Page 7 of Soldier’s Christmas Crush (Trinity Falls: Home for Christmas #4)

WILLOW

W illow headed over to her booth to see what kind of supplies she had to work with as soon as Sam scurried off to welcome more volunteers.

I’m not going to get distracted just because my old crush is here. I’m going to do my volunteer work…

“So much for avoiding each other,” Jensen said softly.

She looked around worriedly, but they were practically standing next to each other, and there was no one else around.

“Sorry,” she told him. “I didn’t mean to be unfriendly. I’m just thinking about Ransom.”

“Did you mean what you said on the phone?” Jensen asked. “Do you really think I can make things right with him?”

Willow looked up at him, finally making eye contact. His gray gaze was so serious.

She was suddenly thrust back to the past, where she was the hopeless third wheel in the epic friendship Jensen had with her brother.

The two of them had been inseparable—like they were on another plane of existence sometimes, laughing like they were on top of the world and tromping around the woods behind Jensen’s house pretending to be soldiers or cowboys.

“I do,” she said, her heart hurting for him. “I was feeling hopeless about things myself, but yesterday was nice. Not quite like old times, but close.”

“I guess I need to find a reason to get in touch with him,” Jensen said, nodding.

They both applied themselves to their tasks after that, but it was in companionable silence instead of the tension from earlier.

Willow was happy to see that there was already a good selection of items at the booth. She noted down a list on her phone of other things they ought to have. Maybe Tarker County General would be willing to donate a few things.

When she had everything set up more or less the way she wanted it, she scanned the area to see if she could find something better than the folding chair she had.

“What do you need?” Jensen asked when he saw her looking around.

“Oh,” she said. “I was just thinking it would be good to have a bench over here, in case someone isn’t feeling well and needs to lie down.”

“I think there’s one out by the entrance,” Jensen said. “I’ll help you carry it.”

“Let me just check with Sam first to make sure it’s okay to take it,” Willow said .

She jogged through the crowd of volunteers who were setting up various tables.

The festive atmosphere of it all made her smile.

Folks she had known since childhood and plenty of new faces had all gathered to make this event a success.

After a few minutes, she found Sam by the big model train set, talking with someone.

Sam turned immediately as Willow approached.

“Hey,” Willow said. “Sorry to interrupt, Sam. Is it okay for me to take the bench from out front? If someone isn’t feeling good it would be good to have something other than a chair.”

“Sure,” Sam said. “Great idea. Should I have some of the guys bring it back for you?”

“That’s okay,” Willow said without thinking. “Jensen and I can carry it.”

Sam nodded and gave her a knowing smile.

Is my crush on the man that obvious?

It was kind of humiliating, honestly. But she wasn’t going to embarrass herself. They were both here to help out, and that was all.

Sam probably just fancies herself a matchmaker, she decided . She’s not from Trinity Falls, so she doesn’t know there’s a history.

Willow headed back through the market and waved to Jensen.

“We’re good to take it?” he asked.

“Yes,” she told him. “Thanks a lot for helping me.”

“Not a problem,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were a tech guy,” Willow said.

“Well, I know my way around the audio stuff at least,” he told her. “I have a studio set up at home for work. ”

“Really?” she asked. “What kind of work?”

“Corporate trainings, mostly,” he said, then pressed his lips together, like he didn’t want to say anything more, which was odd, but she wasn’t going to press.

“That sounds like a good job,” she told him.

“It’s freelance,” he said. “So it has its ups and downs, but it leaves me mostly flexible for Henry.”

“That’s great,” she told him. “And it’s so nice that you came back here to work.”

“I could say the same,” he said, flashing a smile at her that would have sent her reeling back in high school.

Why does he have to be so gorgeous?

They got outside and found a plain bench just under the roof overhang.

“Oh, that’s perfect,” Willow said.

“Are you sure you’re okay carrying it with me?” Jensen asked. “I can probably get it on my own.”

“Maybe if the market were empty,” Willow said. “But it’s going to be tough to get through that crowd even with two of us.”

He looked back at all the people moving around the market and nodded.

“Okay,” he said. “But I’m guessing it’s heavier than it looks. So you have to tell me if you need to put it down.”

That sounded an awful lot like a challenge to Willow’s ears.

“I’ll be fine,” she said lightly.

He nodded, and they moved to opposite sides of the bench.

