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off her plate and shoved it in her mouth. “Mmmmm, delicious.” She went for another but her mom slapped her hand away.
    “Get your own.” She point ed toward a plate on the counter.
    She looked over and noticed there was buttered toast as well. She grabbed a plate, took another piece of bacon and two pieces of toast. Homemade strawberry jam sat on the table and she used a knife and covered the toast. “Heather, did you make this?” she asked, taking a bite.
    Willow bit into her toast and smiled around the jam. “Yeah, hope you like it.”
    “ It’s delicious. You shouldn’t have started without me.” She chewed slowly, happy to be with her family.
    “It isn’t my fault you were in the shower when I brought it over.”
    “Still, if it’s min—”
    S omeone knocked on the door.  Willow knew who it was, who it had to be. “Austin,” she whispered, her stomach flying into her throat. She stood, but couldn’t go to the door.  She was too nervous.
    “I’m so excited we finally get to meet him,” Sara said, walking past Willow and opening the door.
    It was Austin. He still wore his jeans, t ee shirt, and boots. His hair was pushed back off his face and Willow could see the crinkles on the sides of his eyes. In his arms were a bundle of wrapped presents.
    He ’d come back. Willow covered her mouth, unable to stop the happy giggle that gurgled up through her chest.
    Austin’ s eyes found hers and he winked.
    Willow’s mom took charge since she couldn’t move, her sisters were gawking, and Austin was still standing in the doorway. “Let the man in, ladies. For goodness sake.” She pushed aside Willow’s sisters and pulled him in the house by the arm.
    “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome, dear.” Willow’s mom helped him tuck the presents under the tree. “Take a seat.”
    Austin sat on the couch, on the center cushion. He leaned back, resting his hands on his knees. Liv sat on the cushion to the left of him and Sara sat on the cushion to the right. Willow’s mom took the rocking chair.
    “So why don’t you tell us about yourself?” Willow’s mom asked, crossing one leg over the other. Liv and Sara leaned in, gigantic grins plastered on their faces.
    “Well, okay. I ’m from Dallas. I met Willow a couple of summers ago. I fell hard for her and, apparently,” he clasped his hands together and glanced around the room, “I have a daughter.”
    Liv patted him on the knee. “What do you do for a living?”
    “My family is in the oil business. My great granddaddy started it many years ago. It’s been passed down from father to son and was…” He took a deep breath before continuing, “ultimately passed on to me.”
    Holy shit. He belonged to those Merricks. As in Merrick Oil. They had the jingle If you want your car to last, get your gas fast at Meerrrr-iiiiick. They were the biggest oil company in the United States.
    Willow never would’ve guessed he was so incredibly wealthy, not by looking at him. His clothes were casual, and the way he wore his hair—longer. At the moment he even had a little scruff on his face. He didn’t look like a man who was the sole heir to the Merrick fortune.
    The St. James sisters and their mom were small town people, but that didn’t mean they lived under rocks. Everyone knew the Merrick Oil name. Her sisters were suddenly excited, all chatting at Austin at once. Even her mom’s eyes had perked up. Willow still hadn’t moved.
    She and Austin had nothing in common. He was like royalty and she was a mere commoner.
    Emma started to cry and Willow snapped to attention. Austin stood as well. “May I go in with you?”
    A hint of a smile crossed her lips. Then she cleared her throat. “Sure.”
    Willow glanced at her mom. She stood and walked to the door. “Come on, you three. Let’s give these two some privacy.”
    Three grown women threw mini temper tantrums, but grudgingly l eft. When the door was closed, Willow looked shyly at Austin.
    “Ready to meet