“You keep staring at that door like you’re expecting someone.” Wayne chuckled from his stool at the bar.
“Nah.” I tore my eyes from the door and opened the dishwasher, letting the steam bellow out. As it did, my gaze drifted back to the door.
Wayne laughed again and took a sip of his beer. “Who are you waiting for?”
“No one.”
That was bullshit. I was hoping Willa would come in, though I wasn’t sure why. She’d blown me off today when I’d stopped by the camp under the guise of inviting Hazel to lunch.
I’d caught her off guard when I’d shown up at her door two nights ago. She’d made it clear that I’d done something to irritate her. I just had no idea what.
That’s why I’d gone to the camp today. I’d assumed that in broad daylight and dressed in something other than pajamas, she’d explain the problem. But hell, she wouldn’t even talk to me. She’d barely looked at me before whipping that hair around and rushing out of the kitchen.
When I’d asked her last night if I was missing something, she’d said yes. But what?
The only women I irritated on a regular basis were Hazel and Thea. Both of them were lousy at keeping their mouths shut, so whenever I pissed them off, I knew about it five seconds later. Willa’s silence was bothering me, almost as much as being turned down for a date.
I never got turned down.
Though, I don’t think I’d ever really asked a woman out before. I didn’t date. I hooked up. And the women I hooked up with didn’t get asked to dinner, unless they were eating here at the bar. They got asked to bed, then sent on their way after we were done.
But with Willa, I wanted more than an easy fuck. It wasn’t every day I met a woman who had no qualms about slamming a door in my face. I had to admit, it was kind of a turn-on. I wanted to spend some time together and get to know her. Maybe that would shake the damn dream out of my head.
Though, dreaming about her and all that hair wasn’t really a hardship.
Because, fuck me, that hair was incredible.
It’s what had caught my eye in Thea’s drawing. I wanted to spend intimate hours with that hair. I wanted it wrapped around my hands and threaded through my fingers. I wanted to feel the silky ends tickle my bare skin. Just thinking about her hair made my dick twitch.
I needed more of that hair and the woman who grew it. If she wouldn’t agree to a date, I’d have to learn more about her in other ways.
“Hey, Wayne. You know Willa, don’t you?” I asked.
He choked on his beer. “Willa Doon?”
I handed him a stack of napkins to clean the beer slobber on his chin.
He dried his face and gave me a sideways glance. “Yeah, I know Willa.”
“What’s she like?”
“She’s great. Her dad is the science teacher so I’ve known her since she was little. She used to come into the school with him during the summers. They’d practice his new experiments before school started.”
“Nate’s a good guy.” He was one of the first people I’d met when I’d moved to Lark Cove. He didn’t come down to the bar often, so I didn’t see him much, but he always waved and asked me how I was doing whenever we bumped into each other around town.
I felt like an idiot for never noticing his daughter. How old was she? Nate wasn’t all that old. And his wife, Betty, looked like she was in her forties, not old enough to have a grown daughter.
“How old is Willa?”
Wayne shrugged. “I don’t know. I see so many kids at the school they all kind of blur together.” He thought about it for a minute. “If I remember right, she graduated the same year I got divorced. And that was eight years ago, so . . . twenty-six.”
Twenty-six. No wonder I hadn’t noticed her years ago. She was too young.
I was thirty-one. She’d been a teenage girl when I’d moved to Lark Cove. I didn’t have a lot of limitations when it came to the women I took to bed—women were beautiful creatures, no matter their shape or size—but they were all women.
Except Willa wasn’t a teenage girl anymore. She’d grown into a stunning woman. A woman I should have noticed long before last night.
How had I missed her?
She came into the bar every now and then. I’d served her and her friends drinks. When she came in with her parents for pizza, she sat quietly and listened while Nate and I shot the breeze.
Oh, fuck. How many times had I called her Willow? I was such a prick.
“She does good work at that camp,” Wayne said. “Her parents have been bragging for weeks about her saving it.”
I nodded. “I’m glad it all worked out. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that camp, and it would be a shame to see it close.”
Logan may have bought the camp, but I liked the idea of giving Willa all of the credit instead. My eyes went back to the door, hoping it would push open and she’d walk inside. But it stayed closed.
