOW

I drummedmy fingers against my coffee mug. It was my second. Brody’s was steaming in front of him, along with a donut. Not just a cop joke… I’d quickly discovered that he had a sweet tooth.

I’d also discovered that he read fantasy books, dog-eared pages of paperbacks, was a fantastic cook. That he got up early every morning, even on weekends. He was a tidy person … outside the bedroom. Generous inside and outside the bedroom. He didn’t seem to have a whole lot of close friends but seemed to be well liked and respected by everyone in town. He was a good guy.

And I was in love with him.

Everything about the Brody Adams of today was utterly loveable. And the Brody Adams from years ago I’d hated? He didn’t exist anymore. And even then, he hadn’t been who I’d thought he was.

People rarely were.

I wasn’t the Willow I was back then. I wasn’t the Willow I was three months ago.

But there were decisions to be made. Yeah, life was looking up for me. I could pay for coffee and donuts. I might not have been able to pay for a whole lot more. Like an entire store. Like a relaunch.

I thought about the call I’d gotten yesterday from an old buyer from a department store with an offer. A really fucking good one.

I thought about the jewelry that I’d made this past month in my father’s forge. Nothing like the stuff that had launched my brand.

Better.

Much better.

And now I had the means to continue making it so.

I thought back to yesterday.

My mother and I were having coffee. Talking about the upcoming Christmas dinner when she’d not so slyly asked if Brody would be joining us.

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