“You didn’t push me anywhere.”
“You have no idea what you’re getting into with me, Liam. I’m not some granola-hippy-clothing-optional girl. I work at an advertising agency. I’m like, hosting a book club at my house this month.”
“I like books,” he said, not quitting.
I wondered why I was pushing back so hard. He was asking for more of me. He was willing, and I was rejecting. Self-preservation was a nasty bitch and her claws were in me deep. Still, the new Callie didn’t want to push away; she wanted to pull the goodness life offered toward her.
“Okay,” I said.
“Just like that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“Look, I’ve had fun with you—no, fun isn’t even the right word. You rocked my fucking mind. And if you’re in town sometime and want to get together for drinks, or more, I’m game.”
“Good,” he said, pulling me toward him once more and planting a long, sensual kiss on my worn-out lips. “Because I will be calling you. No way am I going to pass this up.”
“Well, how often are you in town?” I asked.
“I’ll be there in two weeks.”
“It’s a date then,” I said. “But now I need to get back to my friends.”
He smiled like he knew more than I did.
“What?” I asked.
“I know for a fact one of your friends hooked up with a friend of mine last night, and he specifically asked me to not come back to our cabin until at least after midnight.”
“Really?” I asked, my jaw dropping. Willow had been with me all night—could he mean Courtney actually hooked up with someone last night and kept it a secret? That little minx!
“Yeah, I swear. And your other friend, Willow? She’s on a night hike,” he said, using air quotes.
“I knew about that,” I said, the information swirling in my head. “So I guess I can stay awhile longer?”
“Definitely, and I was thinking you did come here for a massage. I could put you on the table and keep you in this relaxed state. How does that sound?” Liam asked.
“It’s sounds perfect.”
“Did you have any trouble spots you needed me to work on?” he asked with a sly grin, picking me up again and carrying me to the massage room.The next morning Courtney, Willow, and I boarded the private ferry to take us back to my car. The three of us seemed to be equally blissed out. I knew why Willow was; she’d come back late last night, after Courtney and I were already in bed, but I woke as she cracked open the cabin door.
She had given me a thumbs up, then covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing loudly and waking Court. She’d slipped into the bathroom and I’d fallen back asleep, happy that she had found a way to explore her wild side this weekend, too.
Fishing for information, I asked Court what she was so happy about.
“I just had an amazing weekend,” she said, not giving anything away.
I knew that was her style, and I didn’t press. But I could read between the lines of her blushing cheeks—and Liam’s story—to infer what she had done.
The Kyle lookalike must have eased her out of her shell.
“Oh, good—I kind of thought you might be annoyed Callie and I were MIA so much,” Willow said, winking at me as she pulled down her beanie. I might have gossiped a bit while Courtney showered that morning.
“Did you have a nice massage?” Courtney asked. “I mean, two in one day—that’s kind of insane.”
“Actually,” I began, a smile spreading across my face. “I sort of met someone.”Willow’s StoryChapter FifteenWaiting in the empty general store, I looked at the stacks of sweatshirts emblazoned with Eagle Cove, the resort’s name. I’d been dying to come here for months, ever since my co-worker Jenn visited the previous spring.
When Callie’s boyfriend broke up with her, and Courtney announced a weekend off from her magazine internship, I jumped at the chance to come with my two best friends.
Today, the air felt unseasonably cold. Needles had fallen from the evergreen trees covering the island, and I wore leggings under my Free People skirt to keep warm.
Jenn had come here on a kayaking trip, but I preferred hiking. Looking out the window, I saw an eagle swoop to a giant nest high in the tree. I smiled, knowing I didn’t need to get in a kayak to enjoy nature. There was plenty here on dry land.
“Shit,” yelled a voice from behind a rack of coffee cups, as one crashed to the floor.
I didn’t know anyone was in the store with me, so I jumped as the ceramic shards skittered across the wood floor. “You scared me,” I said as a guy stood, revealing himself.
“Sorry, I totally dropped that. Obviously.” He gave me a dimpled smile as I walked toward him. I instantly identified him as a lookalike to the guy Courtney had been majorly crushing on at her work.