Page 5 of Lone Wolf in Lights
“I could, thanks.” He gave a firm nod.
A curl of her hair fell over her shoulder as she cocked her head. “Anything else I can get you?”
He felt the tingle of her lips on his again. “Can’t think of anything,” he answered.
“Okay,” she replied softly. “Just give me a holler if you guys need anything.”
Then she moved closer to the side and Charly took her place next to Jaxon, sliding onto his lap with excitement in her sparkling eyes. “Did you tell them the news?” she asked Willow.
Jaxon wrapped an arm around Charly’s waist. “No, she hasn’t. What is it?”
“It’s just an idea I had,” Willow said with a small shrug.
“Don’t downplay it,” Aubrey chimed in as she approached the table. “Willow came up with this great concept to host craft nights for women who need a safe space and a good friend. They’ll make wreaths, ornaments, cards—all kinds of Christmas items! Then they’ll sell them at the holiday market to raise money for Haley’s Place.”
Willow’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “It’s just a way to bring together people who have been through similar experiences and also raise funds.”
“You’re doing something amazing here,” Eli spoke up before he could stop himself. Her gaze connected with him, feeling like a punch to his chest. “It’s a fantastic idea.”
“Thank you,” she replied, giving him a warm smile.
Aubrey added, “She could use some help too. Especially with getting supplies and everything ready before the holiday market in a few weeks.”
“Say no more,” Gunner said enthusiastically. “I’ve got two strong arms at your service.”
Jaxon agreed with a nod. “Count me in for heavy lifting as well. And we’ll need Eli’s truck,” he added with a wink at Eli.
Eli shot Jaxon a look but didn’t protest. Ever since that kiss, he kept a careful distance from Willow, for both their sakes.
“It’s settled, then,” Charly declared excitedly. “Operation craft night is a go.”
“Yup, all settled,” Jaxon said, glancing at Eli. “Right, Eli?”
He nodded, looking at Willow. She held his gaze and the intensity crackled between them. “Of course, I can help.”
Willow gave a small nod. “Thank you. We’ve got tonight covered, but I have another box of donations at a craft store in Wolf Springs.”
The larger city was forty minutes north of Timber Falls. He wracked his brain, knowing there was no way he would survive a forty-minute car ride with her, drawing in her sweet scent. He came up with an alternative that kept them both safe. “I’ll be out that way later this week,” Eli said. “I’ll grab it on the way back.”
Willow’s lips parted, and for a moment he thought that was disappointment in her expression, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Excellent,” Charly said, kissing Jaxon on the cheek, then sliding off his lap. “You guys are the best. Drinks are on the house today.”
Eli exhaled a slow, long breath. Another day he’d managed to not unravel and pull Willow straight into his arms.
Now all he had to do was forget about that goddamn perfect kiss.
Two
The next morning, Willow’s fingers danced over the keyboard as she sat in the dining room of the light blue house on Quiet Oak Road that she’d bought with Charly and Aubrey. Their home resembled a setting from an old Western film, complete with floral wallpaper, a grand foyer featuring a polished wooden staircase and generously sized windows that welcomed natural sunlight throughout the day.
The once-elegant dining space, with its vintage charm and hardwood floors, had transformed into an impromptu office for her and Aubrey now that Charly had moved into Jaxon’s ranch. The bar didn’t open until eleven o’clock, so morning work sessions were a routine now. Two monitors perched on the rectangular table before her glowed with graphics, as Aubrey sat across from Willow lost in her own work.
Over the last hour, she’d created and scheduled a few social media posts for not only the bar, but also the Empowerment Elves group, hoping to gain some interest.
The shrill ring of her phone sliced through the silence. She reached for the device, swiped the screen and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello,” she answered.
“Hi, Willow, it’s Janine from Red Deer Crafts,” came the cheerful reply, punctuated by the subtle background hum of a bustling store. “I’ve got fantastic news for you.”
