Page 36 of Willow Vale

“Oh yeah, you’ll see her at the bar over the coming weeks with the carnival approaching, I’m sure. She and her pack of hyenas always stop in to get drunk over margaritas like it’s no one’s business,” Travis drawled. “Got herself hitched last year with some city boy who worked at her dad’s firm in Laramie and convinced him to move here for some reason. At least she got what she said she always wanted, though.”

“To marry rich,” we both said at the same time before laughing softly.

“So…that’s it? You didn’t want to let someone from the city take over the bar?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away from his.

“The memories I had of that bar have always been connected to the fear I saw on your face when you had to go pick Irene up. You tried to hide it from me, but I saw it. I saw what it cost you to ask for help. I couldn’t own a place that brought that sort of reaction out of anyone. I couldn’t walk inthere without remembering you in that way. Besides, you know the old timers like Saul don’t like their town being changed. It’s perfect as-is. As for the changes I made inside? I guess it was time to give the place a refresh.”

A refresh.

I watched him shrug as if what he’d just said was no big deal. Itwasa big deal. To me it was. A thought came to me then. That maybe Travis couldn’t separate me from the bar any more than I could separate it from Irene. Only he’d bought The Pint and changed it completely. Because of me.

I didn’t know what to do with that. What to say. What tofeelwhen he always brought out so many emotions in me at once.

Instead, I cleared my throat and said, “You know, you can scowl all you want, but there’s no denying that you care about the people in this town. I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone in Willow Vale trusted you with their lives.”

He made a noncommittal sound. His voice was gruff yet soft, barely above a whisper that might as well have been a punch to the gut. “All except for one maybe.”

This time there was nothing but the heavy pulsing of my heart in my chest threatening to crack in half. Travis’s eyes traced the lines of my face, like a slow caress. Making me feel bare in every way imaginable.

“Stop that.” I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Stop what?” He arched a brow.

“You know what. Stop looking at me with those eyes.”

He crossed his arms, clearly amused, “How exactly am I looking at you, Delilah?”

“Like you—” my words stumbled as he reached a hand up, and I tensed, not sure what to expect. Anticipating the way his touch would leave sparks dancing across my skin.When his fingers curled around that stray curl I’d been battling with all throughout dinner, I wasn’t sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or mourn the fact that he hadn’t touched me. He pushed the strands behind my ear, his fingers slowly tracing the curve of my ear. I shivered at his touch, and he gave me a small grin.

“Ah,thoseeyes.” He says almost to himself, appearing to have realized something. “I’ll try to keep it to a minimum.”

I breathed, “Good. You do that.”

“I said I’d try. It wasn’t a promise. I can’t do the impossible, Delilah.”

Delilah.

His use of my real name, the way he said it, never failed to stun me. Such a subtle, silly thing to care about. Yet Travis’s habit of calling me by my first name—not Lila like everyone had called me since I was a kid because I hated my full name—was a gesture that told me just how much he still remembered about me.

What I liked or didn’t like. The same way he remembered I had a strong dislike of brussel sprouts no matter how they’re cooked and swept the plate away from Finn before he could offer it to me at dinner. Or how he took the shot of tequila because he knew I didn’t drink. How he took me to star gaze all those years ago…

He paid attention.

He cared.

“Well, I should get going,” I finally said, hiking a thumb over my shoulder awkwardly as I took a step back and away from his reach. Too scared that I’d end up telling him I didn’t want him to stop looking at me the way he had moments ago.

“Have a good night. Drive safe,” he said before he walked around the Bronco and headed for his truck. He raised one hand as I backed out of the gravel driveway and drove awayfrom the ranch. From the rearview mirror, I could see him still standing there until there was only the stars and endless winding roads in sight.

That night, I dreamed of hot summer days and laughter that overlapped with the buzzing of cicadas. I dreamed of staring up at starry night skies while laying atop a mishmash of quilts and pillows. And in my dream, I saw Travis. Every version of him I’d come to know over the years. Every version I’d loved.

CHAPTER 15

Lila

The soundof my cellphone ringing woke me up at three in the morning.

I groaned and froze when I realized River was snuggled up next to me, his little hand on my stomach in a half hug. I slowly rolled onto my side to pick my phone up from the nightstand and blinked through my haze until I could make out who was calling me on the screen.

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