Page 29 of Still A Cowboy
Willa pulled the door open just a crack. “Fine. They can do the vlog. But only if you don’t step foot inside the Seaglass. Not for this. Not for anything.”
Brent’s face lit up with quick relief. “Deal. Absolutely. I’ll stay out of it.”
He left in a hurry, almost jogging down the sidewalk like he was afraid she might change her mind and chase him off the property with that turkey leg after all.
Willa closed the door and locked it, then turned to her mom. “You think I’m making a mistake?”
Delia spun the turkey leg in her hand. “Nope. I think you just made the holidays a whole lot more interesting.”
Interesting wasnotthe word she would use for it.
Willa went back to decorating, hoping the steady rhythm of pinning up paper leaves and wrangling crooked garlands would quiet the sting still buzzing in her chest. She opened another box, this one marked for the Thanksgiving display tiedto the Mooncatcher legend.
Inside were cardboard turkey cutouts, each one pinned with faded photos of couples who had supposedly found their soulmates right here at the Seaglass. There were handwritten names, some first names only, some with little hearts drawn next to the dates.
Willa sifted through them, grumbling under her breath. “Most of these couples probably aren’t even together anymore.”
Delia walked over, still twirling the turkey leg like she might use it as a pointer. “But they are,” she said, her voice light but sure. “I keep tabs on that sort of thing.”
Willa gave her a skeptical look, but Delia was already pointing to one of the turkey cutouts near the top of the stack. The photo showed a couple sitting close on a bench outside the Seaglass, both of them laughing, the woman’s hand resting on the man’s knee.
“Emily and Ryan. Married eleven years now. Five kids.” Delia smiled. “They still come through every summer. Same table by the window. Still order the same drinks.”
Willa looked at the photo a little longer, her chest tightening in a way she didn’t like.
“Not everyone’s doomed, Willa,” Delia said gently. “Some people actually get the happy ending.”
Just as Delia handed Willa the giant plastic turkey leg, another knock sounded at the door.
“Round two,” Delia said, clearly amused. “Think it’s Brent again? Want me to handle it?”
Willa scowled, gripping the turkey leg with one hand as she marched to the door. She was still wearing the crooked rhinestone turkey tiara, not that she cared.
When she yanked the door open, she found Eden standing there, all bright smiles and friendly waves like they were old friends.
“Hey, Willa,” Eden said, her tone sugary sweet. “Can we declare a truce?”
Willa didn’t move, didn’t smile. She raised the turkey leg just a little. “Let me guess. You want to impress Lark and Sawyer. They’re vlogging about you now, right? You want me to rewrite the past and pretend you didn’t cheat with my fiancé.”
Eden’s smile didn’t budge. “No rewriting. Say whatever you want to Lark and Sawyer. Really.”
She clasped her hands in front of her like she was here on some polite neighborly visit. “I only want a personal truce between you and me.”
Willa stared at her for a long beat, her grip tightening around the turkey leg. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh, slam the door, or swing the leg right at Eden’s smug little grin.
Eden’s voice stayed light, but her words slid in sharp. “I just think it’s best if you know where things stand. I’m renewing my relationship with Cal. Picking up where we left off.”
Willa’s stomach twisted, but she kept her face as blank as she could manage.
Eden kept going, like she was reciting a love story she had already decided would have a happy ending. “We were in love, you know. Real love. And I think we can have that again. I don’t want you standing in the way of that.”
The words landed like small blows, each one hammering against Willa’s ribs, but she refused to flinch. She wouldn’t give Eden the satisfaction of seeing her break.
She opened her mouth, searching for something easy to say, something polite and distant. She tried to push out a lie. Something likeI wish you both the best.
But the lie stuck in her throat.
She couldn’t say it.
