Willow tried not to squirm at Blake’s constant and intense stare. He sat across the table from her at The Grind. Mila was talking about something her teacher had taught the class that week. Surprisingly, Willow was participating in the conversation more than Blake.
Pretending everything was fine was somehow easier while in public. And definitely easier with Mila there to distract everyone.
“What about on my sixth birthday?”
Willow blinked. “What was that, baby?”
“I know you said my fifth birthday wasn’t the right time for a puppy like Jessie’s, but what about on my sixth birthday? Now that we’re living at Dad’s, there’ll be two parents to look after a puppy.”
Willow wet her lips. “We can think about it. Remember though, if you get a puppy, you’ll need to take responsibility for it. That means walking and feeding and cleaning up after it.”
She gave a vigorous nod. “I know. Jessie said it isn’t too hard. You guys would just be my backup.”
Backup…hm. Willow would believe that if the time came. “Like when we got Goldie the fish?”
A cheeky smile curved Mila’s lips. “Yeah.” She turned to Blake. “I promised Mama I’d take care of Goldie, but she ended up feeding him. Then he went to fish heaven.”
He smiled down at their daughter. “I’ve never been able to keep a fish alive, either.”
Mila giggled.
Courtney stopped beside their table. “Hey guys, how’re we doing today?”
“Good!” Mila rose to her knees. “Mama said she’d think about getting me a puppy next year.”
Courtney chuckled, giving Willow a pointed look. “Is that right?”
“It wasn’t a yes, but it wasn’t a no.” She frowned. “You’re working again?”
The woman was on every day. Yes, she was the owner, but surely she got some days off.
She sighed. “Yeah, replacing the multitude of hours that Joey worked has been…hard.”
There was a hint of pain in the woman’s voice. Joey hadn’t just been Courtney’s second in charge at the shop, he’d also been her friend. She’d had to let him go after he’d gotten Courtney injured and almost killed.
“I’m sorry,” Willow said softly.
Courtney lifted a shoulder. “It is what it is. Am I getting the usuals? One latte, one long black, and a chocolate milkshake with sprinkles?”
Mila nodded vigorously.
Blake leaned forward in the booth. “Hey, any chance Mila could help with the sprinkles?”
Willow’s brows rose.
“Sure.” Courtney offered her hand to Mila. “Let’s not stop at the sprinkles though, she can help with the whole milkshake shebang.”
“Really?” Mila’s eyes were so wide they almost looked like they were going to pop out of her head. She grabbed Courtney’s hand, scrambling out of the booth.
Oh no…Willow immediately wanted to tug her daughter back. That kid had been her big distraction. The only thing stopping Blake from questioning her. Making her talk about…it.
As soon as Mila was gone, his voice lowered. “Have you taken a test?”
And just like that, the suffocating anxiety returned. “No.”
He frowned. When he opened his mouth, she almost thought he was going to ask why not, but instead, he reached across the table, lacing his fingers through hers. “Tonight.”
Some of the edge tapered off the anxiety at his touch, and at the delayed deadline. At least she had a few more hours of ignorance. Which was a small reprieve.
After a minute of silence, his eyes softened. “I hate when your smile doesn’t reach your eyes.”
His words skittered through her insides, warming some of the places that had been chilled since yesterday. “You can see that?” she asked quietly.
“I see it, and it makes my chest ache. It makes me desperate to help you, but also frustrated because I don’t know how.”
She swallowed, not sure how to respond.
His thumb rubbed over her hand. “It will be okay.”
For a moment, she wanted to close her eyes. Replay those words in her head and let them calm some of the storm inside. Because he said them with so much confidence, so much conviction, that she wanted to believe, desperately needed them to be true. “How do you know?” she asked quietly.
Another swipe. “Because I have faith.”
Courtney and Mila returned to the table. Willow tried to take her hand back, but Blake’s grip firmed. Holding her. Continuing to cherish her skin.
Willow looked up slowly. Courtney held Mila with one hand, the milkshake with the other.
“Mila…do you want to tell Mom and Dad what you just told me?”
Willow studied her friend’s face. Something was wrong. Neither Courtney nor her daughter were smiling. In fact, both looked worried.
Mila pointed through the glass. “There was a man out there watching me.”
Willow swung her head around, and Blake immediately straightened.
“It was the man I saw outside my school. He’s wearing a blue jacket and jeans today.”
Oh God. Willow had forgotten all about that. Christ, how had she forgotten to tell Blake?
