Page 10 of Honey Bee Library (Sweet Tea and a Southern Gentleman #7)

COLE

Jasper filled the car ride to my rental with welcome chatter.

I was still confused as to why Willow changed her mind, but from the way she was staring out the window with her arms folded, I figured she didn’t want me to ask.

I was going to keep my mouth shut, even if not knowing was eating me alive.

She’d seemed so sure that the last thing she wanted was to stay another night with me. She even let me walk out of the diner and get into my car. If it hadn’t been for her knocking on the trunk, I probably would have driven off without seeing her.

Secretly, I was glad she’d stopped me. If she hadn’t, she would have wasted all of Maddie’s hard work.

When Maddie got in this morning, I sent her off with my credit card and an unlimited budget to get Jasper things that I assumed he’d lost in the fire.

Toys, Hot Wheels, some clothes. Anything a kid would have wanted, I made sure Maddie got.

I liked Jasper, and I wanted him to have a place that felt homey. That felt secure.

I even floated the idea of Maddie getting some things for Willow, but since I didn’t know her size, Maddie suggested that it might be a bad idea. The last thing I wanted was to offend her by getting the wrong size or the wrong style of clothing.

I wasn’t really sure what Willow’s style was. She normally wore plain t-shirts, jeans, and an apron tied around her waist. I doubted she was some closeted clotheshorse, silently mourning her designer clothes and bags. Willow kept things simple, and she made simple look good.

Even though I didn’t know much about her, I knew a few things. She loved Jasper and the diner. When I was with her, she didn’t play games. She didn’t pull her punches. And I respected her for that.

It was strange to admit, but I was beginning to appreciate her. There was a quiet strength that I both respected and admired. I knew she would fight for the things she cared about. Willow was an excellent mother.

“You guys hungry?” I asked as I waited for the security guard to open the gate. I waved at him, and he waved back in acknowledgment. I waited until the gate was fully open before I drove through.

“I’m starving!” Jasper piped up from the back at the same time Willow said, “No.”

I glanced back at Jasper and then over to Willow, who shifted in her seat so she was facing her son.

“You don’t need food, Jasper. You need sleep.”

She must have sensed that I was watching her because she flicked her gaze over to me before she moved to face forward once more. “He’ll be okay, he’s just trying to put off bedtime. When we get inside, I’m going to start winding him down.”

“Oh, okay,” I said as I pulled into the driveway and pressed the garage button.

When the garage door was fully up, I drove in and parked my car.

As soon as the engine was off, I opened the door, and Willow and Jasper did the same.

They were standing in the garage when I got out and shut the door behind me.

Jasper didn’t wait for me to lead the way into the house.

He spun in a few circles as he made his way toward the door and opened it once he was close.

“Jasper,” Willow hissed as she hurried after him. “You can’t just barge into people’s houses.” She glanced back at me. “I’m so sorry.”

I raised my hands. “It’s okay. He’s just a kid.”

Jasper had gone inside, and I could tell Willow did not want him in there alone.

“It’s okay,” I said as I nodded toward the house. “Go. I can get the bags.”

She studied me for a moment before she hurried after Jasper.

Once I had the duffle bags in hand, I slammed the trunk closed and headed into the house. I lingered in the doorway as I hit the garage door button to close it.

“Jasper. Jasper . Put those down. They aren’t yours.”

I left the duffle bags by the door and set my keys and wallet down in the small trinket dish in the kitchen. I stood next to the counter and tipped my head in the direction of Willow’s voice.

“I know they are your favorite cars, but they aren’t ours to just take. I’m sure they’re here for a reason. Someone is probably coming here to get them, and they will be so disappointed if you take them.”

“What’s going on?” Maddie stepped into the kitchen. Her skin was bright pink, and she wore a pair of cotton pajamas. She was finger-combing her damp hair as she glanced in the direction of Willow’s voice.

“Jasper found the room you set up, and Willow’s trying to convince him that it’s not his to touch.

” I couldn’t fight the smile that was emerging.

Willow acted like she had me all figured out, and I couldn’t wait to see the expression on her face when she discovered I’d arranged all of this for Jasper.

There was something about Willow that both thrilled and frustrated me at the same time.

Maddie cocked her head like she was trying to listen in before she glanced back at me. “She doesn’t seem too happy about it.”

I shrugged as I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before I headed in the direction they’d gone.

