He hoped he was the reason she was awake in the same way she was the reason he was up and knew he was completely selfish for feeling that way.
Willow: Too quiet. :)
That’s what I get for being selfish, he thought, but then several more texts came in on its heels.
Willow: Plus, if I’m honest, I can’t stop thinking about you.
Don’t want to stop thinking about you.
What is it about you?
A rush of adrenaline flooded his system. If there’d been any chance of him falling asleep, it flew out the window when he read her words.
Me: I could say the same thing about you.
Willow: Well, why don’t you?
Harry thought for a moment about what he really wanted to say, cursing autocorrect as his fingers flew across the screen.
Me: I’ve never met anyone like you. I feel like I’ve known you forever. I can’t believe it’s only been a few days. I want to know everything about you but feel like somehow, I already know the answers to the questions I’d ask...
Willow: Yes! Same!
Emboldened, Harry composed a reply and hit send, then immediately wished he hadn’t.
Me: Like when I met you, something in my life changed.
The pounding in his heart counted the seconds until Willow replied.
Willow: I feel the same. What is this? Is this how you Moores catch your women?
Me: You know it. All we have to do is walk up to beautiful women and they become putty in our hands.
Chuckling, Harry stared at the ceiling, waiting for a reply from the woman he’d become addicted to.
Willow: Well, now it all makes some kind of sense. Phew. And here I thought something monumental was happening…
Harry couldn’t have stopped the smile on his face if his life depended on it.
Me: Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
Willow: Same.
Me: I should let you get some sleep.
Even as he typed the words, he knew he didn’t mean it. He could talk to her all night and feel good about it.
Willow: Ha! Like I’ll be able to sleep while wondering what you look like naked!
Goodnight, Harry.
Sleep tight.
He sat up on his elbow at her last text and read it over and over again. Willow’s thinking about me naked?
So much for ever falling asleep again.
Chapter Seventeen
Willow
There was something so funny about Juliet driving a truck. In New York, she’d been defined by pencil skirts and business suits. Sleek hair and power lunches. To see her dwarfed by the steering wheel of a monstrous pickup claiming more than its share of the lane was something.
Willow stared, taking it all in. “A year ago, if you had told me I’d be letting you drive me anywhere in a beast like this, I’d have laughed and asked what kind of drugs you were on and where I could get some.”
“I know!” Juliet turned to her, a wide smile making her already pretty face absolutely stunning. “Life sure is full of surprises.” She shook her head as she gave her attention back to the road. “I’m so happy out here. I mean…I miss you, of course, but I really feel like I’ve found where I belong.”
A weird pang of jealousy stabbed Willow in the chest. “I’m glad you’re in such a good place.”
For some reason those words tasted bitter and she didn’t understand why. Sure, she missed her friend something awful, but she wouldn’t wish her back to New York at the expense of all she’d found in Bliss. Guilt chased the bitterness from her system. Whatever that was about, she would have to figure it out later and put an end to it.
“So…” Juliet began with a hint of impish laughter lightening her voice. “Are you excited for tonight?”
Willow’s heart pounded and she didn’t think she could speak without giving away just how excited she really was. “Yes,” she finally managed.
“By the sound of it, I don’t think I’ll have to miss you much longer. It’s just a matter of time until you’re living down here with me. Well, obviously you’ll be living with Harry, but we’ll be in the same town again”—Juliet glanced over, a teasing look on her face—“as sisters-in-law.”
A surge of excitement had Willow beaming before reality crashed into her. She couldn’t move to Bliss. There was nothing for her to do in such a small town. Other than ballet, she didn’t have any job skills and there weren’t any dance companies in a hundred miles.
Besides, she was so established at ACB, so close to getting promoted to principal dancer…
How could she walk away from that?
Even if Harry did ask her to stay with him, she just…couldn’t. She was nothing outside of New York.
Willow stifled a laugh. What the hell was she thinking?
There she was, planning how to navigate Harry’s imaginary invitation to move in with him, and she hadn’t even known the guy for an entire week, yet. Her dad always said she spent too much time living in the future and not enough time experiencing the present.
Maybe she finally needed to take that advice to heart. Stop worrying and start experiencing. She shook her head at the sheer foolishness of fretting over moving in with a guy three days after she met him.
Juliet chatted happily about last minute wedding details as they drove to Harry’s. Willow inserted the appropriate ooh’s and ah’s as necessary, until they pulled into the driveway and her jaw hit the floor. “Damn,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “This house…”
“It’s nice, isn’t it? I’ve never been sure which one I like more, Ian’s—well, ours…” Juliet grinned sheepishly. “Or this one.”
Nice? The house went so beyond nice, Willow didn’t know what else to say. “He’s got good taste, that’s for sure.”
“I don’t think you could come out of a childhood with Frank and Diane Moore as your parents without developing a sense of style. James’ house is something too, even if it is one of those modern monstrosities.” Julz gave Willie a knowing look as they climbed out of the truck. Both of them shared an appreciation for
