A Walk Along the Beach(37)

He paused and shook his head as if to clear his mind. “No, that’s not right,” he said, correcting himself. “I know they would have been disappointed in me, and I was looking to avoid that.”

I hadn’t meant for our talk to revolve around the women he’d once known and loved. Jealousy had prompted the question. The thought of Sean with anyone else made my stomach curdle. Of all that I’d learned about him, it was the part about his affairs that had plagued me most.

He turned to look at me, his eyes pleading with mine. “Can we get past this, Willa? Are you able to put this behind us so we can move forward?”

    “Is that what you want?” I asked, my heart in my throat. “For us to move forward?”

His shoulders rose as he straightened. “More than you will ever know.” Taking my hand in both of his, he raised it to his lips and kissed my knuckles, all the while holding my gaze with his own.

Even now I wasn’t sure what he saw in me that had interested him. I didn’t mean to discount myself or my abilities, but the contrast between me and women like Nikki couldn’t have been more blatant. When I researched her name I saw that she was a cover model, so there was plenty of evidence. I’d never considered myself beautiful or fashionable. Sean had been with a woman who was both. If he was looking for different, then that was me.

“You haven’t answered my question, Willa. Can we start again?”

My heart was full, and I nodded.

“Thank you,” he whispered. Taking hold of my neck, he drew me closer and kissed me and then braced his forehead against mine. “I can’t thank you enough for seeing me through all this.”

“You’re pushing yourself too hard, working too many hours.”

“I know. I’ll ease up.”

“Promise?”

He nodded. “Every day I feel more like myself.”

“I’m glad.”

“I’ll recover faster now that I know you and I are okay. I’ve been worried about us having this conversation, afraid you were waiting until I was well enough to dump me.”

His words shocked me. “I would never dump you…We might disagree from time to time, Sean. I’m not perfect, and while it might come as a shock, you aren’t, either.”

He grinned and then grew serious. “There’s something you should know. I’m all in, Willa.”

“What does that mean?” My lack of experience in romantic relationships made me unsure.

“It means there’s no one else for me but you. If we plan to make something of this relationship, you should decide now if you’re as serious as I am.”

    This was daunting. “I…”

“I don’t mean to put you on the spot. I’m not asking for anything more than the assurance you care about me.”

“I do care.” That was never in doubt.

“And if some other guy asks you out or makes a play for you, what would you say?”

This seemed to be some form of test. “Well,” I said, considering my response, “I guess I’d need to explain that I had a boyfriend who’s all in and would object to me going out with someone else.”

“Good girl.”

“Depending on who it was, I’d probably add that my ‘all-in boyfriend’ was big and mean and didn’t take kindly to other men flirting with me.”

“Even better,” Sean said and laughed.

“Now that we’ve cleared the air, I need to say goodbye to your parents.”

“You know they love you already.”

“Are they all in, too?” I teased, remembering his mother’s less-than-subtle hints about grandchildren.

“You better believe it.”

Before I left, I hugged both Joanna and Patrick and reassured them I would keep a close eye on Sean. He walked me to my car, kissed me again, and stood with his hands in his pockets as I drove away. I watched his figure fade from my rearview mirror.

Smiling, I realized I was in serious danger of falling in love with Sean. Serious, serious danger.

Instead of driving back to our apartment, I headed in a different direction. It was time I checked in on my father.





CHAPTER 15





Willa


I didn’t know Dad’s work schedule and took a chance he’d be home. The trailer park where he lived wasn’t in a bad neighborhood, but it wasn’t the best, either. Most of the yards were well maintained. Dad had a small patio with his space and had set out several potted plants. When she’d been alive our mother had maintained a large garden. It seemed our father had something of a green thumb himself. His tomato plants, heavy with ripe fruit, lined the small walkway leading up to the trailer.

Standing on the porch step, I knocked on the door. I’d been to his home only a few times. He discouraged company. Before, when I’d stopped by, it’d always been the middle of the day and I’d warned him in advance that I was coming. I silently prayed he wouldn’t be upset at my unexpected visit and that he wasn’t drinking.

    “Who’s there?” he called from inside the trailer. His voice, as well as his words, lacked welcome.

“It’s Willa.”

“Willa.” Almost immediately the front door was thrown open and Dad stood there in a stained white T-shirt and jeans. He blinked as if he wasn’t sure it was really me.