That caused him to take a step back, but his eyes stayed locked on mine. For the briefest moment, I swore he was going to kiss me. Instead, he shook his head as if to clear some wayward thoughts, and then walked away.
I stared at his retreating form as Hunter walked back into the kitchen and grabbed a banana and a protein bar. I started to make my way to the door when Hunter called out my name. I turned and faced him as I walked backward.
He smirked and said, “Don’t talk to boys.”
With a lighthearted laugh, I followed my sister out of the house and to her car.
“Watch out there, Willa,” Lacy said as I slid into the front seat.
“What do you mean?”
Lacy glanced at me before she started the car. “I think Aiden O’Hara just noticed you’re not a little girl anymore.”
With a smile, I turned back and looked at the house. “Let’s hope so.”
Sighing, she pulled out and started down our long drive. “This could be a very dangerous game you’re playing with your young heart, sis.”
I stared straight ahead. “Maybe, but it’s a game I’m willing to play.”
Willa
Senior Year
“Promise you won’t say anything, Willa,” Lacy begged.
I rolled my eyes and glared at her. “Lace, you’re going to the same party as Hunter and you want me to stay home. How is that fair?”
She folded her arms over her chest and sighed. “Willa, you cannot go to a party that’s going to be all college kids. Hunter would kill me if he knew I brought you, not to mention Mom and Dad if they ever found out.”
“How will they know? Hunter even said he might not be going.”
“That’s because something better came up. Or someone better,” Lacy stated.
I snarled my lip. “Gross. Didn’t need that visual.”
Lacy smiled. “Less than a year, Willa. After this May, you’ll be college bound and heading to plenty of parties!”
I dropped my head back against the sofa. “This isn’t fair! I’m eighteen, I should be able to go.”
She glanced away before she focused back on me. “Yes, and also still in high school. There will be no high school people there. None. Plus, you may not have noticed, but you’re beautiful. You’ve grown into one of those pinup girls that guys used to hang up in the garages back in granddad’s day. You have a curvy figure and the innocence that make all guys go mad. If those college guys get one look at you, it’s all over. We’ll be beating them off with sticks.”
I laughed and motioned toward my equally stunning sister. “Hello? We come from the same genes.”
“I know. But I’m in college; you’re still in high school. I’m not bringing you, and that’s the end of it.”
I shot off the sofa and huffed as I walked past her. “Fine. Go to your stupid party. I don’t really want to go anyway.”
“Willa, don’t be like that. Our brother will murder me if he knows I took you to a college party.”
I reached for my jacket and quickly put it on as I headed to the front door.
She sighed. “Where are you going?”
“To the barn!”
“It’s dark out! You can’t ride right now. Daddy will—”
When I spun back around, she stopped talking. “I’m eighteen years old, Lacy. I think I’m okay to go to the damn barn, and I wasn’t planning on riding. I just want to be around the horses, if that’s okay with you.”
She threw up her hands in defeat. “Fine, I’m out of here.”
I didn’t wait for her to say anything else. I opened the front door and walked out into the frigid night, slamming it before heading down the path that led to the barn, where we kept the horses and a few goats. My father usually kept most of the horses in the east pasture, but there were a few he stalled up on colder nights.
I’d take spending time with a horse over a stupid college party any day. It wasn’t like I was interested in any guys anyway. My heart belonged to one man and one man only. Aiden.
I smiled as I thought about him and the last letter he’d sent to me. I loved that he handwrote me letters; it felt more special. Most of his letters were just about nothing really. He asked me more about me than he said anything about him.
A few strands of blonde hair had fallen out of my ponytail, and a sudden gust of wind caused them to whip against my face. I wrapped my scarf around my neck tighter and marched forward as I whispered, “I wish you were home, Aiden.”
As I walked into the barn, I removed the scarf and shrugged off my coat, tossing both to the side. The heated barn felt good after the brief walk from the house. I noticed a light coming from the tack room and shook my head. My father would be pissed if he knew the light had been left on. He was a stickler for not wasting money. It was the farmer in him.