hand. “They were here?”
She held out the card and William took it, looking just as stunned. “Did you talk to this man, Guy?” he asked.
Did he?
“What man?”
“Oh, God.” Missy put both hands to her mouth, a look of panic making her big brown eyes look like giant saucers. “Please tell me you didn’t tell them I’m here.”
A flash of light popped in his head and he grabbed that thought, standing up, determined to hold on before the clouds came back. “I told them I didn’t know who they were talking about.”
“You did?” she asked. “You’re sure?”
Was he? Son of a gun, he wasn’t sure about anything. “I didn’t let them in, I swear.”
“It’s okay, Guy.” William eased him back to the bed. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
But the girl looked horror-stricken. “You better stay here, Will. I’m going to—”
“Not alone, you’re not.”
“But you have to stay with him.”
A little anger boiled through Guy, firing some synapses that were mostly dead. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here!” he boomed, pretty loud, because Missy gasped again and took a quick step backwards.
Then her face kind of froze. “I’m going, Will.” She turned like a soldier and marched down the hall.
Oh, no! He’d made her mad! “Missy!” he called, jumping up to follow her, a wave of remorse strangling him. “No, don’t get mad! I’m so sorry. I’m sorry!” He choked on the last words, hating that he was about to cry, turning to William for help.
“Just stay here, Guy. Let me handle this, please.” Will gave him a quick squeeze on the shoulders. “Just wait here and let me talk to her. Please.”
“She’s upset, William. I hurt her feelings. I yelled at her.” A light flashed in his head again, a pale baby blue this time. A familiar color that reminded him of sadness. “Talk to her, William. Don’t let her leave. I like her. I like her so much.”
William gave him a tight smile, nodding. “So do I, buddy. Just trust me on this.”
Alone, Guy counted to ten. Again. And again, and so many times he had to have made a hundred. Then he stood and slowly walked down the hall, where he could hear them whispering in the kitchen.
Oh, he didn’t want to hear what she was saying. He could just imagine her words: I hate him. I have to leave. I can’t stay with him.
Where had he heard that before? He squeezed his temples, hard enough to make his head ache.
But when he walked into the kitchen William was standing next to her, his hand on her shoulder, and she held a phone to her ear.
“Is she calling someone from her show?” Guy asked.
William held up one finger, signaling for him to be quiet and wait.
“Zoe?” she said. “I need you to do me a huge favor, hon. I mean, major huge. Can you come over to my father’s house and, um, hang out with him for a while?” Babysit, was what she meant, but Guy knew better than to argue.
After a pause, she nodded. “I knew I could count on you.”
William breathed a sigh of relief and, back in the recesses of Guy’s brain, the blue light faded, replaced by a familiar fog.
Chapter Eleven
Déjà vu teased Jocelyn as Will’s truck rumbled up to the causeway. She closed her eyes, giving in to the peculiar sensation of knowing this wasn’t the first time all these same internal chemicals and external forces synergized into this distinct moment.
“You okay?” Will asked, reaching over the console to put his hand over hers, his fingertips brushing her thigh.
She didn’t yank her hand out from under his, but she didn’t turn her palm to hold his hand, either. Even though she wanted to, just for the sheer pleasure and comfort of holding Will’s hand, his blunt, clean fingertips still one of her favorite things to grasp.
That was part of her déjà vu, too. A big part. After the fear and anger, there was always Will. She looked down at his fingers, the massive width and length of them, the dusting of dark hair, the power of his wrist. Will had gorgeous, masculine hands. And huge. He used to say he didn’t need a catcher’s mitt.
“Joss?”
“I was just thinking I’ve done this before.”
“Ridden over the causeway?”
Yes, with a desperate determination to escape the thunderous voice and threat of violence ringing in her ears. “Run away from him, wishing I could do something to change… him.”
“Nature did that for you.”
She shot him a look.