“You’d be the first to think so,” she mumbled.
“Marc appreciates you more than he’s willing to admit.” Even if his friend hadn’t spoken the words, one silent glance said it all. Marc knew as well as everyone else in the clinic that without Sadie there today, things could so easily have gone sideways. She went above and beyond. But why her brother couldn’ttellher that frustrated Conner. Words of appreciation could go a long way toward mending whatever rift existed between them.Not your place, Conner.
“Marc’s convinced I’m just going to flake tomorrow.”
“Are you?”
“Of course not.”
Conner took a seat on the sidewalk, proving he wasn’t in a hurry. Hoping that if he settled in, Sadie might open up about that text message. It was likely a terrible idea, but he hated the thought of leaving her alone when she seemed to need someone. Even if her cheeks were dry, the glow of the streetlight hinted at their redness. “What’s really going on?”
“You mean besides my brother being a giant pain in the—” She stopped herself before she finished her thought, but it didn’t keep Conner from chuckling. After a seriously deep breath, she added, “I’m working on being a better person. So, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself. But you get this gist.”
Though he wanted to know more about what had created such a wedge between the siblings so he could decide whether he had any power to help mend it, it wasn’t what he was really asking. “Who texted you today? While Marylou was on lunch.”
He didn’t miss how she hugged Boomer tighter. God love the pup who didn’t squirm as he tilted his head up and caught her chin with a lick. “It doesn’t matter,” Sadie answered in a whisper so quiet he nearly missed it.
“Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No.” She shook her head into Boomer’s neck. “I don’t think so.”
Her response caused him to bristle. A protective reflex he only ever felt about those he cared for most. When had Sadie gone from acquaintance to . . .more? Had it happened today at the clinic when she scraped a knee capturing a runaway border collie and handed him over to the tech with a smile? Or when she offered to help man the front desk without a second thought during family dinner? Or perhaps it’d been happening for weeks and he’d been unaware until this very crucial moment. A moment that made him realize he would go to extreme lengths to keep her safe. “If someone’s bothering you, I’ll take care of it.”
Sadie lifted her chin from Boomer’s fur and stared at him, genuine confusion lingering in her gaze. “Why would you do that?”
Her simple question answered so many of his. She had one of the most amazing families he’d ever met. A family who’d do anything to protect one another. Yet, she didn’t seem to think that benefit extended to her. From anyone. His heart squeezed painfully. “I care about you, Sadie.” The words were dangerous to speak aloud, but they were true. Words sheneededto hear.
“You shouldn’t waste your time. Haven’t you heard? I’m an unreliable trainwreck.” Before he could tell her she was wrong, she added, “And it’s not just Marc who thinks that. I have a . . . track record. Ask anyone in my family.”
“Sadie, who sent you the text?”
“Just an ex,” she said dismissively. “It’s nothing.”
He didn’t buy her answer for a minute. “You have one of those, too?” Though she said nothing, he did seem to have a captive audience and continued. “I was engaged, actually. Supposed to get married this summer.”
“I had no idea.”
“I never talk about it,” Conner said with a mere shrug. His feelings about the whole situation were dulled from the time he’d had to reflect on all the red flags he missed. He dared to shift on the sidewalk, resting his back against the bench. Not quite touching Sadie’s leg, but not as far away as he could be. He reached up to scratch Boomer behind the ears. “She lied to me about something pretty big. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more humiliated in my life. Not because she lied, but because I didn’t see it coming.”
“Then youreallydon’t want to get any closer to me,” Sadie said with a pitiful laugh.
“Why?”
“I can’t count the number of lies I told my family over the two and a half years I was with Aaron.” The admission that fell so easily from her lips seemed to startle her, and she buried her face in Boomer’s neck. Her cheek brushed his fingers.
Conner inwardly gasped at the contact, surprised at the tingles of electricity that skittered up his arm. They pulled away at the same time. “You were covering for him?” he guessed, pretending the moment between them hadn’t happened. Hoping to keep things neutral for more reasons than he could count.
“Yeah.” The single word was laced with such sadness. It made Conner’s chest ache.
“Did he ever hurt you?” he asked carefully.
“Did he ever hit me, you mean?” She shook her head, wiping away a tear with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “Sometimes I think that would’ve been better than all the mind games. At least if he’d slugged me once, I would’ve left before things got so bad.”
Conner lifted onto the bench, forcing Boomer to make room. He draped an arm around her, pulling her into him as she clung to the pup. Her lavender shampoo invaded his senses as she let out a few sobs, her tears soaking through his shirt. So many emotions warred inside him, but he pushed them all aside to focus on what mattered most in this moment. “Does Marc know?”
Sadie sat up and pulled out of his embrace. “No. And you can’t tell him, Conner.”
“Sadie—”
