Page 110 of Jay Bird

There was no disappointment in his voice and no attempt to persuade her. Again, just a choice. Willow had come to realize that Jay Bird gave her those constantly. It was something so simple, but it shouldn’t have meant as much as it did.

“I want to go.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I had fun at Bayside, and I really do want to meet everyone.”

“Okay.”

“Besides, Lily will love the pool.”

Lily gasped excitedly. “Pool!”

Jay Bird pointed at her. “See? Peanut’s in.”

Willow laughed. A pool party sounded fun.

At least it did until a few hours later when she stood in front of the bedroom mirror and stared at herself. Then it didn’t sound fun at all.

Willow tugged the hem of her cover-up lower and stared at her reflection.

She had chosen a simple black one-piece bathing suit she had bought a couple of weeks earlier. It wasn’t revealing, but the back dipped lower than she had realized when she had tried it on at the store.

Her gaze moved toward the mirror. She couldn’t see the scars with the top covering them, but she knew they were there. She always knew.

Some had faded considerably over the years. Others probably never would.

Willow wrapped her arms around herself. Maybe this was a mistake.

She could tell Jay Bird she didn’t feel well. He wouldn’t question her. He would probably change into regular clothes, order pizza, and find some ridiculous way to turn on the sprinkler for Lily.

A soft knock sounded against the partially closed bedroom door.

“Willow?”

She looked toward it. “Yeah?”

“You decent?”

Despite everything happening inside her, she smiled. They had slept in the same bed last night, yet he had still knocked.

“Yeah.”

Jay Bird stepped inside wearing swim trunks and a dark T-shirt. His gaze found her immediately, and Willow watched his smile slowly fade.

“You okay?”

“Yep.”

He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe. “Want to try that again?”

Willow sighed. “You’re annoyingly observant.”

He smirked. “Occupational hazard.”

She turned back toward the mirror and tugged at her top again.

“I don’t know if I can do this.”