I can't get Willow off of my mind. I pull out my phone to send her a text. I jump up on my truck bed and sit down.

📱Hey Willow how is it going?

📱Hey, Jace just going through the third degree about the flowers and where you took me to eat.

📱Your mom?

📱And Edward.

📱I don't feel so jealous now lol.

📱I'm glad you don't. How is the tree cutting going?

📱Busy we have already cut fifty trees.

📱I've done around fifty ornaments while Edward is helping mom hang things and move things around.

📱Don't work too hard. I better get busy! Your brother is looking at me weird.

📱Alright, talk later. Bye Jace!😘

📱Bye Willow.❤️

I put my phone in my pocket and drink the rest of my Gatorade when my dad walks over.

"Who has you smiling? I haven't seen you this happy in a long time, Jace." He said.

"It's Willow dad. I've spent quite a bit of time with her since she's been back in town." I said.

"You have always loved that girl haven't you son?" He asked.

"I have dad since I was young and never acted on it but Ben gave me his permission and I took her out last night and when she kisses me I feel it in my bones." I laugh.

"You been kissing? That's a start. How does she feel?" Dad asks.

"That's the thing. She says she likes me and always has but she doesn't want to hurt me when she leaves." I said.

"Then give her reasons to stay Jace," Dad said patting my shoulder before walking off.

The rest of the day was long and tiring. I was a hot and sweaty mess. I head home and take a shower and change and head over to rustic noel just so I could see Willow.

When I pull up her car is still there along with another car I don't recognize. I get out and knock on the door and when she sees me she smiles.

She opens the door... "Hey, Jace!" She smiles.

"Hey Willow!" I smile.

"Come on in I'm pricing and Edward is hanging. You know Edward right?" She asks.

"I think I met him in Abbots store once," I said walking behind Willow as she introduces us.

"I remember you!" Edward smiles.

I follow Willow over to the pricing area. "I didn't think I would see you tonight. Aren't you tired?" She asked.

"I am but I wanted to see you. Let me help you so this goes by faster than I thought maybe we could go to the bar." I said.

"Sounds good Jace." She smiles at me.

I can't help it. I lean over and kiss her cheek and she squeezes my leg.

An hour later we got it all done and cleaned up and we headed out. "Bye guys! See you tomorrow Willow." Edward said.

I help her into my truck and we head to the bar. I hold up two fingers to Ross and I guide her over to a booth. I sit down and it surprises me that she sits beside me.

"I saw Jackie playing pool but I want to sit beside you, Jace." She smiled.

I wrapped my arm around her neck and pulled her close. We were laughing about something when Ross cams over with our food.

"It's good to see you kids tonight! Let me know if anyone bothers you." He said.

"Thanks, Ross!" I said.

"Wonder what that was about?" Willow asked.

"Not sure maybe he saw Jackie bothering us or you and Casey yesterday." I shrugged.

I watched Willow dip her fries in her ice cream. She has done that since we were kids. She has ice cream on her lip. "You got ice cream on your lip." I pointed.

She licked her lip but missed so I leaned over and kissed it off her. She giggled and kissed me again.

From across the room, we heard someone scream... "NO" and we looked up to see Jackie. She was stomping around and looking at us.

"Oops, I forgot we were in public and she probably saw that." Willow smirk.

"I don't give a fuck who sees me kiss you," I whispered on her lips as I kissed her again.

We finished our food and headed out to the truck. Jackie never came over to bother us at all. I help Willow in the truck and go around to my side. I'm contemplating asking her to come back to the apartment.

Once back at Rustic Noel I cut the engine off and look over at Willow. "I want to ask you to come back to my apartment but after last night I'm not sure you want to," I said.

"Jace you know I want to but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. We have feelings involved now." She said.

"I've always had feelings for you Willow and I'm not afraid to say it anymore," I said.

"Why do you think I left and didn't come back, Jace? My feelings were too deep and I knew we couldn't be together." She said.

"What? You didn't come back because of me?" I ask.

"Well I knew we couldn't be together and I couldn't stand the thought of you being with someone else." She said.

I grabbed her arm gently and tugged her over on my lap. She straddled me and I lifted her chin. "Willow look at me. My heart has always been yours no one else's and I would wait forever for you." I said.

Tears were streaming down her face and her chin was trembling. I wiped her tears and placed some hair behind her ear. She opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't.

I pulled her as close to me as I could and wrapped my arms around her and hugged her so tight. She gripped onto me and didn't let go. We stayed like that forever. I never wanted to let her go.