“Mom.” She thought about bathing in the lake with the soap Zane had bought. And last night, after they’d showered, he’d helped her put on the lavender lotion her mother had made. I love how everything smells on you. An old fear shivered through her, and she stomped it down deep. She wasn’t guilty of over-romanticizing their relationship anymore. She smiled to herself. She’d fallen asleep reading his screenplay in bed and had woken to the alarm wrapped in Zane’s arms. She would have liked nothing more than to stay there, but she had too much to do. Including, she hoped, reading more of the screenplay and getting in touch with Aurelia to talk about the possibility of partnering with the bakery and the bookstore.
Her mother pointed to the muffins. “Are these my favorite?” Roxie Dalton was a sweets lover, and she’d passed her mouthful of sweet teeth down to Willow. The way Willow had it figured, she could thank her mother for her curvy figure, thick blond hair, and inability to ever hold her tongue. Her father, on the other hand, had supplied her with the stubborn genes she wore so proudly.
“Blueberry cinnamon, yes, and let’s keep the eyebrow wiggles to a minimum.” She finished preparing the centers of the tarts as her mother chose a muffin. She had a feeling if her mother had any idea how dirty she really wanted to get with Zane, she’d be gasping in horror. She gently twisted the tarts, removed them from the tins, and set them aside to cool.
“What? Can’t I be happy for my baby girl? Zane has always been like family. He was your first real kiss, for goodness’ sakes.”
“A mistletoe kiss when I was seven does not count as a real kiss.” Her mind spiraled back to the first kiss that did count, when he’d stood before her dripping with confidence and eagerness and holding her so lovingly it had felt like a dream. Don’t be nervous. I’ve got you.
“Every kiss counts, sweetheart.” Her mother took a big bite of the muffin.
Until the night at the lake, Willow had dismissed her and Zane’s first real kiss from counting. But now that she knew the truth, that first kiss had shifted back into the place she’d once held it, making it a treasure once again.
“There are plenty of kisses that don’t count. Think of all the frogs I kissed over the years.” When I was trying to find someone to fill the emptiness Zane left behind.
“I disagree. If you hadn’t gone out with those other men, you’d have no perspective about what’s true love and what’s nothing more than lust or physical attraction. I’m glad I dated a few men before your father. He might be a proper gentleman now, but your father had his own bout with recklessness.”
“Daddy?” Willow couldn’t imagine it.
“Oh yes. He was quite the catch, and he knew it. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to compete, even though your father had set his sights on me big-time.” Her mother took another bite of the muffin. “Mm. This is incredible.”
“Thanks.” Willow set up the blender, her thoughts turning introspective. “How did you know you could trust him?”
Her mother’s eyes drifted up to the ceiling, and she sighed. When she met Willow’s gaze again, there was a well of wisdom in her eyes that Willow wanted to learn from.
“I didn’t know. I hoped, and every day he showed me I could trust him.” Her mother reached over and squeezed her hand. “I know you, baby girl. You’re thinking about the actresses that will flock here next week and wondering how you’ll handle it.”
“No—” She couldn’t lie to her mother any more than she already had. “I mean, yes, but not because I don’t think I measure up. Just because . . .”
“Because yesterday every woman and their sister came from over the hills and across the mountains to see him?”
Willow turned on the blender, remembering how frustrating that had been.
“I know, honey, but the man sent you dozens of roses and ran through town to see you.”
“How do you know that?”
“Nothing spreads faster than gossip in Sweetwater, and you two are all over the Internet. He had his security guys put out the word that if anyone comes near your place to gawk, he’ll get a restraining order.”
She turned off the blender. “What?”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t have anything to worry about. The man is in love, Willow. And I think he always has been.”
A little thrill raced up Willow’s spine. “Why do you say that?”
“Mother’s intuition. Now can we talk about the wedding? Have you set a date?”
She turned on the blender, working out her thoughts. Restraining orders? He wasn’t kidding when he’d said he’d taken care of it. The back door swung open, and Piper breezed into the kitchen with Bridgette and Louie at her heels.
“I told you she’d be here,” Piper said as she snagged a doughnut. She came in most mornings for breakfast on her way to work. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her jeans were worn so thin along the thighs Willow was sure they’d split any day now. She slid her perky size-two butt onto a stool and took a big bite of a doughnut.
“When am I ever not here?”
“Um, when you have a hot fiancé lying in your bed.” Piper smirked.
“So now you’re pro-Zane?” She liked that a whole lot more than she’d realized.
“Let’s just say that what he did for you-know-who was beyond amazing.”
“Hi, Auntie Willow.” Louie hugged her legs, getting flour all over the front of his shirt. “Mommy said I could only have half of a doughnut today.”
“Did she, now?” Willow arched a brow at her youngest sister.
“He already ate a bowl of cereal and a banana.” Bridgette peeked into the box their mother had brought. “Jasmine body butter?” She and Piper exchanged a knowing look.
Willow rolled her eyes. “It’s for you.”
“Oh no, it’s not,” her mother said. She opened her arms and knelt down for Louie. “Come here, sugar pop. Let’s get you that doughnut.”
Louie leapt into her arms. “Yay.”
“Seriously, Bridge. Take the body butter.” Willow finished preparing the filling and began spooning it into the tarts.
“No way. I don’t need one of Mom’s magic love potions right now. I’ve got a little boy who takes up all my energy.” Bridgette began brushing the flour off Louie’s shirt. “I should have brought him a change of clothes.”
“Little boys are supposed to get dirty, honey,” their mother said as Bridgette wiped powdered sugar from Louie’s chin. “Louie and I can finish baking if you want to spend this morning with your man.”
“Mom, what did I just tell you? Implying sexy stuff to your daughter in any fashion goes along with eyebrow waggling.” Her family’s approval had her giddy inside, despite the tiny amount of trepidation she still held on to about when Zane eventually left for LA. “Where is Talia when I need her? She’d tell you it’s inappropriate to suggest those things.”
“Talia had an early meeting with a student this morning,” their mother said. “Besides, sexy stuff is part of being in love. How do you think you three got here?”
“Ew,” the girls said in unison.
“I have to get into the shop,” Bridgette said. “But did Mom ask you about the engagement party?”
Willow concentrated on the tarts, placing pieces of strawberries and whole raspberries and blueberries on top of the filling. “Nope. She skipped right to the wedding planning.”
“When are you getting married?” Piper slid off the stool and washed her hands in the sink.