Page 31 of Tell Me You Need Me

“I think we should add potato skins this time to spice things up.” Willa waggles her eyebrows, or tries to anyway, making me burst out into laughter.

I don’t necessarily need to spice things up. Not when I’ve been in West’s bed the past few nights. I don’t say that, of course. I’m trying not to bring him up, if I’m being honest. Willa has seemed okay about us being a thing, but we haven’t talked about it since she alluded to that. I am enjoying the time West and I are having together before everyone else's opinions are made known.

For right now, I want to focus on Willa and me while we’re together. She has been off, and I can’t figure out why. I just know something is different.

“You ladies having your normal drinks?” Liza, our favorite server, swings by the table, setting two glasses of water down. “Haven’t seen you two in here in a bit.”

“Been busy with school starting and other things.” Willa gives her a soft smile.

“We’ll have our usuals, Liza, plus an order of potato skins.”

“I’ll get that in and have your drinks right out.”

“Thanks,” we both say before she’s off.

“So.” I tap my fingers on the worn tabletop. “How are the applications going?” Willa shrugs. I wait for Liza to drop our drinks before I push. “Are you that upset that I’m not applying to the same schools as you?”

“You’re not applying at all.” Willa picks up her soda, taking a sip.

“And that makes you upset?”

“No, I’m just over everyone expecting me to apply to certain schools. Have you asked Rich where he is applying?”

“No,” I admit. I honestly thought that was what she wanted. Rich does what he wants. It’s challenging to get anything out of him.

"See?" She pushes her glasses up her nose.

"Okay." I can get that. "I just thought that is what you wanted."

"I don't know what I want, but I do know it's not what I wanted before."

Interesting.

"Things are changing," I agree. While she might not have been close to her father, he was still a part of her life. He could have been part of the reason she was applying to some colleges. To get away from him, and now he’s gone, so she no longer wants to move away.

“And people change,” Willa quickly adds as Liza sets down our potato skins.

“They do,” I agree.

“Maybe I want to change.”

“I think you should do whatever you want, Willa; you know that, right? That I’ll support you.”

“People just expect certain things from me, and I’m over it.” Willa lets out a small huff.

“I’m sorry if I’ve done that.” Her face softens. ”It was never my intention. I love you like a sister. I only want the best for you.”

“You’re the best, Teddy, really. Without you, the past few years would have been extremely difficult.”

I reach across the table, grab her hand, and give it a gentle squeeze. “Let's eat.”

“Yes, please.” Willa dips one of the potato skins into the ranch. “I forgot about the game tonight. You ever think about going?”

“Not really. Football has never been my thing.”

“It might be fun.”

“I mean, we could go, but I think it might be too late,” I offer. I told her I’d hang out tonight, and I’m going to let her take the lead. Perhaps I've been overly controlling toward Willa without realizing it. I always take over and do what needs to be done or planned.

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