Page 28 of Hank

9

"So?"

Collin Webster glanced over his shoulder at a fast-walking Willow following several feet behind as he hurried down the hall. He’d kind of left her to follow him, but not on purpose. Making a quick getaway from Dr. Lawton’s classroom had been the only thing on his mind.

"Sorry," he said, stopping and watching while her shorter strides caught up with him. "I was afraid he’d say something."

"I thought you said youwantedhim to say something," Willow huffed out when she got to his side. She smiled up at him. "I bet he would have. I’m telling you," she murmured, before letting out a long sigh, "there was a lot of sexual tension between them the other night."

Yuck. Not something you want to think about, Collin.

But Mom was an adult, and…

Time to get out ofadultterritory. At least a little.

"What do you know about sexual tension?"

"I read." Willow lowered her gaze, while her fair, freckled cheeks grew flush. Good, letherbe embarrassed. "And, you know, Hallmark movies." Then she frowned up at him. "There’s always that look on the couples’ faces when they want to be witheach other. That’s how your mom and Dr. Lawton were looking at each other." She let out another sigh as her eyes took on a faraway, dreamy look. "It’s so romantic."

"I don’t know about romantic, but Mom nearly smashed the brake through the floorboard this morning when she stopped fast." He had to smile at that. "All because I asked her if she liked him."

"Come on," Willow said, grabbing hold of his sleeve and tugging him behind her. He kind of liked that. Although, grabbing his hand would have been much better. Maybe he could grab hers.

Or maybe not.

I am such a chickenshit.

"All the pizza’ll be gone if we don’t hurry," she muttered, picking up her pace. Of course, he could be there much quicker than she could, but he’d let her keep the pace. Who cared he had to take smaller steps to keep getting pulled along by her?

Yeah, he liked it. Too much.

"Oh!"

Willows exclamation accompanied her stopping short, forcing him to do the same and having to grab hold of her to keep from knocking her over.

"What?" He couldn’t help giving her a little hug. Wow, she smelled good. And felt good too. And… He let her loose. Maybe she hadn’t noticed he’d held her too long, since she whirled around with her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I know how to get them together."

"You do?" Whatever it was, he’d have to be on board. Especially if she was that excited about it. "How?"

"Let’s get some pizza and I’ll tell you."

10

"I letyou hover over me while I peed on a stick and you don’t tell methis?"

Jo side-eyed Mags sitting next to her at the bistro-sized round table they’d snagged at Lavertys, then let her gaze roam around the crowded bar and dance floor. If Faith hadn’t gotten there early, they’d probably be standing in a corner somewhere.

And this was why they usually didn’t come on a Friday night.

"So, let me get this straight," Colleen hollered, leaning toward Jo from across the table and snagging her attention. "You had sex in the back of a truck last Sunday night with a stranger who ended up beingtheDr. Henry Lawton."

Wow, that sounds bad.

"And then," Faith, sitting on Jo’s other side, said just as loudly, "after you found out who he was, you almost had sex with himagain."

"In thejanitor’scloset," Mags added. "Youcan’tleave the janitor’s closet part out. Istillcan’t believe it."

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