Page 101 of Yours To Hold
“You’ll be happy here, won’t you?” Gemma’s voice gets quiet. “You won’t want to leave in a few years?”
It’s the thought I keep coming back to. Will I be happy? I wanted to live in the city, not Dixon. Travel the world. See what it has to offer outside our small town.
“Honestly? I hated being in Seattle. I thought it would be what I wanted, but it isn’t.”
“Do you think you’d like it over time?”
I shake my head. “I always thought I’d be untethered. Have a new man in every different city I visited.”
“And now you want one man in one small town?” Gemma quirks a brow in my direction. “Even though I don’t want to know anything about your relationship.”
“God help me, but I do.”
“You and Mason better get your shit together.”
I sip the rest of my drink. “Or?”
“Or I’m going to knock some sense into both of you. It’s about damn time you officially become my sister.”
I give her a playful roll of my eyes. “Does that mean I get to come to family dinner?”
“You’re ready. You can handle Mason, so nothing can scare you off.”
The bell above the door chimes. Turning, I expect to see one of the movers, ready to hang the rest of the portraits.
“Willow?”
Willow’s face is nothing short of shocked. Her mouth hangs open as she stares back at me. Layla is standing behind her, holding her backpack.
“Ivy? What are you doing here?”
I shrug a shoulder. “I’m supposed to be working.”
“But I thought you moved to Seattle?”
“Turns out I missed Dixon too much.”
Willow rushes to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. The tears that were on the brink earlier start to fall.
Did I miss Mason? More than I ever could have imagined. But I missed Willow just as much.
I didn’t just fall for Mason. I fell for Willow too.
Mason wasn’t the only pull to come back to Dixon. I wanted to be here for both of them. I want to be a part of their family.
Layla hands Gemma Willow’s backpack, and they exchange a few words before Layla leaves.
“Why’d you leave?” Willow’s voice is quiet as she turns to look at me. Tears slide down her face. “Were you mad at me?”
I sink down to the floor, pulling her into my lap. “I could never be mad at you.” I brush a lock out of her face. “I missed you so much, Willow.”
“I missed you too, Ivy.” She burrows into my hold, and I squeeze her even tighter. I don’t know how I thought I could ever stay away.
“Are you going to leave again?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Not if I can help it.”
“Are you going to take pictures?”
