17
Ten days.
She’d been sticking to her guns for ten whole days but she was starting to weaken. Levi had called and texted her every single day, apologizing.
And she had ignored them both.
Then he sent flowers.
Her apartment could now double as a florist.
Next came every kind of cake, cookie, and candy she had ever mentioned liking while they had been getting to know each other.
And thanks to her scale this morning, she knew eating so many of them was a mistake.
Now she was staring down at a giant box of assorted dog toys, treats, and accessories. There were leashes that were meant for multiple dogs, some harnesses, and a few sweaters for the little dogs.
It was getting harder and harder to stay mad.
Lying was a big no-no in her book. And although it wasn’t a terrible lie, it was still a lie.
Maybe I should have talked to him…
Yeah, it wasn’t the first time she’d thought it and probably wasn’t the last either. Every time Willow thought she was ready to answer his call or text, uncertainty grabbed her by the throat.
Am I too gullible? Too trusting? How will I ever know when he’s telling me the truth?
The list was endless.
Her phone dinged with an incoming text and all she saw was his name and she chose to ignore it. When it rang a minute later, she was certain it was him, but then Gammy’s face was on the screen and relief washed over her.
“Hey, Gams! How are you?”
“Hello, my little Willow bell! What’s new with you?”
“Well, not a whole lot.”
Liar.
“It’s my day off, so I am getting caught up on laundry and cleaning. Fun, right?”
“Yes, you lead a very exciting life,” Gammy deadpanned. “What’s next? Washing your hair on a Saturday night instead of going out with Levi?”
Yeah…that.
As much as she didn’t want to, Willow decided to just rip off the band-aid and tell her grandmother what was going on. “Um…Levi and I broke up.”
Silence.
“So…yeah. We’re not dating anymore.”
More silence.
“Gams? Can you hear me?”
“Oh, I hear you just fine. The question is, do you hear yourself?”
“Uh…what?”
“That’s what I’m saying!”
“I don’t even know what that means!” she cried.
“Willow, why are you afraid to be happy?”
“I’m not!”
“Oh, really? Then tell me, why did it take you so long to stand up for yourself and admit that you enjoy being a nanny?”
“That’s different. I was already babysitting for Josh. That isn’t anything new.”
“No, but you never told any of us how much you enjoyed it or how it was something you wanted to do full-time!”
“Okay, fine. You got me there, but…that’s not being afraid to be happy. That was me not wanting to deal with my parents being all judgy.”
“Well, you know what? Now I’m being judgy!”
“What? Why?”
“Because you’re afraid to be…”
“Okay, okay, okay! Saying that over and over isn’t getting us anywhere. I just don’t understand why you think that.”
“Because you’re no longer with Levi!” Gammy cried with exasperation. “Sheesh! It’s like talking with a dolphin.”
“Hey!”
“Oh, stop it.”
“Take it back,” Willow demanded, feeling beyond hurt. “I am not like a dolphin.”
“You’re right. A dolphin would have understood what I was saying the first time.”
“Gammy!”
“Okay, that one was uncalled for, but I still believe…” She cut herself off and let out a long, weary sigh. “What happened?”
Willow explained about the day when she showed up at the pub and Dex and then Anthony telling her how Levi owned the place. “He showed up that night to try to explain, but…I didn’t want to hear it.”
“So, what happened when you saw him the next day?”
“I didn’t see him the next day.”
“Fine, what happened when you did see him?”
“I haven’t.”
Silence.
And then another really long, dramatic sigh.
“Willow, you’re like a granddaughter to me…”
“Oh, no, you don’t! You are not going to use that line on me!”
“I believe I just did.”
Growling, Willow forced herself to calm down. “I don’t know what to say to him!” she cried. “I believed everything he ever said to me and now…”
“Now you don’t know if you can.”
“Exactly.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Honestly? I don’t know,” she admitted miserably. “I miss him so much, but…I’m afraid, Gams. We all know I make a fool out of myself on a daily basis just by being a klutz. I don’t need anyone else doing it for me.”
“Oh, Willow…”
Unable to help herself, tears began to roll down her cheeks. It wasn’t anything new; she’d been doing it for a week now. Wiping them away was almost pointless, but she still tried. “What do I do, Gams?”
“And you haven’t talked to him at all?”
“No.”
“Have you answered any of his texts?”
“No.”
“Willow…sweetie,” she said sympathetically. “Levi doesn’t strike me as someone who’s going to chase after you forever. He’s a good man…”
“Who lied!”
“Yes, but…it wasn’t exactly a terrible lie. It’s not like he killed his family or had them chained in the basement somewhere,” she reasoned. “You met two of his sisters, and they were nice, right?”
“Technically, I only met one, but…yeah. She was very nice.”
“And the people who work for him at the pub? Do they like him?”
“Well…yeah. Anthony said he was the best boss he ever had.”
“Then maybe you should hear him out. Give him another chance.”
“But what if…what if I’m wrong? What if he lies again and breaks my heart?”
“What if he doesn’t, and he’s the greatest love of your life and you let him go because you were afraid to let yourself be happy?”
“Ugh…you did not just bring that around full circle.”
“Actually, I believe I did.”
“Gams…” Her phone vibrated in her hand with an incoming text. “Can you hold on one sec?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks.” Looking at the phone, she saw the text was from Levi and it was a picture. Putting the phone back to her ear, she said, “He sent a picture. If I lose you while I’m trying to see what it is, I apologize.”
“Oooh…do you think it’s a sexy text? Like one of those…” She cleared her throat. “You know, those pictures
