Page 100 of A Not So Merry Rescue
“You don’t owe me a thing, Willa. You’ve given me more than I could have ever wanted, and that’s enough.”
I twist in his arms, adjusting to peer up at him. My eyes glisten with tears, an exact match to his. It could be my undoing if I let it.
I can’t let it.
“It feels like it’s been more than a week. Like I’ve known you for years. That’s insane, right?”
I giggle, the watery sound the only noise in the room. “Guess that makes me insane, too.”
“You’re exquisite. I can’t wait to find your newest masterpiece in the bookstores. I’ll smile and think how proud I am of you, and then promptly forget I know you.”
It’s a horrible thing to say, but I laugh, knowing exactly what he means.
“Every time I see anything related to Christmas, I’ll wonder what you’re doing, and then pretend you don’t exist.”
“Perfect coping strategy.”
“I’d like to think so.” I won’t be successful in the slightest, but with time, the pain will fade. I learned that with Elias. It won’t ever go away, but it won’t be a raw hurt forever.
“We should go. You have a drive ahead of you.”
“But first lunch.”
“And a coffee for the road.” He brushes his arm across his eyes, erasing the emotion. “Are you all packed?”
I nod. “Are we driving one car or two?”
“I chose a place on your way out of town, so I’ll take mine so you don’t have to backtrack.”
More of the elation deflates, knowing our time is limited.
“Okay. Help me load my car?”
“If I must.” His tone is playful, contrasting his words. “Lead the way.”
We each compose ourselves, a silent agreement on how the other feels.
Outside, my car looks great, with not even a hint of a dent. Beckett loads up my bags and instructs me to follow him. With nothing else left to do, I have no choice.
Twenty minutes later, he pulls into the lot of a small tavern just outside the Winterberry Junction town limits.
It’s straight out of a fairy tale with a brick exterior, a large chimney on the front wall, a red door, and complete with a thatch roof. Strings of white lights line the exterior. It’s fitting for what I’ve learned about Winterberry.
“Are you ready to have your taste buds wowed?”
“They’ve been pretty impressed lately. You sure this place has what it takes?”
Beckett wraps his arm around my shoulder. One more thing I’m going to miss about this guy—the way he’s always unabashedly touching me. “Have I not proven my trustworthiness?”
“Repeatedly. It amazes me how many times you’ve proved it. So maybe this is the time I’m let down.”
“Never, Bundy.”
Add his nickname for me to the list of things I’ll miss. I’ve lost count of how many items are on the mental file. It’s probably for the best.
“Let’s hope you’re not wrong.”
Once inside, he leads me to a booth, following the “Seat Yourself” sign. A waitress comes over to take our drink order, openly flirting with Beckett. He does his best to ignore it. Whether it’s for my sake or he doesn’t want to encourage her, I don’t question it.