“Uh, I don’t know if you know this or not, Jackson,” Wayne said carefully. “I think Willa might have a little crush on you.”
“No shit?” Then why had she turned me down for a date? Twice?
He shrugged. “Just a guess.”
So not only had I not noticed her, but I’d also missed the fact that she was interested in me. How was that even possible? Wayne had to be wrong. Willa had never once batted her eyelashes my way, given me a seductive smile or flashed me a cleavage shot. I was good at picking up on subtle hints from women.
Wasn’t I?
So how had I missed Willa’s?
“Are we talking about the same Willa? Long, blond hair. Delicate face. Big blue eyes. That Willa?”
Wayne nodded. “The one and only.”
“Well, if she liked me before, she’s over it now,” I told him as he drank his beer. “I asked her out twice in the last twenty-four hours and got shot down both times.”
He sputtered his beer again. “You’re kidding.”
“I think I pissed her off.”
Wayne started laughing. It began as a slow chuckle that grew and grew until the other patrons in the bar all stopped talking to watch him belly laugh.
“Remind me to start charging you double for beers,” I muttered after he pulled himself together.
“I don’t know what you did,” he wheezed, “but it had to have been bad. Willa is the sweetest girl in Flathead County. How’d you manage to make her angry?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He scoffed.
“Really!” I held up my hands. “I don’t know. I know I’ve slipped a few times and called her Willow. But in my defense, I’ve always sucked at remembering names.”
The only way I remembered a new name was to do what Hazel had taught me in high school. I said a name ten times in my head or I came up with a pneumonic device. But neither trick had helped me get Willa’s right.
“You do suck at names,” Wayne mumbled. “You thought my last name was Brown for the longest time.”
Brown, like the color of his chocolate hair. “I—wait, your last name isn’t Brown?”
“Christ, Jackson.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s Black.”
“Sorry. Damn it,” I huffed. “At least I’m great with faces.”
Bullshit with me for twenty minutes and I’d remember you for years. Tell me your name once and ask me to repeat it weeks later, not happening. Working at the bar suited me perfectly. I recognized repeat customers by their faces and got away with calling them by a generic nickname.
Hey, man.
Good to see you again, sweetheart.
Welcome back, buddy.
No names required and I was still the cool bartender who remembered his patrons.
How was it that I hadn’t really noticed Willa’s face?
“You really don’t know what you did to make Willa mad?” Wayne asked.
“No idea,” I muttered and grabbed a glass. “I need a beer.”
I filled it up, then shut off the tap. I examined the white foam around the rim, but before I brought the glass to my lips, I stepped over to the sink and dumped it out. Just two days ago, I’d made the decision not to drink as often and I sure as hell could go more than one day without a beer.
“So what are you going to do about her?”
Good question. I blew out a long breath. What was I going to do?
I could just leave her be. I’d asked her out and she’d rejected my offer. It was done. Things would probably be simpler if I just moved on.
There was a woman in the corner booth who’d been eyeing me all night. I bet she wouldn’t turn me down if I asked her to come home with me later. But the problem was, I didn’t have the slightest bit of interest.
When I’d delivered their latest round of drinks, the woman had eye-fucked me. Normally that look would be enough to stir some interest, but my dick was fast asleep. At the moment, it only came alive at the thought of Willa. Just remembering how she looked earlier today in the camp’s kitchen, with her hair loose down her back, gave me a semi in three seconds flat. Saturday night, after she’d slammed the door in my face—twice—I’d walked home with a raging hard-on.
Something about her just did it for me.
So was I going to let Willa be? Would I take her rejection and move on?
Hell no.
I grinned at Wayne. “I’ll think of something.”
Maybe I’d swing by the camp again tomorrow. Maybe I’d leave a note with some flowers by her door. I was in the middle of brainstorming other ideas when the front door swung open and Willa walked inside.
I did a double take to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
The sunshine streamed in behind her, making her hair look like waves of gold. She had a heart-shaped face, her high cheekbones flushed and rosy. Her blue eyes were mesmerizing, the color of the lake on a sunny day.
How had I missed this? How had I missed her?
Willa looked around the room, searching. When she found me, she froze, still standing in the doorway.
