Willow: I’m so sorry. Just saw Walt and gave him your wallet. I’ll make sure he knows. What else can I do for you? Need lunch?

Leave it to Willow to ask how she could help after I pretty much slaughtered her this morning. I looked at the clock. Holy shit, it was already after noon.

Cam: I’m okay. You saw Walter?

Willow: Pretty sure I just said that.

Had Walt gone up to the house? Not likely, given that the power outage had hit the hotel, too.

Cam: Are you still at the house?

Willow: I’m at my house. I live here and all.

Cam: How?

I’d taken the Cat, and there was no way my Jeep was taking on that snow. On the plains, maybe, but not on the mountain.

Willow: A girl’s gotta save herself. I’m not a helpless damsel 24-7, you know.

Cam: I’m aware, Pika.

Shit. I’d hit send before my brain caught up. Definitely had not meant to call her that, especially now that she knew why I did.

Which was probably what she was thinking about, considering the fact that she left me on read for a good two minutes. Wasn’t I turning out to be a needy little prick?

I knew mine would have been yours.

Maybe she thought I meant if I had been Sullivan, then my last words would have been about her. Not that I’d say them. There was a slight possibility…right?

But what if she knew? What if my lack of self-control let her in on the secret I’d kept as long as I could remember? What if years of keeping my mouth shut had all been for nothing and now she hated me? Or worse, thought I was capable of acting on it? I wasn’t capable, and even if I was, the town wouldn’t accept it. She’d be miserable either way.

“You okay?” Xander asked.

“What?” My head shot up. “Yeah, why?”

“You look…constipated.”

My eyes narrowed a fraction, and he looked away. Then I almost dropped my phone when it alerted me to her text. Total Green Beret material here. Good thing I’d gotten out if I was going to turn into a jittery mess over a woman.

Not just any woman, though.

Willow: Thank you for updating me. I was worried about you.

Willow: And your dad, of course.

Willow: I’ll check on you later.

Willow: Unless you don’t want me to.

Willow: I’m putting my phone away now.

I laughed, which earned me another odd look from Xander. At least I wasn’t the only one struggling. Not that I wanted to fluster her, but at least I wasn’t solo in the WTF department.

Cam: Okay. I’ll talk to you later. Thank you for my omelet.

Willow: You didn’t get to eat it.