Page 24 of Sweetly Yours

The knot in my stomach tightens. This is classic Tessa, twisting the narrative to suit her own agenda. She didn’t belong at the event, and she sure as hell doesn’t belong in my life now.

But what really gets me is the thought of Willow seeing this.

The image of her sitting behind the counter at Sweetly Yours, scrolling through her phone and finding that post, sends a pang of unease through me. She already seemed unsure at the event, like something was bothering her, and if this doesn’t make things worse, I don’t know what will.

Before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m grabbing my jacket and heading out the door. I need to see her, talk to her,fix this.

The bell above the bakery door jingles as I walk in, and the smell of sugar and vanilla washes over me. It’s comforting, grounding, and completely Willow.

She’s behind the counter, focused on arranging a tray of muffins. Her braid swings over her shoulder as she moves, and the sight of her, so calm and steady, makes my chest tighten. She has no idea how much I want to protect her, to shield her from anything that could hurt her—including Tessa.

“Hey,” I say, my voice breaking the quiet.

Willow turns, and her smile is immediate but doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hey, you. What brings you by?”

I step closer, resting my hands on the counter. “Needed to see you.”

Her cheeks flush slightly, and she glances down, fiddling with a cupcake wrapper. “I’m glad you did. But is everything okay?”

I hesitate, not wanting to dive right into it, but there’s no use skirting around the issue. “I saw something this morning. A post from Tessa.”

Her smile falters, and she sets the cupcake wrapper down carefully, like she’s bracing herself. “Oh.”

“She posted a picture from the event,” I explain, my voice steady but firm. “She’s trying to make it look like there’s more going on than there is.”

Willow nods slowly, her eyes fixed on the counter. “I figured she might try something like that.”

I frown, leaning closer. “You knew she was up to something?”

She hesitates, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the counter. “She came here yesterday,” she admits quietly. “She said some things that didn’t sit right with me, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

“Willow,” I say, my voice dropping low. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She looks up at me, her eyes guarded. “Because I didn’t want to stir up drama. Things are so good between us, and I didn’t want her to ruin that. I didn’t want to seem... insecure.”

“Insecure?” I repeat, the word tasting bitter in my mouth. “Willow, this isn’t about insecurity. You don’t have to deal with her alone. I don’t want you to.”

Her lips press together, and she looks away, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I just didn’t want you to think I don’t trust you.”

I let out a slow breath, stepping around the counter and pulling her into my arms. “Baby, listen to me,” I murmur, my voice low and steady. “I don’t care what Tessa says or does. She doesn’t matter to me. You do. Nothing’s going to change that.”

She relaxes against me, her head resting on my chest. “I wish she’d just disappear.” she mumbles, her voice muffled against my shirt.

I chuckle softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You and me both.”

For a moment, we just stand there, holding each other, the warmth of her body grounding me. I can feel the tension in her slowly start to ease, and it’s enough to settle some of the anger bubbling inside me.

The bell jingles again, and we pull apart as a customer walks in. Willow gives me a small, apologetic smile before stepping back behind the counter.

“I’ll see you later?” I ask softly, leaning closer.

“Yeah,” she says, her voice warm again.

I nod, giving her one last look before heading out. But as I walk to my truck, the knot in my chest tightens again.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

WILLOW

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