“Don’t waste your money.” Turning, he left her gawking after him as if she was an immature sixteen-year-old.
She looked around the store again, reluctantly agreeing with him. It would take more money than she wanted to spend on her initial investment. That left her with two options: either she built new on the property that Drake had suggested next to King’s restaurant, or she kept searching for another spot.
Sighing, she went to the light switch, flicking the lights out before going outside and locking the door behind her.
Willa saw Lucky across the street, sitting on his motorcycle as he talked to Knox. The sheriff had his back to her, but Lucky’s gaze was pinned on her as she got inside her van.
Driving home, her hand went to her throat, touching the spot Lucky’s lips had brushed. Why had he touched her? He had made no attempt to touch her before. The coward in her wanted to shy away from him, run when he was near. However, the bolder side of her, which she had never given reign to, had wanted more than the brief touch he had given her, even if the attraction she felt was one-sided.
She stopped in her driveway, and for a split second, she wanted to escape the responsibilities waiting for her inside. She was so tired of doing everything herself. Just once, she wished she had someone to lean on, to share her problems with instead of constantly worrying about the decisions she was making. Gathering her purse, she locked her car.
As she was unlocking her front door, she heard a motorcycle roar past. Willa paused, seeing Lucky ride by on the main street. Envying him his freedom, she went inside.
“All done?” Willa asked Rachel, who was sitting at the table with Sissy.
“Just finished.” Rachel closed the laptop before rising to her feet.
“I appreciate you keeping an eye on the children while I went out.”
“I’m happy to help.” Rachel grinned at her. “Sissy is almost caught up with her work. A couple more sessions and she should be good for the rest of the school year.”
“Let me know how much I owe you—” Willa began.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Rachel shook her head. “I enjoy working with Sissy. Since Cash built me a lab at the factory, I spend too much time buried in my work.”
“Cash is like a different man since he’s married you.”
Rachel’s face glowed with happiness. “I never thought that he’d settle down and make such a wonderful husband.”
Willa reached out without thought, giving Rachel a hug. Rachel gave her a strange look when she released her.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you voluntarily touch someone.”
Willa blushed.
“I better be going.” Rachel picked up her laptop. “Sissy, I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
All Rachel received in response was a curt nod.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Willa began straightening the living room, expecting Sissy to give her the silent treatment as she went to her room.
“Why did you wait for Rachel to get here before you left?” Her tone alerted Willa to the fact that Sissy was angry.
“I didn’t want to leave Chrissy, Charlie, and Caroline unsupervised,” she explained.
“I could have watched my cousins,” she snapped.
“I won’t leave them alone with you again until I’m sure you will watch them closer than you did the last time,” Willa explained.
Sissy stood, her hands clenching into fists. “You fat bitch, they’re my family, not yours. As soon as I turn eighteen, I’ll get custody of them and take care of them myself.”
Willa wished she could become immune to the insults Sissy was constantly giving her, but the fact was each hurt as much as the first one she had given the night she had brought the children home.
“Do you seriously believe that Child Services will give you the children? You don’t even have a job to support them.” Willa tried to make the girl see reason.
“I’ll find one when I graduate.”
“Really? Because I haven’t seen you lift a hand to so much as load the dishwasher. You think you will be able to find a job that will give you the finances to support the five of you in a town filled with unemployed workers?”
“If you can do it, I can.” Her arrogance was dooming Sissy to failure.
“Sissy, I’m working before you get up in the morning and long after you go to sleep. If you have the motivation, then you can accomplish your goal, but you’re going to have to have a bigger motivation than trying to hurt me.”
“Sorry I’m not going to kill someone so that I won’t be a lonely, old hag. Do you think giving them a home to live in is going to make up for murdering their father?”
Despite herself, Willa couldn’t hide her wince. “I think you should go to bed.”