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FIVE

Willow

IT'S NOT LIKE I PURPOSEFULLY HIDE DYLAN OR THIS INTIMATE part of my life. But ever since everything happened, I've grown to appreciate my privacy more than ever. Especially when it comes to my son.

There's a protective side of me that was born at the same time he was. So, the fact that Johanna coincidentally just found me with him in the park brings some unease.

"Willow? Is that you?" I turn back to see Johanna and another girl in a set of workout clothes. Tight shorts and a sports bra barely cover her fit frame. Her friend, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, is dressed similarly.

Johanna is drop-dead-gorgeous with a hot body, and her friend is not far behind. If I didn't have too much to worry about in my life now, I'd be jealous. So jealous. Between juggling work, school, and Dylan, all the free time I have left is meant for my son or sleeping.

"Hey, Johanna." I try to smile at her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

She has been nothing but nice to me ever since we met, and yet, I just can't get completely comfortable around her. Not yet, at least.

Once upon a time, there was a younger version of Willow Hanlon who would trust easily. Naïvely.

Not anymore.

"Yeah, I love to run, so I come to the park a lot. It's also a good way for me to cure hangovers." She chuckles. "This is my friend, Sofia. We always work out together."

"Hi," I greet, and so does she. She smiles at me, widening a white set of perfect teeth, putting me a little more at ease.

"How are you?" she asks, but before I can answer, Johanna cuts in.

"Oh my god!" Her hands flail chaotically around her, to match her excited reaction. "You're the perfect person for—"

As if fate knew I was getting off too easily with something—anything—Dylan interrupts us by abruptly stopping by my side, eyeing both girls curiously. They look back at him, Johanna with a visibly confused expression on her face.

Is she going to judge?

"Who's this little one?" Sofia is the first one to break the awkward silence, flashing him another megawatt smile. With an intrigued glance at me, she crouches down to his height, and Johanna weirdly follows.

"I'm Dylan," he announces, his chest puffing in pride.

As if listening to him talk just broke a spell, she unfreezes, smiling at him for the first time, and greets him back, "Hi, Dylan. I'm Johanna. Nice to meet you, young man."

Her hand extends to him with the obvious intention of shaking his hand, but my son, being the charmer he is, takes her hand and tugs it close to his face, kissing her knuckles. Johanna's eyes widen in shock for a moment before she cracks up laughing. Sofia copies Johanna's actions, laughing even harder when he does the same to her.

My cheeks set a flame, and I bury my face in my hand with a defeated shake of my head. This is what I get for letting my big brother be a bad influence on my son. Note to self: do not let Jacob Hanlon babysit Dylan. Ever!

"What a gentleman. Who taught you that?"

"My Uncle Jake," he proudly admits, confirming my suspicions.

"He says this is how a gentleman should greet pretty ladies."

Seriously, what things has my brother been teaching my five-year-old kid? Jacob Hanlon is a man-child, that's what he is. A hazard to all children around the world, the kind who's not above using them as bait to seduce a pretty woman.