When I got to the open door, I paused, leaning against the doorframe and taking in the scene in front of me.

Willow was standing in the middle of the room, looking exasperated, as Jasper rushed from toy to toy along the walls.

He looked like a kid in a candy store while Willow looked like she was about to lose her mind.

I felt her gaze on me. She looked embarrassed as she approached me.

“I am so sorry. I’m trying to get him to leave, but he’s just too excited.” Her voice was hushed and her cheeks flushed.

“It’s okay,” I said as I cracked the lid of the bottle and took a sip.

“It’s not okay. I would hate for him to break anything.” She pushed her hand through her hair as she glanced back at Jasper.

She seemed really worried. A protective surge rushed through me. This was not the reaction I wanted her to have. This was supposed to help her feel more at home, not stress her out.

“Even if he breaks anything, it can be replaced,” I said as I straightened and glanced down at her.

She raised her gaze to meet mine. She felt so tiny standing next to me. All I wanted to do in that moment was protect her. She was strong, and she acted like nothing bothered her. But I knew that she was scared. I could see it in her eyes, and it frustrated me.

“Still, these aren’t his things.”

I shrugged. “Actually…” I paused, not sure how she was going to react.

“Actually…what?”

I relaxed my posture and leaned my shoulder on the doorframe once more. “I can only imagine how hard it was for you two to see all of your belongings go up in flames. I thought…” I cleared my throat. “I figured you could use some things for Jasper. Toys. Clothes.”

Willow’s stare felt like it was melting me, so I hurriedly took another swig.

She wasn’t saying anything. Why wasn’t she saying anything?

I cleared my throat. “I hope that’s okay.” I gave her an earnest smile.

“You bought toys for my son?” Her voice was low, and she was speaking slowly like she was trying to process what I’d said.

“Yes.”

She frowned. “Why? Why would you do that?”

There was a bite to her tone that surprised me. Surely this wasn’t the first time someone had bought Jasper toys? He had a dad. Didn’t he take care of him?

“I…um…” This wasn’t the reaction I’d hoped for.

I just wanted to lessen her stress. Maybe there was a part of me that wanted her to trust me.

Hell, I’d settle for her not hating me. Willow was frustrating and confusing all at the same time.

And for some asinine reason, I wanted to figure her out more than any woman I’d ever met.

“Come on, Jasper, let’s get ready for bed,” she said as she hurried over and grabbed his hand.

He protested, but Willow didn’t give in.

She practically dragged him into the hallway.

I watched her walk toward the room they’d stayed in last night and shut the door.

Knowing that she’d most likely want their duffle bags, I set my water bottle on the kitchen counter and headed to the foyer to grab them.

When I got back to her bedroom door, I knocked.

“Yes?” she called from inside.

“I’ve got your bags.”

“Just leave them. I’ll grab them in a second.”

I studied the shut door, wondering why she was acting this way, but then shrugged and let the duffle bag straps slide off my shoulder. I set the bags next to the door and then turned and made my way back to the kitchen. Maddie was there, sipping on a steaming hot mug of tea.

“Hey,” I said as I picked up my water bottle and leaned against the counter. My mind was reeling from what had just happened. I needed to think about something else right now. “Did Liam get settled?”

Maddie nodded. “Yes. I got him a room at Harmony Island Inn. He said he’ll be around in the morning to chat.”

“Great.” Liam had showed up at the diner during the beginning of the dinner rush. I felt bad for brushing him off, but things were busy and I couldn’t get away. “Thanks for taking care of him, Maddie,” I said.

She gave me a soft smile. “Of course.

Silence fell around us as, once again, my thoughts turned to Willow’s reaction. I needed to talk to someone about it. My gaze drifted over to Maddie. Maybe she could explain it to me. After all, she was a woman.

She must have noticed my staring because her eyebrows went up. “Everything okay?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah.” I opened my half-empty water bottle and finished it off. I crumpled the bottle and tossed it into the nearby garbage. “Actually, no. I don’t understand what just happened with Willow.”

I’d been nothing but nice to her since I got to Harmony. Besides exercising my rights according to the contract that her great uncle had signed, I’d done nothing to warrant her cool attitude toward me. Maybe getting another woman’s perspective on this would help.

“Why would she be so offended that I got toys for her son?” I leaned against the counter, stretched my feet out in front of me, and folded my arms across my chest.