“Okay,” she said, sitting up, surprised and a little disappointed.
He played the message back. It was a courtesy call from his dentist office reminding him it was time to schedule a cleaning. He pretended to call the person back and nodded as if listening to someone speaking. “Of course. I can be back in Boston in an hour. No, you were right to call me.” He hung up and lied to Willa for the first time. He wasn’t proud of himself for doing it, but he’d been in this place with her before and messed it up. He’d told himself he wouldn’t hurt her this time, but he knew he would if he was honest with her. He wasn’t ready for more yet. “Emergency at the office. We should head back now.”
She gathered her things and stood. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” I hope.
“So we’re leaving now?”
“Looks that way. Sorry to end our trip so abruptly.”
“Don’t even think about it. Things like this happen. Is there anything I can do to help?” She was so sincere, he felt awful.
They walked together to the house. “No, this is my problem.”
I brought us here—again
Because ten years later, I’m still a dick.
Chapter Sixteen
Willa carried her overnight bag up the steps of her apartment building as Lance drove off. The most passionate night of her life had just ended on an oddly formal note she couldn’t understand. Lance had opened her door, retrieved her bag from his trunk, and given her a quick peck on the cheek before speeding away.
A quick peck.
He was either distracted by a serious situation at his office, or . . . she hated thinking about what else it could be. There were too many depressing options. He might be running off to another woman. He didn’t have the reputation of being a love-’em-and-leave-’em guy, but the way he’d dropped her off definitely felt like a drop and ditch.
I’m being paranoid. He’ll handle whatever is going on at his office then call me. We’ll laugh about this.
At her apartment door, Willa dug through her purse for her keys. Dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and an apron, Lexi opened the door while Willa was still searching. Lexi’s bright smile reminded Willa of how she’d felt before the awkward hour-long car ride home, during which Lance had kept the conversation as superficial as if they were strangers chatting while waiting on a train.
“I ordered sushi, but you’re earlier than I thought you’d be.”
Willa placed her bag just inside the door and her keys in the bowl on the table. “So, why the apron?”
Leading the way into the living room, Lexi tossed her long hair over one shoulder. “It’s psychological. When you see me in this, doesn’t it make you feel like I cooked?”
The haughty tone Lexi used sent a gurgle of laughter through Willa. “It makes me question your sanity.”
“I bet I could do a cooking show. I look good in an apron.” Lexi struck a pose and Willa’s mood lightened. If anyone else had said it, they might have come across as full of themselves, but Lexi didn’t. She wasn’t bragging, she was embracing a possibility and approaching it with the overabundance of confidence she’d been born with. Her wink was her way of reminding Willa to not take what she was saying or herself too seriously. Really, it was difficult to do anything but smile when Lexi turned on the charm.
“You do, Lexi. A cooking show, really? That’s new. Does that mean you’re no longer working at Poly-Shyn?” Willa quickly washed her hands in the kitchen sink, dried them, and headed over to the table.
Lexi poured them both a glass of wine and sat down. “I’m still there, but you know me, I like to have a backup plan.”
Willa sat down and kicked off her shoes beneath the table. She wasn’t a big drinker, but she needed one that night. “I hope I still have a job in Dax’s office.” She took a long sip.
“Wait, you’re working for Dax now? What happened to taking the job with Clay?”
Willa downed the rest of her glass and reached for the bottle to refill it. “It’s a long story.”
The doorbell rang. Lexi paid the delivery man and began unpacking the food onto the table. “Put something in your stomach if you’re going to drink so fast. Then you can tell me everything.”
Willa nodded and bit into a California roll. She chewed and swallowed before speaking. “I don’t know what I’m doing lately, Lexi. I used to have a clear plan; now I feel like I’m flying by the seat of my pants toward I don’t know what. It’s scary.”
“I’ve been there. That’s not a fun feeling, but you don’t ever need to be scared, Willa. If you stumble, I’ll always be here to help you back onto your feet.”