The Vanishing Girls Of Willow Creek (Willow Creek, #1)

Chapter Fourteen

And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70

And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23

And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

Maybe just the touch of a hand

Oh me I fall in love with you every single day

And I just wanna tell you I am

- Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud

After we finally left the archives, we returned to my house, rather than stopping at the bakery, with Jon making a quick pit stop to drop off some stuff at home.

Thankfully the rain had held off as we made our way inside. I dropped my bag by the shoe rack and headed straight into the warm embrace of my cozy kitchen. The familiar scent of vanilla and cocoa greeted me like an old friend.

Jon followed behind me, his presence bringing a sense of comfort and familiarity. As I began pulling out ingredients for my signature fudgy chocolate peanut butter swirl brownies, Jon raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Brownies?" he questioned, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I chuckled softly. "You know I bake when I'm stressed."

Jon nodded knowingly, recalling the countless times he had found me in the kitchen surrounded by flour and sugar during moments of anxiety or uncertainty. It was my way of finding solace in something sweet amidst life's chaos.

He rolled up his sleeves. "Well, okay then. Let's get started."

As we worked together to mix and measure ingredients, our conversation flowed effortlessly. Jon's calming presence eased my racing thoughts as we focused on creating something delicious together.

The first batch of brownies went into the oven, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma that promised indulgent delight. With each passing minute, I felt myself gradually unwinding as we sat in the living room watching crime documentaries on TV.

The flickering light from the screen cast shadows across Jon's face, highlighting his thoughtful expression as he listened intently to every detail unfolding onscreen.

As soon as I sat down from checking on the brownies, the front door rang.

"Ugh," I grumbled, getting up. "Who could that be?"

Entering the foyer, I could see a figure standing on the front porch.

"Hello?" I answered, looking up. "Mr. Haggerty?"

What was he doing here? I know I have completed all my assignments for his class.

"Oh, Harley. Hi. I didn't know you lived here."

"It's in my file."

"Oh, I know. But teachers aren't privy to the addresses of their students. That more for the secretaries and principal."

That still didn't answer what he was doing here.

I looked up at him with a raised brow.

"Oh. I just moved in down the street and was introducing myself to my new neighbours."

I didn't quite know how I felt about living in the same neighbourhood as my teacher.

I couldn't exactly lie about being sick, not that I ever have.