Page 23 of Sweetly Yours

She straightens, brushing a strand of perfectly styled blonde hair behind her ear. “Maybe I’ll see you around. Tell Brock I said hi.” The she laughs, “Nevermind, I’ll just tell him myself.”

With that, she turns and walks out, her heels clicking against the floor until the door swings shut behind her.

As soon as she’s gone, June lets out a low whistle. “What the hell was that?”

I shake my head, trying to push down the knot of irritation and unease in my chest. “There’s something about her,” I mutter. “I don’t trust her.”

“Neither do I,” June says, narrowing her eyes at the door like she’s willing Tessa to walk back in so she can say something snarky. “She gives off major bad vibes.”

I nod, still gripping the edge of the counter. My mind replays the way Tessa spoke, how every word felt like it was meant to poke at something, to unsettle me. And it worked.

June tilts her head, studying me. “You should tell Brock.”

Her suggestion snaps me out of my thoughts, and I turn to her, shaking my head quickly. “No. I’m not telling him.”

“What?” June asks, her brow furrowing. “Why not? He deserves to know she’s sniffing around.”

“Because I don’t want to make it a thing,” I say, my voice firmer than I expect. “Things are good between us right now, and I don’t want to ruin that. I don’t want him to think I’m... insecure or jealous.”

June arches a brow. “Willow, it’s not about jealousy. It’s about honesty. You don’t think he’d want to know that she came in here and tried to mess with your head?”

I hesitate, biting my lip. “I don’t know. Maybe. But what if he thinks I’m overreacting? What if it makes him feel like I don’t trust him?”

June lets out a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re not overreacting. She’s clearly up to something. And trust isn’t the issue—it’s about protecting what you’ve got. Brock’s crazy about you, but that doesn’t mean Tessa won’t try to cause trouble. You need to get ahead of it.”

Her words hit home, but I still shake my head. “I just... I don’t want to stir up drama. Not right now.”

June sighs, her frustration evident, but she softens when she sees the worry in my eyes. “Alright,” she says, holding up her hands. “But if she pulls something else, you promise me you’ll tell him.”

I nod reluctantly. “I promise.”

June doesn’t look entirely convinced, but she doesn’t push it. “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will,” I say softly, but the knot in my stomach doesn’t ease.

As I turn back to the counter and busy myself with organizing trays, Tessa’s words echo in my mind:Tell Brock I said hi.

Something about her isn’t right, and I can’t shake the feeling that this won’t be the last time she tries to weasel her way into his life—or mine.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

BROCK

The buzz of the saw in my workshop is deafening, but it doesn’t drown out the thoughts running circles in my head. Willow. Always Willow. She’s all I think about. The way she laughs, the way her cheeks flush when I call herbaby, the way her lips felt pressed against mine, soft but with a fire that completely consumed me.

I’d planned to stop by the bakery this morning, just to see her for a minute, but I got busy on my project and couldn’t make it over there.

My phone vibrates on the workbench, snapping me out of my thoughts. I grab it, wiping sawdust off my hands, and see a notification. It’s from Tessa.

My jaw tightens before I even open it.

It’s a post she tagged me in. A picture from the event, one of those group shots someone snapped of me with a few attendees. Tessa’s right next to me, standing a little too close, her hand resting on my arm.

The caption reads:Such a wonderful event with amazing company. Proud of you, Brock!

I scroll through the comments, already knowing what I’ll find.

Always knew you’d go far, Brock. Miss you!

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