Page 83 of Heartbeats & Highways

I looked at her in confusion, but I nodded.

She beamed. “I’m Willa. Savage’s?—”

“Best friend. Right. Hi.”

“Hi.” She laughed. “I brought you Brooklyn’s maternity clothes. She would have brought them to you herself, but Palmer had a pediatrician’s appointment, so I volunteered.”

“Oh, that’s so nice of you.” I smiled. “Thanks. I can take those and put them behind the counter.”

“Don’t think for one moment this visit is altruistic,” she beamed as she handed me the bags. “I wanted to meet you in person and invite you to dinner sometime this week. Ever since Waverly told us about you, I’ve been bugging him to bring you around. Savage has been keeping you all to himself and giving me excuse after excuse.”

“After excuse,” I said with a nod. “Well, we can’t have that. I’d love to come to dinner.”

“Great. Let me give you my number. You can text me when you talk to Savage and figure out your schedule.”

I unlocked my phone and handed it to her. She punched in her number. “I’m texting myself, so I have your number, too.”

Heavy footsteps tromped down the hallway and Roman appeared with a burly, bearded client. “See you in a few weeks, Rudy.”

Rudy clapped Roman’s hand.

“Hey, Willa,” Roman greeted.

“Hi.” She waved. “I just popped in to say hello to Evie and now I’m going.”

The door jangled shut as she left. Rudy quickly squared up with me and then headed out, leaving me alone with Roman.

“Stop looking at me that way,” I said.

“What way?”

“Like you’re curious about why Willa was here.”

“Iamcurious.” He shrugged. “You don’t have to tell me though.”

“She invited me to dinner at her house,” I said. “Thoughts?”

“Bring a loaf of your homemade sourdough.”

After smoothing over the ruffled feathers of Homer’s customers and booking a few more appointments for Virgil and Roman, it was the end of the workday.

Savage waited for me in the parking lot and when I went out to meet him, my heart lifted. I carted out the canvas totes.

He cocked his head to the side, asking a silent question.

“Willa brought me Brooklyn’s clothes.”

“Did she.” He pressed a button and the hatchback opened, and I set the clothes inside the car.

“She also invited me to dinner.”

He groaned. “Damn it.”

“She knew what you were doing—giving her the runaround and keeping me all to yourself. Give it up, Savage. I have to meet them.”

“Yeah, I know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just wanted . . .”

“What? You’ve made me your Old Lady. I’m pregnant. They’re your best friends. The sooner I integrate into your life, the better.” I reached out and touched his chin. “Trust me.”

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