“There’s more, Mom, and I’m not sure anyone will forgive me for this part.” Willow drew in another deep breath, chasing the calm she wondered if she’d ever catch up to again. “I’ve been lying to you about the engagement. It was a hoax to help Zane with his reputation, but then we fell in love. I’m sorry. But there is no engagement.”
Her mother was silent for so long Willow worried she’d lost the connection. She grabbed the box of cupcakes and headed out back. “Mom?” She locked the bakery door and headed for Chloe.
“We know.”
Willow stopped in her tracks. “You know?”
“Zane came over to talk to us Wednesday evening, and he explained the whole situation. That lie, Willow? That lie hurt. You’re not a kid anymore. You should be able to trust family above all else.”
Willow leaned against Chloe, feeling dizzy. He told you everything. To protect me. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“We understand why you both did it, and Zane took all the blame. But you and I both know we make our own choices, and I hope in the future you’ll know that we’d never betray you in any way.” Her mother paused, and it was all Willow could do to remain erect on buckling knees. “And, honey, that man loves you to the ends of the earth. He said that even if we never forgave him, he couldn’t bear it if he’d hurt your relationship with us. He’s a good man, Willow, and I know you’re devastated about these pictures. But your eighteen-year-old heart knew what it wanted, and that girl would stop at nothing to get it.”
That wasn’t true, but now wasn’t the time to go into that with her mother. She’d never picked up the pictures, which meant she’d stopped at her broken heart. But her broken heart hadn’t been too shattered to continue loving Zane. She had just buried that love deep enough to survive without him.
But there is no burying a love too big to contain.
“And now the photographer has sold them, or leaked them, and everyone I know and love will see them if they haven’t already.” Willow gripped the phone tighter.
“That’s true, sweetheart, and as embarrassing as that is for you,” her mother said empathetically, “just remember why you had them taken in the first place, baby girl. I think that’s where your strength will come from.”
IT WAS AFTER eleven o’clock when Zane finally pulled into Sweetwater. It had been hell not following Willow onto the plane, and refraining from calling her family had been equally difficult. He’d have given anything to know she was okay, but she’d wanted to talk with them herself, and he knew she’d slaughter him if he got in her way. He drove through the dark, deserted streets straight to her apartment, but Chloe wasn’t parked out back. Mentally ticking off the places she might be, he drove to each of her siblings’ houses and down to Dutch’s Pub, but Chloe was nowhere in sight. He headed for her parents’ house, and as he approached their street, he knew . . .
He parked on the side of the road and made his way through the woods, which reminded him of the last time he’d taken that walk. His pulse raced as hard as it had back then. Leaves crunched beneath his feet. The scents of pine and damp earth infiltrated his lungs as he neared the creek. He stopped at the edge of the forest, his heart swelling at the sight of Willow sitting on the green-and-blue blanket down by the water. He remembered afterward, how his hands had sweated at the thought that he’d have to act like they’d never made love. He could still recall her trusting green eyes blinking up at him and her sweet voice, pleading and commanding at once. Zane. I need you to do me a favor. It has to be you.
Pushing those memories aside was difficult, because he wanted to revel in them, to relive every second of their pre-sex discussion, and every breath they took until the moment he’d stood in this very same spot. But now wasn’t the time to reminisce. He needed to have her in his arms again, or his heart might leap from his chest and scurry across the ground all by itself.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped into the clearing. She turned with a worried look in her eyes, and relief swept over her features. Her lips curved up, and just as quickly, she pressed them together as he knelt beside her.
“Hi.” His emotions were so raw it was hard to push the words out. Her hair hung loose, blocking his view of her eyes.
“Hey. Sorry I haven’t called,” she said softly. “I couldn’t. I . . .” She looked out over the creek, and he couldn’t resist tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see her face.
“I know, babe. It’s okay.” He pushed the “Home” button on his phone, navigated to TMZ’s website, and handed her the phone. “Have you seen this?”
She pushed it away. “I don’t want to see any more of those pictures. Wait. Why are you here? You’re supposed to start filming in a few hours.”
“I made a deal with Steve. He gave me forty-eight hours to win you back, and in exchange I gave him the rights to direct my screenplay.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “You . . .”
“I’ll produce it, but I wouldn’t care if I didn’t. I’d have come if he fired me. Wills. Do you trust me?”
Her eyes dampened as she nodded.
He placed the phone in her hand, curling her fingers around it. “Then look, please.”
Her gaze dropped to the phone, and she opened her fingers, leaning closer to get a better look. “What have you done?” She scrolled through the Austin Powers–slash–boudoir-style pictures of Zane sprawled across a bed, leaning against a pole, and a handful of other ridiculous shots.
He shrugged. “Pulled a few strings.”
Her smile reached her eyes as she took in a picture of Zane lying on his stomach on red silk sheets. His chin was propped up with one hand, his other hand resting on his hip. His knees were bent, red stiletto–clad feet pointed upward, and his eyes were heavily lined, giving the camera a sultry look. “Zane, you look ridiculous and surprisingly hot. But pink panties? High heels? The caption says you’ve secretly been cross-dressing for years. You’re insane. Why would you do this?”
Wasn’t it obvious? “Nobody’s talking about your pictures anymore. Mine have taken over the spotlight.”
“But your reputation? A cross-dresser?”
“How do you know I don’t secretly love high heels?”
She laughed. “This is crazy, and thoughtful, but it doesn’t change the fact that millions of people have seen my body in risqué pictures that were meant only for you.”
“I can’t change that, but you weren’t naked. Panties and a bra cover a lot.” He reached over and scrolled to a picture of him wearing panties and a bra, leaning on a light post. “See?”
She laughed again. “You’re ridiculous. I can’t believe you did this.”
“Then be ridiculous with me, baby. I love you. I’m sorry this happened, but it really will blow over.”
She sighed heavily, and he set the phone on the blanket and took her hand in his.
“Z, your reputation? The movie?”
“I don’t care about my rep or if anyone buys me as a romantic hero, because the only person who needs to believe in me is you. I love you, Wills. You love me. A few embarrassing pictures can never change that. Nothing can.”