“On three,” she said. “One, two, three…”

Sweet heavens , she thought to herself as she lifted. The wrought-iron bench didn’t look like much, but it was as heavy as an elephant.

“See what I mean?” Jensen asked.

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said, managing not to huff. She couldn’t have him thinking that nurses weren’t real Army. If she could haul a wounded soldier out of a ditch, she could carry a bench without complaining.

“Great,” he told her.

They started moving and she was relieved when he turned them so that he was the one walking backwards.

“So, you’re barely home and you got signed up for this, huh?” Jensen said with a smile.

“I like signing up for things,” she managed.

“I guess it’s in our blood,” Jensen chuckled. “Or maybe there’s something in the water out here.”

“Well, there’s not much else to do in Trinity Falls,” Willow joked.

“There’s plenty to do,” Jensen retorted.

But if he was planning to list out a bunch of things, she would never know it.

“ Stop,” she yelled, just in time to keep him from backing into Maggie Sullivan, who was carrying a tray of homemade candles.

Jensen stopped so fast that Willow bumped the bench into her midsection.

“ Oof ,” she huffed.

“Oh, wow,” Maggie said. “Sorry about that, guys.”

A couple of the other vets were gathered around one of the tables and she heard some good-natured chuckling .

“Need any help with that, Webb?” someone called out.

“I’m good,” he replied.

“Sure you don’t need someone else to help you?” another guy shouted back. “Your partner there looks a little small to be carting stuff around.”

“My partner is perfect,” Jensen said gruffly, glancing over at Willow.

She nodded to him.

If she had wanted to not be seen with him, she should have been more thoughtful about this. Every eye in the vicinity seemed to be on them now. But it was too late to turn back.

At least he didn’t let them say I was a weakling, she thought with satisfaction.

Jensen grinned at her, and they kept moving.

She tried to keep her eyes on the path between them and her booth to avoid another disaster.

They managed to survive a near-miss with one of the ladies carrying in supplies for the hot chocolate stand, and though her muscles were burning, Willow felt good.

Just when they had almost reached the area with the stage, a lady came in with a little girl who seemed like she might be kindergarten age.

The little girl spotted the bench floating in the air and her eyes lit up.

Before Willow could say a word, the little girl was running for them.

“ Yay,” the girl yelled, hopping onto the bench midair.

“Hallie,” the mom yelled .

Willow barely managed to hang on. Jensen met her eyes, and they lowered the bench gently to the concrete floor.

“You can’t do that, Hallie,” the mom said worriedly before turning to Willow. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Willow told her. “She’s so cute.”

“Thank you,” the mother said. “Come on, sweetheart.”

“Bye, ” Hallie yelled to them with a big grin on her face as her mom dragged her away.

Willow met Jensen’s eyes. He was smiling at her with real warmth.

“You okay?” he asked. “I know this thing is super heavy. We can take a break if you want.”

“It is really heavy,” she admitted, laughing. “And my arms might be aching just a little bit. But we’re almost at the finish line. I can take it.”

They lifted the bench together, not needing a countdown this time, and she couldn’t help noticing that they moved in synch with the thing now, almost like they were doing a training march.

Before she knew it, they had placed the bench at the back of her booth, right where she wanted it.

“Thank you,” she said, straightening and rubbing her hands.

“Are your hands numb?” he asked, quirking a brow.

“Yes,” she admitted. “Yours?”

“A little bit,” he said, nodding.

There was just the tiniest beat of tension between them again. Willow knew for her it was all about her crush. But she had no idea what it meant for Jensen. Maybe she was just imagining the whole thing.

“Well, thank you again,” she told him, trying not to meet his eyes.

They moved back to their respective spaces, and she decided to call the hospital to see about a supply donation.

I just need a little distraction, she told herself. It’s definitely getting easier to be around him.

But as the main office picked up, she happened to turn in Jensen’s direction.

He was gazing at her thoughtfully, a funny little smile pulling up the corners of his mouth.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly.

While she waited to hear back from the hospital, Willow helped out River Young, who was organizing chairs around the hangout area.

River was newly home too, and it seemed like he had really been throwing himself into volunteer work with the center.

Willow had seen his name pop up in the chat a lot.

River seemed a little distracted today though.

Maybe I’m not the only one with something on my mind today…