I smiled and lifted a hand to wave, but before I could say hello, she was spinning back around and running out the door.
“Wayne,” I called as I jogged down the length of the bar. “You’re in charge.”
He laughed and threw up his hands. “Free drinks for everyone!”
The bar erupted in laughter, but I didn’t stop moving. I ran past the tables in the middle of the room, nearly slipping on a pile of peanut shells, and yanked open the door.
“Willa! Wait!”
She was halfway to her car already. At my call, she glanced over her shoulder but didn’t stop. If anything, she seemed to be walking faster.
Just not fast enough.
My boots thudded hard on the gravel parking lot as I sprinted to catch up. I reached her side right as she beeped the locks on her SUV.
“Hey,” I panted, standing by her door. “Why did you leave?”
“I, um . . .” She fiddled with the keys in her hand. “I changed my mind.”
“Changed your mind about what?”
She closed her eyes, drawing in a long breath. Then she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and looked me right in the eyes. “What do you want, Jackson? Why are you asking me out?”
Her questions caught me off guard. No woman had ever asked me why before. They’d all just said yes.
“I, uh . . . don’t know.”
“You don’t know.” She huffed and yanked open the door to her car, tossing in her purse before climbing inside, muttering, “Stupid idea. Stupid. Stupid.”
“Wait.” I grabbed the door before she could swing it closed. “What was a stupid idea? Coming here?”
“Yes,” she snapped. “I should have stuck with my original plan.”
“What plan?”
“To stay away from you.” She tried to shut her door, but I held it tight. “Let go, Jackson.”
“No. Just . . . just one second, okay? Clearly, I did something to piss you off. But I’m not sure what I did. So at some point, you’re going to have to spell it out for me.”
She frowned, tugging the door handle harder.
Still, I didn’t let go. “You want to know why I’m asking you out? I guess . . . because I want to get to know you. I don’t know, something about this,” I waved my free hand between us, “feels different. Special.”
Her mouth parted and her eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. Though she did stop jerking on the door handle.
“Come inside,” I pleaded. “For just a little bit. Come sit in there and hang out. I’m sure Wayne’s passing out free drinks at the moment so you can at least take advantage of one of those.”
Her lips turned up, just a bit.
“Please?” I was begging now. I never begged.
Willa made me stand there, sweating from the summer sun and her intense stare, until finally she gave me the smallest of nods.
I did my best to hide my smug smile as she grabbed her purse and slid out of the car. As soon as she was clear of the door, I closed it behind her and walked with her back into the bar.
I opened the bar door for her, and sure enough, Wayne was making himself comfortable behind the bar. Though it didn’t look like he was giving away drinks.
Thea and I never gave drinks away for free. It was a policy Hazel had drilled into us when we’d both started here, just as it had been drilled into her head long, long ago.
Hazel’s parents had been the original owners of the Lark Cove Bar. When they’d passed on, she’d inherited it, as well as her childhood home. I’d worked alongside Hazel at the bar for years, until Thea moved to Lark Cove. With both of us running the place, Hazel had decided to retire, though her rules remained.
No free drinks.
It might be against the rules, but Wayne had just earned a free refill.
And Willa could drink for free any night of the week.
“Hey, Willa.” Wayne smiled and winked at her as we approached the bar.
She smiled back. “Hi, Wayne.”
I slid a stool out for her, and after she sat, I went behind the bar. “Thanks,” I told Wayne, clapping him on the shoulder. “Next one’s on me.”
“Rain check. I’ve hit my two-beer limit for the night and it’s time to go home.”
With a quick wave to Willa and a couple others in the bar, he walked out the front door, leaving me and Willa alone across from each other.
“What would you like?”
“Just a water, please.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her fingers toyed with the edges of a cocktail napkin.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, filling up a glass of ice water and adding a lemon wedge. “I could make you a pizza.”
She shook her head. “I ate at camp with the kids already.”
“Want some peanuts?” I slid over a paper boat full without waiting for an answer.
“Thanks,” she said but didn’t crack one. She also didn’t say a word.
My heart began pounding and my palms were sweating. Had talking to a woman always been this hard? It occurred to me that I didn’t actually know how to get to know a member of the opposite sex, except in the carnal sense.
