Page 15 of Fall for You
A spark of hope had Willow straightening.
Yes. There was still a chance that the contract would be found, and if it was, it wouldn’t matter who the treasure chest belonged to or how long they’d kept it a secret.
“Right?” she whispered, not expecting a response.
So when a loud “Right about what?” came from behind her, Willow let out a squeak. And that mouselike sound turned into a squeal when she saw who was standing in the doorway. “April!”
Her friend/sometimes-employee gave her a hug. “Ooh, I’ve missed you!”
Willow held her tight. It wasn’t like they never saw each other anymore. But since April’s boyfriend lived in the town of Aspire and she’d recently opened a bakery—O’Sullivan Sweetness—with the help of her sister Dahlia, her visits to the inn were far less frequent.
“How’s the bakery? How’s Boone? How are your sisters? Your nieces and nephews?” Willow pulled back to look at her. “Tell me everything!”
April laughed and headed toward the peg that held Willow’s aprons. She pulled one off that read “Kitchen Wizard: Level 99” and slid it over her neck. “Only if you let me help.”
Willow beamed at her. She had a couple part-time helpers here in the kitchen, and they were great. But there was something so comfortable and cozy about working alongside a friend who was just as at home in a kitchen as she was.
Willow set April to work on some simple buns for dinner—an easy ask of the talented baker—while she got back to work on her sauce.
She quizzed her friend on all things Aspire and O’Sullivans. Finally, she asked, “And how’s my favorite ranch hand?”
April’s smile grew outrageously sappy at the mention of Boone.
Willow sighed, but it was all for show. She loved how much her friends adored each other. “Okay,” she drawled. “So I take it ‘the boyfriend’ is good.”
April turned to face her slowly, holding up her hand to show off a ring. “The boyfriend isn’t the boyfriend anymore…”
Willow gasped, and then the two girls were hugging and squealing so much, Dallas poked his head in to make sure a fire hadn’t broken out.
Willow shooed him away so she could hear all the details.
She was so smitten with the story, she’d nearly forgotten her earlier freak-out. Until April brought the topic back to Willow and her love life—or lack thereof.
“I wish we could find you someone,” April sighed.
Willow smiled. “You know me. If it happens, it happens. I’m not looking for romance. At least, not yet.”
April nodded. They’d had this conversation before.
The difference this time, though…
The words didn’t feel right. It felt like a speech she’d recited so many times that she’d forgotten the meaning.
It didn’t feel like a lie, necessarily, but that earlier unsettled feeling was back.
“You deserve romance, though,” April was saying. She wore a big grin when she turned to her friend. “The epic kind. The kind they write movies about and sappy love songs…”
Willow’s smile wobbled. She couldn’t help but think of Rose and Charlie. Had they had that kind of love?
And then, because they went hand in hand, she found herself thinking about Eric.
Just like when Dallas had teased her about having some secret boyfriend, she saw Eric’s face in her mind’s eye.
“I’m not saying you need to get married,” April continued. “But wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to go out on a date with?”
Willow could see it. She could see it so clearly it took her breath away. Walking down Main Street with Eric, their fingers interlaced. The way she’d tease him until that unflappable mask cracked—just a little.
The way he’d say something with that dry sense of humor of his, but his dark brown eyes would be warm with affection, belying his cynical comment…
