Page 8 of Frozen Hearts

“Hey. Watch out!” Someone exclaimed behind her.

But it was too late. Mel lost her footing and stumbled back into the person. Together they fell backwards to the ground. Mel landed with a thud on top of the other person. She glanced down and found that her hand had landed on their thigh. She yanked her hand away.

“I’m so sorry,” Mel said emphatically as she gently rose to her feet. She turned and saw none other than Willow sitting in the dirt. Willow shot her an unamused grimace. A tall woman who stood beside Willow glanced nervously between the two of them.

“Why is it that whenever you’re around I find myself in the dirt?” Willow asked.

Mel was vaguely aware of Brianna standing beside her.

“Maybe because you have a bad habit of not looking where you’re going,” Brianna bit out. Willow’s eyes snapped to Brianna for the first time.

Mel could see from the look on Willow’s face that she wasn’t ready to involve any other humans in their feud. Mel wasn’t ready either. She watched as Willow’s friend stepped protectively in front of her. Mel laid a hand on Brianna’s arm, gently holding her back.

“You’re right. We’re sorry for not paying better attention,” Willow’s friend said jovially.

“Me, too. I didn’t realize you had come in. But I could have looked behind me before stepping backwards,” Mel offered.

“I guess I could have been paying better attention,” Willow admitted though somewhat reluctantly.

“Great. Then it’s all settled. We’re all clumsy. We’re just going to go hang out over there. It was nice to meet you both,” Willow’s friend said with a good-natured smile. Brianna gave her a nod and the woman smiled again. When they were gone Mel rounded on Brianna.

“Oh, my lands. That was her. That was the woman.”

“I figured,” Brianna chuckled.

“Wow. You really stepped in there, buddy.” Mel laughed.

“No one talks to my best friend that way,” Brianna said, her tone was serious.

“What was that head nod at the end? Between you and her friend,” Mel asked.

“The protective friends acknowledging that neither wants any trouble with the other,” Bri explained.

“I had no idea protective friends had their own language.”

“It’s mostly grunts and head nods,” Brianna teased.

Mel laughed, shaking her head at Brianna. She couldn’t help but let her gaze wander over to where Willow and her friend were standing. Or was that her girlfriend? Mel took in Willow from afar. Willow was the type of woman that was so stunning it made her eyes hurt. She wore a pair of cutoff shorts and a white tank top, which now had a pattern of dirt across it. Mel felt herself wince. But she only allowed it for one second. Why should she be the one who kept feeling bad for these disastrous interactions? Mel knew that a large part of it was her people pleasing nature. She hated it when someone was angry with her.You don’t have to feel bad. Not when Willow is theone being the jerk.She told herself.

Mel let her inner dialogue wrap around her. A moment later she was distracted by the sight of Mase and Sushi playing. She almost called Mase back, but he was so happy that she simply smiled. When she glanced back to Willow she saw that she wore a smile on her face at the spectacle as well. She couldn’t help noticing that Willow had a great smile. Mel wished that she got to see that side of Willow as opposed to the irritable jerk side of her. She shook her head and looked away. Today was a happy day and no one was going to ruin that for her, especially not Willow.

Chapter 4

“Friend, what was that over there? You were kind of mean,” River stated. She was staring Willow down, obviously trying to figure her out.

“I was not mean. She knocked me down. And her friend was rude,” Willow protested. In her mind she couldn’t help wondering if the tall woman beside Mel was her girlfriend. She found herself hoping that wasn’t the case and had to push the thoughts aside.

“Her knocking you down was clearly an accident. We were laughing and joking but we could have been better about watching where we were going. And you sassed Mel first, if I was her friend I would have said something very similar to you,” River admitted. Willow drew back as if struck. River saw Willow’s expression and softened.

“All I’m saying is that it wasn’t like you. I’ve never seen you snap at anyone that way. It kind of threw me off,” River said. River wrapped an arm around Willow and pulled her in for a hug.

“I don’t know buddy. Mel just gets me so flustered and angry.” Willow gave a long frustrated sigh. River nodded her head, considering her words for a moment.

“Have you considered that you might like this woman?” River asked.

“I don’t think that’s very likely. I can’t stand her.” Even as the words came out of her mouth Willow’s eyes fell on Mel. She was leaning against a fencepost talking to the woman who was with her. Willow could make out the curve of her body and the fullness of her breasts even from here. Her mind started to fantasize about what it might be like to press her against that fencepost and kiss her. Willow shook her head refusing to let her mind play out the fantasy any further.

“There’s a fine line between frustration and sex,” River offered as an explanation.