The Road That Leads to Us

by Micalea Smeltzer

  “Night, Dean.”

  Dean

  I woke up with Willow’s elbow jammed into my side and a spot on my shirt damp with her drool.

  But fuck, there was no place I’d rather be.

  I might be cramped, and my muscles sore from sleeping in the cramped car, but it was worth it to hold her in my arms all night.

  And I kissed her.

  I didn’t know what possessed me to do it.

  She’d been freaking out and I wanted to calm her down, so it just happened.

  But I was glad I’d done it.

  It had certainly changed everything, but in the best way possible because thankfully my feelings were returned—if they weren’t Willow would’ve probably punched me in the face for kissing her.

  While she was still sleeping, I took the time to look at her. I mean, really look at her.

  She was so beautiful, the way her lashes fluttered against her cheeks and her blonde hair tumbled over her forehead. Her lips pouted in her sleep and her tongue slid out to swipe at her lips.

  I reached out and ran my finger over the bridge of her nose, silently counting all of her freckles that I loved so much.

  I loved so many things about Willow. I loved her. I always had. I didn’t know if that meant I was already in love with her, but I figured I’d find out soon enough.

  She stirred against my chest and made some sort of small sound of distress.

  Her eyes flew open and panicked blue eyes met mine.

  “Oh, God.” Tears pierced her eyes and she quickly buried her face into my chest.

  “What is it?” I asked, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

  “Bad dream.” Her voice was muffled against my shirt.

  “I’m here now.” I’m always here for you.

  She slowly lifted her face from my shirt. “In my dream, I killed the baby deer and her whole family. It was awful.”

  I cupped her face with one hand, my thumb smoothing over her bottom lip. “That didn’t happen.”

  “I know.” She nodded. “But it still startled me.”

  She seemed to finally take in her surroundings. “Oh…I should probably get off of you now.”

  She rolled to the floor of the car before I could protest.

  I busted out laughing at the sight of her on the floor of the car.

  “Willow,” I began, looking down at her, “I was quite alright with you lying on top of me.” I winked.

  Her cheeks flushed and her teeth sank into that lush bottom lip. “Oh,” was all she said.

  I grinned down at her and smoothed my fingers over her soft cheek. I didn’t miss the way her eyes fluttered closed and a small contented sigh passed through her lips.

  “Please don’t tell me you’ve forgotten our kiss already. That would be a shame. It was pretty amazing, if I do say so.”

  “I didn’t forget.” Her voice was eerily soft, a rarity for Willow.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked her, noting the way her brow furrowed. “Are you okay with this?” My feelings for Willow were strong, but I’d never push her into something she didn’t want or wasn’t ready for.

  Her eyes shot up to mine. “Dean,” she swallowed thickly, “I didn’t lie when I told you I like you as more than a friend. I…I want to…” Her brows drew together. “Explore whatever this is,” she waggled a finger between us, “and see where it goes.”

  My lips lifted slightly in a crooked smile and I reached down for her hand. I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed a soft kiss across her knuckles. “Sounds good, Willow.”

  “You didn’t call me Will,” she noted.

  I grinned. “You’re not Will anymore.”

  Her lips parted with understanding.

  I looked out the car windows at the sunrise. The world was alight with oranges, blues, and purples.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Willow said as she scrambled to open the passenger door and get outside.

  “It is.” I agreed, joining her outside.

  We walked around the car, stretching our stiff muscles. I felt my joints pop and groan. Sleeping in the back of a car was not good for your body, but we’d had to make do.

  “I feel gross,” Willow said as she hopped up on the trunk of the car.

  I stepped up to her and placed my hands on the trunk at both sides of her hips. “Why is that?”

  “I didn’t get to shower yesterday and I’m wearing the same clothes.”

  I sniffed at her. “Well, you don’t stink.”

  She pushed my shoulder. “You’re just saying that.”

  I shook my head. “You know me, I never just say anything for the heck of it.”

  She smiled at that and glanced over where the sun rose above a building.

  I hopped up beside her and together we watched the sunrise, absorbing the simple beauty we were graced with every day but never stopped to enjoy.

  When the sun had risen fully she turned to me. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

  “Me too.”

  “And I think we should take a break today,” she added.

  My brows rose in surprise.

  “I want to find a hotel, shower, take a nap, and maybe find that festival that has all the hotels booked up,” she explained. “But seriously, food first.” Her stomach rumbled in agreement with her words.

  I nodded my head in agreement.

  It was actually a very appealing idea. A break would be nice. Yesterday had been a trying day and the idea of driving hours on end today didn’t seem fun.

  We hopped in the car and I drove around the small town we’d stopped in until I found a small diner that boasted that it was open twenty-four hours a day.

  The interior was decorated in a fifties throwback style with shiny black and white floors and smooth red booths.

  We seated ourselves and menus were stuck in the napkin holder.

  I grabbed two and handed one to Willow.

  She looked tired and I knew neither of us had gotten much sleep last night, let alone good sleep. And the night before I’d barely slept at all. It was safe to say we were both running on fumes.

  After only a moment, Willow returned her menu to the holder.

  I eyed her over top of mine. “Already decided?”

