Page 73 of Wild Love
Double fuck.She saw us alright.
I wipe a tired hand over my face. “Sounds like I should charge admission for how long you watched.”
She laughs at that with a subdued shake of her head. “You can try, but I get a family discount.”
My hand stays gripped over my stubble as I stare back atmy sister. “How does Cade put up with you?” As far as I’m concerned her husband should be nominated for sainthood.
She grins wider now. “He doesn’t. He just holds on for dear life and comes along for the ride.”
I can’t help but laugh as I prop my hands on the edge of the counter and drop my head. I drove myself crazy all night long.
Should I? Shouldn’t I? Could I? Why can’t I?
“How is Cade? The kids?” I don’t even look up at her as I say it. I can’t.
“They’re great. Life is great. I thought I was pissed at you for making me drag my ass all the way out here to rag on you before Mom and Dad could do it first. But honestly, this is just way more fun than I banked on. I love watching you be confused. It’s very satisfying for me as the chaotic child with zero sense of direction.”
My shoulders shake.
“You’ve never been more relatable.”
I push up, my eyes meeting my sister’s. “You’re a true comfort, Willa. Thank you for the kind words.”
“You don’t need kind words. You need a kick in the ass.”
“I know, I know. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Her eyes bug out and her coffee cup taps against the counter as she places it down a little harder than necessary. “Oh my god, Ford! You are so dumb. You’ve been in love with that girl since you were a teenager. You should absolutely have made a move.”
I scoff. “I have not been in love with her since then.”
“You have.”
“That’s not true, and we both know it. You were probably too young to understand that I mostly hated Rosie.”
Or at least my cover was that I did.
Willa shakes her head and reaches for her coffee again, like she is profoundly disappointed in me. “You don’t hate her. You never did. You hate that you think you can’t have her.”
“Deep. Except, I don’t just think that. I know it.”
“Who told you that? Did Rosie tell you that?”
I tilt my neck, feigning a stretch to buy myself a moment to choose my next words. “I’ve been friends with West for?—”
“Pardon my French, but fuck West.”
“I’m sorry?”
“No, seriously. You’ve never been weird about me dating a guy. Haven’t walked around like you have some sort of claim over my body or my life.”
“Never figured you’d meet someone nuts enough to take you on,” I mutter just loud enough that she hears me.
“If I had told you I was dating West, what would you have done?”
I look her dead in the eye. “Invested in having a top-of-the-line bomb shelter built because the two of you together would certainly bring about some sort of nuclear event.”
What I get in return is an exasperated eye roll. “Seriously, would you have been mad at West? Are you really telling me your best friend—who has held that title for literal years— wouldn’t be good enough to date me? What would that say about you?”
