Page 32 of Nate Hayes

Axel chuckled. “Go see her, man. Or bring her a pie. Women love pie.”

“Where’d you hear that?”

“My grandma,” he said with a grin.

I thought about Willa’s laugh, her hair blowing in the wind on her porch, the way she looked at me like I might be worth trusting. I’d never had that before.

“I’ll invite her tonight,” I said. “Maybe she’ll come early, help Tessa set up. That way, it’s not a big deal.”

“Or maybe she’ll show up, fall harder for you, and you’ll stop acting like a lovesick teenager.”

I flipped him off with a grin. “You bringing anyone to the barbecue?”

“Nah. Just me. I want first dibs on ribs before the couples start acting mushy and ruin my appetite.”

I laughed and watched as he hopped back on his bike and peeled out. The second the rumble of his Harley disappeared down the road, I reached for my phone.

I stared at Willa’s name, thumb hovering over the screen.

Play it cool, Nate. Just ask her to the barbecue.

But when I hit “Call,” and she answered with that sweet, warm, “Hey, Nate,” all my cool went right out the window.

“Hey,” I said, clearing my throat. “So, there’s a barbecue this weekend at Max and Tessa’s. I’d really like you to come. You’ll get to meet everyone. No pressure. Just… I’d really like to see you there.”

There was a pause. Then she said, “Only if I can bring Pancake. You know how she is if I leave her. She’ll try to hang herself.”

I grinned. “Deal.”

And just like that, the tightness in my chest eased. Maybe I didn’t have to play it cool. Maybe I just had to be me.

16

Willa

I’d never been to a Navy SEAL barbecue before. I didn’t even know that was a thing, but leave it to Nate to casually invite me to something that had my nerves doing cartwheels.

He said it was low-pressure, that it was just his friends—guys he trusted with his life, and their wives or girlfriends. But still, it felt like a big step. Like meeting the family, only with more muscles and tactical gear.

I looked down at the floral sundress I’d pulled from the back of my closet. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean, and I didn’t smell like goat, so that was a win.

Speaking of goat…

“Pancake,” I muttered, glancing out the screen door. “What are you doing?”

She was in her usual spot—on the porch roof—balanced precariously like she was the queen of the kingdom. I’d tried to keep her off, but she always found a way up there. Nate thought it was hilarious. I was starting to think she did it just to impress him.

“I swear, if you eat one more plant, I’m putting you on time-out.”

Pancake snorted, then did that sideways hop thing that always made me laugh even when I didn’t want to.

I sat down at the kitchen table with a glass of lemonade and stared out at the mountains. It was peaceful here. Quiet. Safe. Now that Derek was gone.

Nate had a lot to do with that.

I wasn’t sure how it had happened, but somehow this man-the one with the grease-stained hands, kind eyes, and the world's slowest drawl—had wormed his way into my heart. He didn’t push. He didn’t pry. He justwas.

And he made me feel seen.

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