  “Yep.” She popped the ‘p’.

  “That was quick.”

  “I’m starving.” Her stomach rumbled once more.

  A waitress appeared at our table as if summoned by the sound of Willow’s stomach. “Hi, y’all what can I getcha to drink?” She asked in a thick southern accent.

  “Orange juice,” we replied simultaneously and then laughed.

  She scribbled that down in her notepad.

  “And we know what we want.” I put my menu away with Willow’s.

  The waitress lifted a brow. “And what would you like sweetheart?”

  Willow snickered across the table.

  “I’d like the All-You-Can-Eat pancakes meal.”

  The waitress eyed me. “Do you really think you can eat enough? We have a two pancake meal on there.”

  Willow busted out laughing. “I know he’s thin, but trust me, the dude can eat.”

  I grinned at her words.

  “Alright, if you say so.” She shook her head and added my order to her notepad. “And for you darling?” She turned her attention to Willow.

  “I’ll have the spinach and cheese omelet.”

  “Good choice.” The waitress smiled. “Our omelets are the best around here.”

  “Ooh, I’d like an omelet too then,” I added.

  She paused, raising a brow in disbelief. “And the All-You-Can-Eat pancakes?”

  I nodded.

  “Okay then.” She tapped her pen against her notepad before stuffing both in her apron pocket. “I’ll get that in and be back with your drinks.”

  When she walked away Willow burst into full-blown laughter. I honestly didn’t know what was so funny.

  “Why are you laughing?”


  Wiping tears from her eyes, she said, “I was just thinking that woman is probably gonna record you eating all that food and post it on YouTube. No one believes you can eat the amount of food that you do. Not even me.”

  She continued to laugh like this was the funniest thing ever. I blamed her amusement on lack of sleep.

  Sobering, she laid her palms on the table and eyed me with uncertainty.

  “So…” She began.

  “So?” I prompted, tilting my head as I waited for her to get on with whatever she wanted to say.

  “What are we?”

  “Well,” I crossed my fingers and laid my hands on the table as I leaned forward, like I was letting her in on a secret, “I’m a boy and you’re a girl and we happen to be homo sapiens.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You know what I meant.”

  I did. I just wanted to make her say it.

  When I still didn’t respond she huffed in irritation.

  “What are we?” She repeated. “What is this thing—” She pointed to herself then me. “—between us?”

  I shrugged, lifting the glass of orange juice to my lips. “I guess you’re my girlfriend.”

  “You guess?” She laughed hysterically. “Dean Wentworth, this explains why you’ve never been in a long-term relationship.”

  “And you have?” I raised a brow and waited, already knowing the answer.

  “Well, no.” She frowned. “But that’s because most guys can’t handle me.” She raised her eyes to mine and there was hope and longing shimmering in the blue depths. “I think you can, though.”

  “I’ve handled you for nineteen years, a relationship wouldn’t change that.” I chuckled. Sobering, I added, “It feels weird to call you my girlfriend.”

  She paled and sat back. The look of disappointment on her face nearly shattered me.

  “Oh.”

  “Willow, that’s not what I meant,” I said quickly, wishing I could backpedal and take back what I said. “It’s weird because you mean so much to me, not because the thought of you as my girlfriend is weird.”

  “Oh.”

  Again with the one word. It was unusual for Willow and I didn’t like it one bit. I’d rather she tell me off than just give me one word.

  “Fuck,” I cursed under my breath and tugged on my already messed up hair. “I’m doing this all wrong.” I reached across the table and took her hand. At the gesture, her eyes reluctantly met mine. “You’re such a huge part of my life, always have been, and always will be. Girlfriend seems like such an insignificant term. I feel the same about boyfriend.”

  “So…” She seemed to relax and one of her trademark sassy smiles lifted her lips. “You want us to come up with new terms?”

  I grinned, nodding at her idea. “That’s an excellent idea.”

  Her hand slipped from mine and she tapped her lip in thought. “I have to make this good.”

  She had this dangerous look in her eyes that told me I was in trouble.

  “I think…” She leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’ll call you Hot Buns.”

  “Hot Buns?” I repeated in disbelief.

  She shrugged and sat back with a smirk on her lips. “You have a nice ass. It seemed fitting.”

  I snorted. “You’ve been checking out my ass?”

  “Like I said, it’s nice.”

  I shook my head. “I think I prefer boyfriend over that one. Why couldn’t you call me something like…Supreme Warrior Dean?”

  “That’s a bit wordy, don’t you think?” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “And also not remotely couple like.”

  “Can we go back to just plain boyfriend and girlfriend?”

  “I don’t know, Dean.” She hedged. “You’ve only kissed me once, and I’m not sure that makes you my boyfriend.” She rested her elbow on the table and her head in her hand. She was messing with me and it was working.

  “You’re mine.”

  She pursed her lips, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “That sounds a bit possessive. I’m not a toy.”

  “You’re awfully sour for someone that eats so many sweets.”

  She cracked a large smile at that. Sobering, she said, “Tell me, though, are we a couple? I mean, a kiss doesn’t automatically make you bonded for life. We can forget the whole thing ever happened.”

  “No fucking way,” I growled.

