Willow POV:
Months passed quickly. After discussing our feelings with one another, Nicholas and I both felt at ease and relished our time together. We had numerous romantic weekends at his several homes across the world.
To visit each new location and truly experience Nicholas’ world was fascinating and wonderful. I nearly didn’t want the journey to end.
But as soon as I came through the front door and gave Laura a big hug, I knew I was home.
Home.
Though I had called Atkins home for many years, the feelings evoked by living with Nicholas and Laura far exceeded what I had felt there.
We also had to adjust to the fact that I was starting my first semester of college classes. I reached a compromise with Nicholas. I was enrolled in four introductory courses, which took up three days out of the seven days of the week while I finished the requirements for graduation. I had also agreed to let John drive me to and from college every day.
“Would you like to drop by the coffee shop this morning?” John questioned as I slid into the car.
I nodded and offered him the biggest smile I could muster at that early hour. Every morning when I complained about awakening at the break of dawn, Nicholas would laugh.
He was one to tease me! He was just as bad in the morning as I was.
After trying for the first few days, Laura waved the white flag on getting me to eat breakfast before class. Instead, she packed snacks in my bag for when I got time in the day.
Not too long after, we stopped in front of the cafe near the university, and I got out to grab my morning dosage of caffeine and sugar. I smiled as I looked down at my tennis shoes, slacks, and t-shirt. to laugh about the dressy clothing Courtney and I had spent the summer looking for. Attending school gave me the justification to dress comfortably.
I should have paid attention because I almost bumped into a wall and stumbled. As I fell, someone grabbed hold of my waist and steadied me.
I quickly apologized while looking up to see what or who I had ran into.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Are you alright?”
The man grinned broadly as I wriggled out of his hold and nodded at him.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m thankful for your help though.” I wriggled free of his hold since I didn’t feel at ease having a random person’s hands on me.
At my discomfort, he instantly backed off, and I calmed down by taking a long breath. He seemed kind enough, and given his features, he likely would have been handsome if I hadn’t already been hitched to the most attractive man on the planet. His fancy suit and tie were expertly cut to accommodate his tall frame.
“I must have gotten in your way.” He motioned me to stand in front of him in line. “Please allow me to make it up to you by treating you to coffee this morning.”
I shook my head. “No, that’s alright.” I couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling I was getting from him. John was still seated in the car when I took a quick look outside.
“Hey, no big deal.” I turned around to face the man as he laughed. “You appeared to be scared that I’m going to kidnap you or something,” he added casually.
After exhaling, I grinned. He was correct. I was being a fool. I had been the one to bump into him before.
Why was I being so sensitive in this matter?
I apologized. “I suppose I’m just jittery this morning.”
Again, he laughed. “I am not sure if caffeine will help with that, though.”
I forced another grin, grateful that the crowd in front of us had thinned out. I complied with his request that I place my order before him, not because I wanted to, but because I didn’t want to talk to him for longer. No sooner had the barista placed the order in front of me, than I turned to leave.
“It was wonderful meeting you.” I shook his extended hand. “I’m H. I might run across you at some point again.”
I felt a chill go through me. “Yes, possibly.”
He let go, and I hurried back into the car and out the door.
“Everything okay?” John questioned me as I entered.
I blinked. “Yes. Sorry for the delay.”
As John sped away, I popped open the lid of my coffee. Usually, the aroma of freshly brewed deliciousness gave me as much energy as the coffee itself.
But this morning there was a problem. It absolutely smelled off.
In fact, after a sip, I started to feel a little queasy.
I closed the lid and waved to John when he pulled in front of my class building. I threw the coffee in the trashcan and sped inside so that I could make it to class on time.
I took my seat beside Melody, Haven, and Russell. They were in a few of my classes, and we started to walk and sit together as much as we could. Even though there were many students in the lectures, the small pool of classes I was taking demanded greater social contact with people around me.
When I presented myself as Willow Rowe during the first week, I noticed several individuals giving me strange stares. As if they were already aware of who I was.
It was also plausible that they did.
Even though Nicholas’ name continued to be included alongside mine in the gossip sections, I stopped letting it affect me as much. I made an effort to be inconspicuous and attract as little attention as I could.
But it was nice having some acquaintances in some of the classes.
It gave me comfort to know that I had a few individuals to talk to, work on assignments with, and just act normally about campus, especially Melody, who had been extremely sweet.