“And give away this charming reunion? I don’t think so.”
“I have to agree on that,” Sawyer said, way too chipper for my sudden shock. “Scarlett would have done just about anything to get out of seeing you both, I bet. Anyways, I’m Sawyer.”
“Great to meet you,” Caesar said, shaking her hand. “I hear you’re Wyatt’s sister, correct?” His brown eyes took in my friend as if he were calculating what her thoughts were.
“Yeah,” she said with an eye roll. “The one and only. Aren’t I lucky?”
“You enjoying your day?” Caesar asked me. His head seemed to be filled with more gray hair since I last saw him.
I shrugged, not sure what to say. My chest was tightening to the point of no return.
“Oooh! Scarlett, I so need to show you something. Come on!” Sawyer said, pulling on my hand. I was too stunned to do anything but follow. She could lead to me to the fiery pits of hell, and I’d have followed right that second.
When we were far enough away, she slowed and leaned in closer to me. “Breathe.”
I gulped in a huge lungful of air, letting it expand my lungs before I released it. I took two more deep breaths before I felt more aware of what was going on.
“There ya go,” she coaxed, still leading me to the edge of where the craft tables were set up. “Talk to me.”
“They aren’t supposed to be here,” I said, near tears. I closed my eyes, willing myself to stay put together.
“Says who?”
“Me!”
“Hey,” Sawyer said, moving to stand right in front of me. She placed her hands on my shoulders, giving me something to ground myself. “It’s okay for people who care about you to pop in and see you. It’s the normal human thing, you know. You can handle this. You can freak out later when you get back home.”
“You know it doesn’t work that way.”
“But we can try,” she said gently. “They are family, even if you don’t like it. I won’t let anything happen to you. You should know that by now.”
Yeah, I did.
“You got this, chica.”
“Everything okay?” Ace asked, standing a foot away with his hands in his pockets. He looked the same as just weeks ago. Gray hair, light eyes filled with life and secrets.
I nodded, letting out a breath. I had to be, at least for now.
“If I had known you wouldn’t react well to me showing up, I wouldn’t have come,” he said, inching closer. It wasn’t him that had me out of sorts but the man who tagged along.
“It’s okay,” I mumbled.
“No, it’s not. I see how upset you are. I thought maybe...well, I don’t really know what I thought.” He was lying, but I wasn’t going to call him out on it. “Anyway, we can leave.”
“Just give her a little bit of time,” Sawyer said.
“It’s not you that has me out of sorts. But I’ll deal.” I said, my voice quiet.
“I see…”
“How about we get some lunch. I’m starving,” Sawyer said, grabbing my hand to lead the way back to the table.
With the feeling of dread stuck in my stomach, I let her drag me along. There was no way I’d be able to eat.
I sat numbly down next to Zevon while Sawyer went to go get some food. The three men talked, and their words went in one ear and out the other as I did everything I could to keep my panic at bay. I didn’t want to have an episode in public if I could help it.
I wanted to leave and forget they’d showed up. I wanted to go and just forget everything. But it wasn’t possible at all.
