Page 36 of Seein’ Red

The resounding “ohhhhhhhhh” over my burn is almost enough to cover the sound of my phone again. What the fuck, Nash.

Auggie gives me the silent look that tells me I better take care of whatever it is, because his patience is wearing thin. Ooooops.

Nash

Hey

Did you get a test?

You have to answer me

No, I fucking do not…

Nash

Don’t make me call you

or worse, come over there

Willa, just tell me what’s going on so I can help.

I meant it—we’re in this together

you and me against the world

You and me against the world…

I swallow hard, those six words making a lump form. I want to believe him. I want to believe that it is us against the world. Like it used to be.

Problem is, I trusted Nash once. I believed in him and everything he told me. And he turned around and did the unimaginable.

I will never trust Nash Keller again.

11

NASH

I jerk the steering wheel of my truck hard, making the sharp turn into my family’s nursery, gravel and dust kicking up behind me as the back end fishtails slightly. My thoughts are just as wild and lose as my tailgate, running faster than I thought possible. My pulse gives them a run for their money as it tries to keep up.

Throwing my truck in park, I grab my phone from the cupholder, checking it again. Still nothing. It’s been twenty-one hours since I left Willa’s house—not that I’m counting—and nothing. Not a single word. At this point, she’s not even leaving me on read. She’s completely ignoring me.

Which only deepens the gnawing in my stomach.

I need answers. I know she does too. I also know that Mondays are long days for her and that this week it’s probably even more so since it’s wedding week and she’ll be helping Kenzie. So if there is something I can do—like drive to a neighboring town to get her a test—I will. Not that I have any idea what I’d be looking for, but that’s what the Internet is for, right?

There is something else I need to do though. Something that I never, ever thought I’d be asking for. Until last night.

Making my way into the small building in the center of the nursery, I weave my way through stacks of gardening tools and racks of seeds. Our family has owned and operated Keller Nursery since 1867, and the business passes down from father to son. Or in the case of Noel and me, sons. We’ve known for forever that continuing the family business is our life’s work. Adding on the landscaping arm and expanding the empire as we jokingly call it has been a dream come true.

I duck down the short hallway that leads to the two back offices—one that my parents share, the other that Noel and I share—and the bathrooms. I pass right by my parents’ office, not bothering to check if either are in there, walking straight into mine. Noel’s back is to me, our accounting software pulled up on the screen in front of him. For the millionth time since we agreed to be the next generation of Kellers running this place, I’m thankful that my twin opted for the business minor with his botany degree, freeing me up to focus on landscape architecture and natural resource management. It also freed me from having to do the weekly finances.

“There you are,” I say, not bothering with a greeting.

I stop just shy of his chair, my heart beating even harder now. I swear it could compete in the Kentucky Derby for as fast as it’s moving.

“Was I supposed to be elsewhere?” His tone is half sarcastic, half concerned, like there is a faint worry in him that he messed up his schedule somehow. As if ever steady Noel would do such a thing.

Another thing he wouldn’t do? Knock up the girl he’s secretly sleeping with.