I decided to go with the only safe topic that came to mind. “So, uh, how are your parents?”
“Good.”
“Your dad’s a teacher, right?”
She nodded. “Science.”
“And your mom? What does she do again?”
“She’s an accountant. She helps out Bob with some of the bookkeeping at the diner and then does tax returns for a bunch of people every year. She likes it because it gives her the summers free to spend with my dad and to do her gardening.”
“Is she the one who did all the flowers then? Up your stairs?”
“Yep.” After another short answer, Willa examined her water glass.
I took a moment to glance around the room, trying to think of another topic to discuss. She wasn’t giving me much to go on and I had a sudden case of stage fright. The only other conversation starter that popped into my head was the weather, and I refused to talk about the fucking weather.
“How are things at the camp?” I asked.
“Good.” She sipped her water. “Busy. We just brought in a new bunch of kids yesterday so the first couple days are crazy as they all get settled.”
“I bet. Do you ever have kids who get homesick, go home early?”
“Sometimes, but they rarely leave. It usually only takes a day for them to get comfortable and make some friends. Then they usually don’t want to go home.”
“I never went to camp as a kid.”
“That’s too bad. They’re a lot of fun.”
“I bet.” I would have killed to escape my foster home for a week. There was no way I would have gotten homesick.
Behind Willa at one of the tables, a customer gave me a nod for their check. “Be right back.”
I hustled to the till and printed out their bill, then delivered it and cleared some glasses. After I rang them up and wiped down their table, I went back to my spot across from Willa.
She was studying her water glass, and while I’d been gone, she’d pulled her hair back into a long ponytail so it was off her face. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a black, sleeveless blouse that showed off her slender arms. The collar of the blouse was high, but it had a deep cut. Her shirt was blousy and loose, and with the way she was leaned forward with her elbows on the bar, it hinted at her black lace bra underneath.
She didn’t have large breasts, but that didn’t stop me from trying to sneak a peek. I bet she’d blush something fierce if she knew I was attempting to look down her shirt.
“Hey.” My eyes snapped away from Willa’s chest to the woman standing by her side. It was the same one who’d been flirting with me all night.
She had her arms pressed tight to her ribs, forcing her breasts together. Out of habit, my gaze dropped to her chest. It was like a car accident on the side of the road. Those tits got a glance whether you wanted to see the carnage or not.
Unlike Willa’s, this woman’s top could barely contain her breasts. The material pulled as low as possible to show off her cleavage. This chick couldn’t pull off subtle, unlike Willa, who was sexy without even trying.
“What can I get for you?” I asked.
“My friends are ready to go, so I just wanted to leave this for you.” She set three twenties on the bar. On the top one was a name—Cee Cee—and a phone number written in red sharpie.
“Thanks.” I took the bills back to the register and made change. “Here.” I handed her a five and some coins.
“Keep it,” she purred. “And call me.”
I gave her a polite smile. “Thanks.”
She turned, flipping her brown hair over a shoulder, then strutted back to her friends. She looked ridiculous, her ass swaying and her heels teetering with every step. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to trip on a peanut shell and break an ankle.
It took forever for her and her friends to gather up their shit and leave, and when they were finally out the door, I turned my attention back to Willa.
It was just the two of us now, but I didn’t know how long the privacy would last. My dinner rush was over and Mondays were normally our slowest night. But with my luck, someone would be here soon for a nightcap, ruining my chances of talking to Willa alone.
“Before someone else comes in, I wanted to ask you again. Would you like to go out for dinner sometime? Maybe hit the diner or even drive up to Kalispell.”
Kalispell was the biggest and closest town to Lark Cove, about thirty miles away on the north side of the lake. I hadn’t been to many of the restaurants up there, but I did know they were fancier than the diner or my bar. And Willa deserved fancy.
“Listen, Jackson.” She hitched her purse over her shoulder and stood from her stool. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“What?”
“I’m not what you’re looking for, and I’m definitely not your type.”
Not my type? She was exactly my type. “Willa—”
She cut me off. “It would probably be best if you just forgot about me. Again.”
With that, she turned and hurried through the door, leaving me and my mouth hanging open behind the bar.
Again.
What the fuck did that mean?
