She seemed stricken. “But you’re all I ever dream about! I bought this outfit for you.” She gestured at the skimpy underwire bra and thong. “Feeling you inside me—that’s all I want for Christmas.”

“Don’t say that,” he told her.

“Do you know how many guys at my high school would love to see me like this?” she fired back.

“I’m sure almost any guy would love to see you like this, but you’re making a mistake. What you’re feeling for me is…is just a crush. You don’t really know me.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve been coming to the Eatery since I started working there. I thought I was the reason.”

He stopped her from lifting his shirt. “Willow—”

“I’ve been saving my virginity for you, Tobias,” she whispered, standing on her toes to kiss his neck. “I want you to be my first.”

Shit. “I’m, uh…flattered.” He dropped her coat, trying to get her away from him, so he had to pick it up again. “But I can’t let you make this mistake.”

Her bottom lip jutted out when he settled her coat around her shoulders to cover her up. “You don’t want me?”

“Sex should mean something,” he explained. “That’s when it’s good. Don’t…don’t sell yourself short, okay?”

“You don’t want me,” she said again. Only this time it wasn’t a question; it was a statement.

“I can’t be with you,” he explained.

She stuffed her arms back inside her coat. “You don’t know anything. You don’t deserve me—deserve this,” she said, gesturing at her body.

“I agree,” he said, relieved when she gave up and stomped toward the door.

“I can’t believe you’d lead me on, only to embarrass me like this,” she said before grabbing the doorknob.

He caught the door so it wouldn’t hit the wall when she flung it open. “I’m sorry. But you’ll find the right man one day. Just…don’t be in too much of a hurry.”

She didn’t respond. She rushed from the house, leaving him standing there, feeling like a jerk for not heading this off by texting her the moment he read her note. Maybe then he could’ve avoided this.

After he gave her a small lead, he walked out to make sure she didn’t pull too far into the orchard and get stuck in the mud. It wasn’t easy to turn around on the long drive. That was when he saw Carl standing under the eaves of his father’s house, smoking a cigarette.

“Hey, sweet thing!” he called out when he saw Willow. “Where ya going so fast? Somethin’ wrong?”