  “You’re dropping a lot of F-bombs today, Dean. I didn’t know you could be so bad.” She winked.

  I took a deep breath and laid my hands flat on the table. After taking a few seconds to make sure I was calm I spoke. “I’ll be honest, there have been a lot of times were I asked myself what if. What if you were mine? I never dared to hope, though. But when you showed up at the shop and I saw you again after all that time away it was like…” I paused, searching for the right words. “I couldn’t deny my feelings anymore. You stole my breath and my thoughts and everything seemed to align. I was scared to act on what I felt. I didn’t want to ruin what we have, or make things awkward if you didn’t feel the same. I don’t know what possessed me to kiss you, but I did, and it was the best fucking kiss I’ve ever had and I refuse to take it back. I want you to be mine. My girlfriend. My future. My forever. Whatever you want to call it, you’re it. I know it.”

  I sat back and inhaled another breath.

  There. I’d laid it all out and she could do what she wanted with it.

  Her mouth parted slightly and a small gasp emanated from her. Willow Wade speechless. That was one for the record books.

  “Is it bad that I want to jump across the table and kiss you senseless?”

  I chuckled at her words. “I wouldn’t oppose.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “What you said…it’s how I feel too. The past few days I felt something change between us. I tried to ignore it, but it was inevitable. We’re like peanut butter and jelly. We just go together.”

  I snorted. “Willow, only you could be deep one second and then comparing our relationship to a sandwich the next.”

  She shrugged, a grin tugging up her lips. “What can I say? It’s a talent.”

  At that moment our waitress came over carrying a tray of food.

  Even across the table I could hear Willow’s stomach rumble to life once more.

  “Gotta feed the monster.” I laughed and she shot me a glare.

  “Do y’all need anything else at the moment?” Our waitress asked.

  “I’d like a coffee.”

  “Sure thing.” She patted my shoulder as she passed.

  Willow snickered across the table before stuffing a large bite of omelet in her mouth.

  “What is it? Come on. Out with it.” I waved my hands, knowing she wanted to say something.

  “I think our waitress has a crush on you.”

  I blanched and looked around for the older woman who I spotted taking the order of another table.

  Turning back to Willow, I hissed, “She’s like sixty.”

  “Maybe she’s a cougar.” She shrugged, taking another bite of her food. I’d yet to have any of mine.

  I looked back and forth from our waitress to Willow.

  “You must realize that most women want to kiss the ground you walk on,” Willow continued. “You’re hot, Dean.” She stated like it was a fact. “And you have that crazy sharp jawline that women can’t help but ooh and ahh over.” She waved her fork at my face.

  I reached up and rubbed my face. “My jaw is a jaw.”

  “You keep telling yourself that,” she laughed. “You better hurry up and eat before your food gets cold.”

  “Right.” I drew out the word. I couldn’t believe she’d managed to make me forget about my food, but the thought of our waitress having a crush on me was weird. She could be my grandma.

  “You seriously don’t notice, do you?” Willow paused, her fork raised halfway to her mouth.

  “Notice what?” I asked around a mouthful of pancake.

  “The way women look at you?”

  I
shook my head.

  She giggled a bit. “I’m going to have to start pointing out the staring and drooling women to you, because seriously it’s insane.” She laughed even harder at a sudden thought. “You’re probably too busy thinking about Pokémon or ‘Doctor Who’ to notice.”

  “Both are very important to me.” I agreed. Especially Pokémon.

  “Here’s your coffee, sweetheart.”

  I quickly grabbed my coffee and spat out a quick, “Thanks,” without making eye contact.

  “Are you blushing?” Willow chortled.

  I shook my head.

  “Oh my God, you totally are!”

  “Shut up,” I scolded her when I noticed a few dining patrons turning in our direction. “You’re the one that said she had a crush on me.”

  “Oh, Dean. You’re so cute.”

  “Cute?” I repeated. Guys did not like to be called cute. Cute was for girls and little kids.

  “Would you prefer ruggedly handsome with a jaw chiseled from steel?”

  “Yes, yes,” I chanted, snapping my fingers together, “I would much prefer that.”

  Willow fought a smile. “You’re one weird guy, but I mean that in the best way.”

  I shrugged. I couldn’t argue with her. I was different and proud of it.

  We finished our breakfast, and not a crumb was left on any of the plates. Willow was thoroughly grossed out, but she also blew bubbles in my face all day, so I’d say we were even.

  We struck out on a few more hotels before finally finding one with a room.

  We carried our bags inside and up to the room.

  Willow flopped across the bed on her stomach and spread her arms and legs out in a star formation.

  “I need to shower,” she said, her voice muffled by the sheets, “but I’m too tired to move.”

  “Shower first, then sleep,” I told her, flopping across the bed beside her. “Sharing a bed two nights in a row.” I waggled my brows. “If your dad finds out I’ll never be able to have children. I hope you don’t want any.”

  Her giggle filled the air between us. It was safe to say her laughter was my favorite sound in the world.

  “And it’s a queen bed this time. Extra close.” She waggled her brows and rubbed the bed while smiling naughtily.

  My breath caught and I found myself moving before I even really thought about my actions.