CHAPTER 1
Willow
The momentI open the door, I’m struck speechless. I stare at the man I haven’t seen in over ten years. He’s changed a little, with some fine lines around his eyes. One thing that hasn’t changed is how I feel in his presence. There are still butterflies in my stomach, and I want him to wrap me in his arms more than anything.
“Willow, can I come in?”
I step aside. “Of course. Sorry. I’m a little stunned you’re really here.” I close the door behind him before making a beeline for the kitchen. It’s the first time I’ve seen the guy in years, and I’m standing there, drooling. Good look, Willow.
“Want a glass of water?” I ask.
I already have two glasses out of the cupboard before he replies.
“Sure. I brought sandwiches for lunch.”
I fill them up and walk over to the small kitchen table Ozzie has here in his apartment. We both sit down. How had I not noticed the bag of food he was carrying?
Probably because all I can focus on is his blue eyes. And his body. Durango is wearing a T-shirt that’s not doing anything to hide his muscular physique.
He clears his throat and opens his mouth, but no words come out. He grabs his water and drinks it halfway down.
This is so awkward. Although, I’m not sure what I was expecting. Part of me was hoping we’d joke around like we used to. But why should I expect that? I’m sure Ozzie told him everything I said. No, I need to explain myself.
Before I can, he pushes a sandwich in my direction. “I hope you still like tuna sandwiches.”
My heart beats hard, and I have to blink back the tears that threaten to fall suddenly. “You remembered?”
He shrugs. “Hard to forget. Pricilla used to make such a big deal out of it anytime you had one around her.”
I laugh. His sister was my best friend in high school. We spent all our time together at her place. It’s how I met her older brother, Durango, all those years ago. We didn’t talk too much back then. But that changed ten years ago when he and his friend, Ozzie, showed up at a bar I was at in Virginia. They were both still in the military. It was Durango I wanted, but he thought of me like a sister. I had this stupid idea that if I dated his friend, he’d see me as a woman. Surprise, it didn’t work.
I glance up at him. He’s staring at his sandwich, frowning. The longer I wait, the harder this will be. I need to rip off the band-aid and just say it.
I stare at the table. “I was never really into Ozzie. I used him to make you jealous all those years ago. It was dumb and immature. I realize that now. Durango, I’m so sorry. Instead of playing games, I should have been direct, but I knew you weren’t interested in me. I had this crazy thought that if you saw another man want me, maybe you’d want me.” I take a breath. “I never meant to hurt your relationship with Ozzie. I’m so sorry.”
Slowly, I raise my gaze to his.
He sets his sandwich down. “You knew I wasn’t interested? How did you reach that conclusion?”
I look away again, embarrassed to admit this, but hell, how could it be worse than anything else I’ve said? “Do you remember the last time we were all at your parents’ house on New Year’s Eve? It was during my senior year of college.” I glance up at him, and he nods. “I overheard your sister ask you if you were interested in me.”
He closes his eyes and groans.
“You told her you only thought of me as a sister.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “You heard that?”
I nod as I unwrap my sandwich, taking a bite so I don’t keep talking. I just admitted I knew he was never interested after saying I was. Way to make things even more awkward.
“I lied to Pricilla,” he says.
My mouth freezes mid-chew. “What?” It comes out garbled, but hopefully, he understood.
He leans back in the chair. “I guess my sister didn’t tell you, but she threatened to shave my eyebrows in my sleep if I so much as flirted with you.”
I swallow and turn my gaze to his. “Shave your eyebrows?”
He nods. “I used to be a deep sleeper. So, I lied to my sister and avoided you.”
