“It’s deeper than that.” Willow shook her head and clutched a throw pillow to her belly.
“Well, then I’m about to blow your mind. Have you realized that his last name is an anagram for Romeo? If you rearrange the letters in Moore, you get Romeo.” Juliet raised her eyebrows as she waited for that bomb to hit the mark.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Willow tossed the pillow at Juliet. “How could you not tell me this? This is big! Huge, even.” She was off the couch and pacing before she had time to fully process what she was even thinking. “What’s it mean?” she asked the air. “I’ll tell you what it means. It means this is worth cultivating. That even though it seems absolutely impossible for two people married to our jobs who live a thousand miles apart to create a relationship, it means that we have to do it.”
“And the chemistry and attraction, the fact that you have similar interests and personalities, that means nothing?”
“All of that is just the mundane stuff. The rest, that’s powerful. The universe is talking to me and when the universe speaks, even a little, you gotta listen. And this, with Harry? The universe isn’t just talking, it’s screaming, Julz.”
Chapter Twenty
Willow
Willow’s phone buzzed on her bedside table and pulled her from sleep. Light poured through her windows, forcing her eyes closed while she took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out through her mouth. When she was done, she cracked one eye open as she reached for her phone, only to blink them both open wide and bite her lip in excitement when she saw she had a text from Harry.
Harry: We never actually talked about that party I want to throw for J&I. I couldn’t think about anything but you last night. Still can’t.
Willow rolled onto her back and grinned at the ceiling.
Me: You’re making me smile.
Harry: It’s your turn to make me smile, then. Let me cook you breakfast.
Still grinning, she tapped out her reply.
Me: I’m still in bed.
Harry: All the better. I like the thought of being the first part of your day.
Me: Still making me smile.
Harry: Good, then come downstairs and let me in.
Willow shot upright, adrenaline lighting up her system. He was there? Right then? Before she’d brushed her hair or her teeth? And there she was wearing a goofy pair of shorts and a ratty ACB T-shirt. Her phone buzzed in her hand again.
Harry: Please? I can’t survive another minute without you. Plus, all this food is getting heavy.
Willow took a moment and rinsed her mouth, pulled her hair into a messy bun and made sure she didn’t have any leftover mascara giving her raccoon eyes. She looked decent, but she was far from looking good. Her fair hair meant she had really light eyebrows and eyelashes which made her look strange without makeup. Her makeup artists loved it because it was so easy to transform her face, but for everyday? Her fair hair was way more curse than blessing.
But Harry was there and she couldn’t keep him waiting. If he was turned off by her so-blonde-they-were-clear eyebrows and eyelashes, then he really wasn't the guy she thought he was. She bounded down the stairs, clutching her phone to her chest, and threw open the door to find Harry standing in a pool of sunlight. As if all the other signs hadn’t been enough, the heavens decided he deserved a spotlight.
“Hey,” she said, breathless at the sight of him.
“Wow. You’re even beautiful first thing in the morning.” His gaze swept across her face and she felt herself blush under the scrutiny.
“Liar.”
Harry looked stern. “I don’t lie. You look amazing.”
“Well, thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” She eyed the food-laden bags in his arms and stepped aside to let him in. “That looks like a lot of food. What are you making?”
“It’s not as much as you would think. I just wasn’t sure what Ian had in his kitchen, so, I brought everything I thought I might end up needing, just in case.”
“What in the world are you doing here?” Ian’s groggy voice came from behind Willow as he lumbered, bleary-eyed, down the stairs. “Didn’t you get enough of each other last night?”
Not even close, Willow thought and saw the sentiment echoed in Harry’s eyes as he shook his head.
“Grumpy doesn’t suit you, big brother. Go put on some coffee and sit down. I’ll make you a breakfast that’ll have you thanking me for being here.”
Within half an hour, Harry proved true to his word. He crafted a delicious meal that the four of them enjoyed between laughter and conversation. Willow couldn’t think of a better way to start the day. There she was, surrounded by people who made her happy, eating good food, drinking warm coffee, watching the sun sparkle across the water and the palm trees sway in the breeze.
“Okay,” Harry said as Willow took her last bite and sat back in her chair, patting her belly. “You go on upstairs and get dressed. We’ve got big things to do today.”
Beside her, Juliet stifled a giggle and elbowed her under the table. I know what big thing you’ll be doing today, said her sideways glance.
Shut the hell up, said Willow’s sharp elbow digging into Juliet’s side.
“Oh yeah?” Willow asked, ignoring her friend as best she could. “Care to share these big things with the rest of us?”
Juliet choked on her coffee and Willow wished she’d chosen her words more carefully.
“Nope,” said Harry. “Just you.”
That was all Juliet could take. She dissolved into laughter. “Thank goodness,” she said in between hitching breaths and laughed even harder at Harry’s confusion.
“Oh hell,” he said as he finally understood what had her laughing so hard. “You and your dirty mind.” He turned his attention back to Willow. “Go on and get dressed so we can get outta here.”
Laughing, Willow stood and did just that.
Chapter Twenty-One
Harry
Harry was fairly
