“I will. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but as I make my way back to the house, there’s a potent mix of excitement and uncertainty.
“I’m just saying I think you guys would be great together. He always had a soft spot for you, and you were always starry-eyed over him.”
Is that true?
Is it enough?
I guess we’re about to find out.
“Didyou hear my sister and her wife bought a new house?” I ask casually as Sawyer and I eat pizza on the back deck. It’s warm out but the breeze is nice, and once I start my shift tomorrow, I won’t be seeing much of the sun.
I hadn’t been able to shake the conversation with Beth as I did laundry and packed and unpacked andrepackedmy bag for the hospital. Denying I want Sawyer is a losing game, and if there’s a chance he wants me, there’s no harm in us indulging while I’m here.
I just need to make sure things with him and Beth are completely in the past. It’s been a decade, but I don’t want him to look at me and see her.
Because that’s weird.
And gross.
Sawyer opens his mouth and closes it without responding before shaking his head. “Just what was on the Christmas card.”
“Their dogs are really cute.” He stares at me and blinks like he’s not sure how we went from talking about the pros and cons of ice cream versus snow cones in the summer tothis.All right, fine.“Do you still have feelings for my sister?”
“What?” he asks, his expression surprised, although I have no clue why that would be. It’s an obvious question.
“My sister. Are you still in love with her?”
“Hallie, it’s been more than a decade.”
“And?”
Exhaling heavily through his nose, he stares at me, so much so that I have to fight the urge to squirm under his scrutiny.
“I was upset when she broke things off, and I was pissed when she married that guy she met right after she left me.” He sighs. “Not too proud to admit I was more than a little smug when that crashed and burned.” His palm grips the back of his neck as he stares at something behind me.
“And?” I prod because Ineedto know. Sawyer Kade, by all accounts, has been a bachelor since my sister broke his heart. My mom had told me as much. I just can’t figure out why.
“And nothing. I’m happy for her and Piper. She called out of the blue something like six months after they started dating and she apologized. Said she never meant to hurt me but knew something wasn’t right.” Looking back at me, he lifts a shoulder and lets it drop. “She invited me to the wedding. I sent a gift because my brother was being promoted to sheriff that same weekend.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Is it?” he asks before taking a bite of his pizza, his arms flexing as he rests his elbows on the table.
“Mm-hmm,” I manage, shoving a mozzarella stick in my mouth to prevent me from telling him that since we cleared that up, I’d like to ride his face now, please.
Ugh.
“You sure? Because I’m gonna have to switch to whiskey if you have any follow-up questions.” He motions to the bottle on the table. “This beer won’t be enough.”
Holding my hands up in surrender, I smile.
“I promise you’re safe.”
Heat simmers in his gaze, and now I have to wonder if maybeI’mthe one who isn’t safe, and I really,reallydon’t mind that at all.
5
