Anna

When we arrived at the Park and Ride, a crowd gathered around Sean. He gave me an apologetic smile as he posed for a couple of selfies with some fans. Funny as it sounded, I didn’t know how big Caged really was. My cyber stalking was limited to Sean, and nobody who knew me ever mentioned the band.

Smiling back, I motioned to my car before wandering to the aisle where I’d parked my Audi.

As I slid behind the wheel, I noticed the crowd had grown around Sean, and for a moment I seriously considered leaving.

Because this was crazy. Over the course of twelve hours, he’d not only convinced me to have drinks but to go to his hotel suite and take a tour of his house. 

I’d texted Peyton after breakfast to let her know where I was so she wouldn’t worry, but I wished I hadn’t.

My phone buzzed in my pocket with her ongoing diatribe, though I’d stopped responding five messages ago.

I looked down at my hand, to the gold ring cutting into my finger, and screw it; I took the damn thing off. And then I settled into the leather seat to read my texts.

Tucked amid Peyton’s warnings was a short video from my mother. I smiled as I watched my dad lead Willow around the corral at my aunt’s house.

With tears lining my eyes, I tapped out a reply.

Miss y’all. Please be careful.

“Everything cool?”

Startled, I looked over at Sean, who’d somehow managed to open the door without me hearing him.

“Yeah, fine.” 

While he was busy folding himself into the seat, I waited for Mom’s reply. She was terrible about checking her phone, so I finally gave up and tossed the device into the cup holder.

As I pulled out of the parking space, Sean noticed my small suitcase in the back seat.

“Going somewhere?”

The question came out as brittle as his smile. 

“To the cabin. You know, to clear my head after all the stuff with Gran.”

Sean rested his arm on the console next to mine, and when he linked our pinkies, I had to smile. He made me feel sixteen, which was not only dangerous but foolish as hell. 

“I meant to ask,” he said as I pulled into traffic. “What happened to Gran?”

My heart stuttered, and I had to wonder if talking about Gran would always be this painful. “Stroke. It was quick.”

Cutting my gaze to Sean’s, I understood now why people said stuff like that. Even if there was little consolation for me, he seemed relieved. Sean’s mother had died a slow, painful death from cancer. And he never got over it. 

“Thanks again for the flowers.” I forced a tight-lipped smile. “She would’ve loved them.” 

Sean frowned before shifting his focus to the side window. “I should’ve gone. To the funeral, I mean.” 

When he turned back to me, he was the boy I’d met in high school.

“It’s okay.” 

We drove in silence until we turned down the two-lane highway leading to the lake. Once we were on the back roads, I rolled down the window, and cedar scented air perfumed the cabin.

Sean squeezed my pinky. “Turn left up here.”

He motioned to the lane that seemed to lead straight into the preserve. But that couldn’t be. The preserve was off limits. 

I waited for traffic to clear, then made the turn, my heart racing as we passed under a canopy of trees.

After a stop at the guard shack to collect a visitor’s pass, we pulled into the gate. 

“Look familiar?” Sean asked when we crested the top of a small incline, and the waters of Lake Travis peeked through the trees.

I slammed on the brakes. “We used to camp right down there.”

Sean chuckled, a faraway look in his eyes. “I guess that’s one way to describe it. There was a tent and a couple of fishing poles.”

He was right. Our weekend jaunts usually consisted of skinny dipping and hot sex under the stars. And all we managed to eat were the s’mores we cooked over the campfire as we discussed all of our plans for the future.

When we had a future.

Sean squeezed my hand. “What is it, baby?”

I shook my head, a little dazed.

Sean did everything he’d set out to do. Built his house and his life and his music. He’d just done it alone.

“Nothing.” I lifted my foot off the brake. “Tell me where I’m going.”

Following Sean’s directions, we ended up at the bottom of a hill in front of a security fence. 

Craning my neck, I looked up at the spikes on top of the twelve-foot gate and then over to the keypad next to my window. “Is there a code or something?”

Anger flared when Sean crossed his arms over his chest, shifting in his seat. Was he kidding right now?

“Look, you invited me,” I bit out. “If you think I’m going to show up here some time out of the blue and bother you, you’re sadly mistaken. So either give me the code or get out of the car and punch it in your damn self.”

A smirk twisted Sean’s lips but he continued to stare straight ahead. “Zero-five-two-four.” 

The air left my body in a rush. “What?”

Sean finally looked at me. “Zero. Five. Two. Four.” 

I blinked. “But . . . that’s my birthday.” 

He eased a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling. “I’m aware.” 

Flustered, I rolled down the window and then punched in the code, only to have the box squawk in protest. I tried again with similar results, and Sean laughed.

“You only get three tries until they lock you out. Unless you want to climb that fence, you’d better concentrate, Anna-baby.”

Steadying my hand, I slowly punched in each number, and a loud beep signaled my success.

I stared at Sean’s profile as the gate slid open. “Why?” 

He shrugged. “Why not?” 

Exhaling a slow breath, I drove up to the mini-mansion. Before the car rolled to a complete stop, Sean was out the door with his backpack and my suitcase in his hand. 

“Hey!” I called as he strolled toward the garage.

He shot me a grin over his shoulder. “Sit tight.”

Still a little off balance, I sank into the seat and took a look around. My heart jumped into my throat when I saw the little meadow surrounded by a picket fence, and before I could think better of it, I was out of the car. 

“Anna!” 

Sean’s boots thundered behind me, but I kept on running.

I stopped in front of the gate, giving it a hard shake. 

“Easy, baby,” Sean said, reaching around me to find the hidden latch. 

Impatient, I slipped inside, and then came to an abrupt halt in front of the full-grown willow tree. Curling my fingers around a low hanging branch, I swayed in my spot. 

“It’s a willow tree.” My voice cracked as I spun around. “Why do you have a willow tree in your front yard?”

Sean squinted up to the sky, to where the leaves were so dense they nearly blocked the sun. “The same reason I have a willow tree tattooed on my arm. To remind me.”

“Remind you of what?”

I stumbled backward as he closed the gap, pressing me up against the tree trunk.

Touching his forehead to mine, he smiled. “Of you.”