Chapter 16: A Risk Worth Taking

Willow anxiously waited for her last customers to leave. She kicked herself for letting Caitlin go home early. Garin had asked to see her later and she hadn’t been able to focus on anything else since. She contemplated telling the patrons to leave but she had a stellar five-star rating and she didn’t want to risk it.

The couple waved their goodbyes as they left. Willow hurriedly locked the door behind them, spinning the closed sign so hard it nearly snapped the chain. She dashed and locked the register; she would worry about the deposit tomorrow.

Before she left, she checked her appearance in the antique mirror above the sink. Her mascara was smudged, as always, and she had a long streak of what appeared to be mocha sauce across her cheek. She scrubbed her face and quickly pulled her hair out of its braid. She noticed how much Garin seemed to like her hair when it was down and crazy.

He was waiting by the door as she locked up. He looked up as she walked out, and her heart lurched. She felt like it was saying, here he is. What you’ve been looking for. She wanted so badly to believe it. To believe that they could be together. It wouldn’t last. It would end in fire and ashes, but it was a risk worth taking. The pain would be worth the way he looked at her.

“How was work?” he asked as they began walking down the busy sidewalk. People were still milling about, pre-festival food trucks set along the main street. There was a gaiety to the air that was infectious.

“Good. Super busy. I can probably retire any day now,” she joked.

“So, you’ll be one of those accomplished, retired by 30 millennials?” he replied, nudging her with his elbow. She laughed.

“If only. Don’t get me wrong, I love my shop but some days, I just dream of reading. All-day. Never having to worry about bills or responsibilities,”

“Marry rich. Then you can do what you like,” he replied. She made a face.

“Gross. I’d rather be alone than with someone I don’t like,” she said, grimacing. He laughed.

“Fair enough. So where to?”

“Hmm, there is a really amazing food truck that comes every year. It is “island fusion”. So good. They only come here like twice a year,”

“Deal,” he said. “Lead the way!” She grinned shyly and began weaving through the crowd. This was by far the largest crowd that she had seen for the festival. It was probably the weird appeal of it. That and it’s new promotion on social media.

As she pushed through the crowd, she felt fingers grasp hers. Without looking, she knew they were his. She should pull away, but to hell with it. For tonight, it didn’t matter. She pulled him through the throng of people, stopping at an ostentatiously decorated truck, complete with lit-up palm trees. His eyes took in the garish decorations.

“I love it,” he declared with a laugh. How badly she just wanted to fall into his arms. Lyall refused to come with her to these and instead just made nasty comments. She shook thoughts of him away. She didn’t want to think about him tonight.

They ordered their food and walked a short distance to the city park. Willow found a secluded picnic table beneath a large tree.

“This is really good,” Garin said around a mouth full of guava chicken.

“Duh. I take food very seriously,” she replied and popped a shrimp in her mouth. He smiled and shook his head.

“I’m glad you agreed to see me,” he said after he had finished eating. She was staring up at the stars, the moonlight bathing her face milky white.

“I’m glad you asked,” she retorted without looking at him. His fingers inched towards her. She intertwined hers with his, tingles shooting up her fingers. No matter how many times he touched her, she would never get used to this feeling.

“So, what do we do now?” he asked.

“There’s probably a show or something in the town center,” she said, trying to remember the itinerary.

“No, I meant about this,” he replied and held up their conjoined hands, laughing.

“I have no idea,” she replied honestly, looking into his eyes.

“Me either,” he said.

“I don’t want to think about tomorrow, or next week or anything in the future. All I care about right now is this. Us. At this moment,” she said in a rush.

“Okay,” he said and moved closer, putting his arm around her shoulder. She pushed into him, trying to soak up as much of him as she could, his scent burning her throat.

“What’s your favorite book?” he asked, his chin propped on the top of her head.

“I don’t have a favorite. It changes. What about you?”

“Oh, I am a total cliché. Catcher in the Rye.” He said with a laugh.

“That’s not too cliché,” she replied.

“Yes, it is,” he retorted.

“Okay, maybe a little,” she cringed, and he laughed.

“I knew it!” he pulled her tighter to him.

“I like talking to you,” she said shyly, looking up at him through her lashes.

“I like you,” he said, his fingers tracing her jaw. With a gentle touch, he brought her lips up to meet his. Willow felt as if the earth had crumbled around them, spinning quickly and then jerking to a stop, swallowing them whole.

She kissed him hungrily. If she were going to hell, she was going to go with knowing what love’s first kiss tasted like. He grasped her hair tightly at the nape of her neck, urging her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, consuming his scent, letting it fill her. Letting it be her downfall.

Silas and Miles watched from a thicket of brambles, hidden from view. Miles watched the tic in Silas’s cheek. He knew that his brother was itching to fire an arrow through the shifter’s heart. Possibly his brother’s too. Garin, what have you done? He thought morosely. He knew Silas would tell his father. This was going to be bad.

“This ends. Now,” Silas said not taking his eyes off of the intertwined lovers.