The Road That Leads to Us (Us 1)

Willow tucked her hair behind one ear and said, “What do you want, Liam?”

“You say that like I’m not allowed to be in here.” He smirked, turning and opening the refrigerator. “My house, remember.”

“You don’t have to be an ass about it.” Willow picked up her English muffin and took another bite. “It was just a question.” The words came out garbled sounding around her food.

Liam poured himself a glass of milk and leaned across the counter from us.

“You know,” he began, staring down at the liquid, “I can’t say I’m surprised you guys ended up together, but I also can’t say I’m happy.”

Beside me Willow rolled her eyes and huffed a dramatic sigh. “You act as if you have a say in the matter.”

“I don’t,” Liam agreed with a shrug. Leveling a glare on me, he said, “But if you hurt her I’ll kill you.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Why does everybody threaten me?”

“Because you’re the guy!” Willow and Liam said simultaneously.

“Dude, get used to it.” Liam picked up his glass and strolled around the counter. He clapped me on the shoulder harder than necessary. “No one is going to make this easy on you.”

He started to leave the kitchen but turned back when he reached the archway.

“And if you two think for a second I won’t know if you get in bed together. You’re wrong.” He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then us. “Remember, your dad is only a phone call away,” Liam warned Willow.

“You’re ridiculous,” Willow huffed, glaring at him.

Liam merely chuckled. “Love you too, Willie. Goodnight you guys.”

With those parting words he headed back down the hall and into a room. The sound of the door closing echoed around the house.

“I was planning to sneak into your bed,” Willow admitted, “but now I better not risk it. My dad might be accepting of our relationship, for the moment at least, but if he finds out we’ve been sharing a bed he will lose it…and that’s putting it mildly.” With a shrug she returned to eating her snack.

I nodded reluctantly.

“Maybe we should leave tomorrow,” I suggested.

“Dean!” She cried, laughing at me.

“What?” I asked innocently. “It’s a legitimate proposal.”

“You know I wanted to go on this trip to visit Liam. We can’t leave tomorrow.” She wiped crumbs off of her mouth.

“We came. We visited. We can leave.” I pointed in the direction of the door. “I don’t think he likes us being here,” I hissed under my breath.

“That’s because Liam is a hermit. He’ll get over it.”

I wanted to remind Willow that not everyone was like her, so easily accepting, but I opted to keep my mouth shut.

We finished our snack and cleaned up before making the reluctant trip upstairs.

When we topped the steps we both paused, waiting for the other to say something first.

Finally I bent and kissed her forehead. “G’night, Willow.”

She exhaled a shaky breath and I could see relief in her eyes for some reason. “Goodnight, Dean.”

***

“Up and at ‘em!”