He pushed out of the booth, pulling his phone from his pocket and placing it to his ear. He met Willow’s eyes for a second. “Stay inside. Don’t leave.”
Then he was gone.
Worry darted over Mila’s face. “Is everything okay, Mama?”
Even though smiling was the last thing she felt like doing, she forced her face to cooperate in an attempt to put her daughter at ease. “Of course. Daddy’s just checking to see if the guy’s still there. He’ll be back in a sec.”
Her daughter gave a small nod.
Courtney slid into the booth, pulling Mila in beside her. “I’ll wait with you guys.”
Willow opened her mouth to tell her friend she didn’t need to do that, but the words stuck in her throat, because the truth was, having Courtney stay with them made her feel just a bit calmer.
Courtney pushed the milkshake in front of Mila. “What do you think? Is this one better than the others?”
Immediately, Mila’s attention diverted to the milkshake as she wrapped her fingers around the glass. Willow could have kissed her friend for distracting her daughter.
Mila took a sip, her eyes lighting up. “It is!”
Courtney chuckled. “Well, there is quite a lot of chocolate syrup in there, so I’m not surprised.”
Willow’s gaze flicked toward the window. Blake stood by the front door, scanning the street. It was probably killing him that he had to remain by the shop. She’d known he would though, because leaving to search for the guy would leave her and Mila unprotected.
She turned back to the table just in time to see Mila reaching for a napkin, knocking over the milkshake with her elbow in the process. About a third of the drink spilled everywhere before Courtney could straighten the glass. She tried to get up, but Willow shook her head.
“You’re blocked in. I’ll get a cloth.”
“Thanks. There’s one that I just rinsed behind the counter.”
Rising from the booth, she went to the counter, scanning the other side before reaching across. She was just turning when a hand touched her shoulder.
Willow jolted, her entire body on edge, but she immediately calmed when she saw who it was. “Grace, hey!”
The other woman frowned, her gaze shooting to Blake outside the shop. Willow noticed that Logan now stood with him. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure. Mila saw a guy watching her from outside. Apparently, he was outside her school as well.” Willow rubbed her temple, still in disbelief that she’d forgotten to mention that to Blake.
“Oh, gosh. That’s not good. But you’re well protected with the two of them guarding the place.” The other woman took a small step closer. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No. I’m fine.” Okay, she’d said that far too quickly.
Grace’s brows tugged together, head tilting. “Are you sure?”
“I might be pregnant.”
The words just tumbled from her lips. She definitely hadn’t meant to say that.
To Grace’s credit, her features didn’t change.
“I’m going to take a test tonight,” she added quietly.
Grace gave a small nod. “And the possibility of being pregnant scares you. That’s why you were talking about it last night? About being scared of returning to that dark place.”
“I’m terrified, Grace. I just…I don’t think I can do it all again.”
At the back of her mind, she knew it would be different a second time around. She knew what to look for if she were to develop PPD again. She knew the help she needed. But still, her mind feared it all.
“Do the test,” Grace said softly. “And remember that you have support. That all of us love you. And everything will be okay.” She paused. “Also, Jason’s sister Sage is in town, visiting her brother and Courtney. She arrived this morning. She’s a doctor, and she’s very easy to talk to. She cared for the women in Marble Falls who got pregnant.”
There was a sharp gasp from behind them.
Willow turned, mouth dropping open at the sight of Janet. “What are you doing here?”
The woman’s face was white. “You’re pregnant?”
Willow’s gaze shot to the booth by the window. She almost sagged in relief when she saw Mila wasn’t looking their way. Janet had said that entirely too loudly. “That’s none of your business.”
Janet took a small step back, shaking her head at Willow like she was diseased or something. Her eyes were wide…in fear?
“A woman already birthed one of those things in Marble Falls. The child isn’t human!”
Willow’s spine straightened, and Grace stiffened as well. “Excuse me?”
She leaned forward, whispering loudly, “They’re not natural, Willow! They’re not the way God intended!”
Anger spiked in Willow’s chest, hard and fast. She’d had enough of this woman’s ignorance. “I’ve told you this before, but obviously you weren’t listening. The men didn’t choose what happened to them. And they’re not less human than anyone else. Just like their babies wouldn’t be.”
“I think you should leave,” Grace said, her normal calm gone, a vicious anger Willow hadn’t heard before coating her words.
Janet shot her gaze between them, head continuing to shake. Then she turned and left quickly.
Willow dragged in a shuddering breath before blowing it out slowly.
Grace touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She nodded quickly. “Yeah. Just angry.”
“Me too,” Grace said quietly.
