“We’re about to start clean-up soon.” I massaged my calf muscle and winced at the dull ache. For the most unathletic human on the planet, today had tested my strength. “I’m so happy you could make it.”
My dad’s smile reached his eyes that time and my mom looked nervous.Interesting.I stood and pointed at various locations, giving them the low-down of each station. Ethan and Megan waved at them, and my mom looked down at my shirt. “You have a design for the business?”
“Yes.” I grinned, hard. “Brigham surprised me and got them printed for today. I have the logo for social media and the website, but this is the first merchandise with the name. With the donations and those interested, Ethan projected that we can buy the place now.”
“Wow, Sarah.” My mom blinked a lot and took a deep breath. “I think it just hit me that you’re growing up.”
“Better late than never, I guess,” I said, lightening the leftover tension from the previous week. “I need to touch base with the shelter. Walk around. Talk to Ethan. Explore before it all gets picked up.”
They nodded, and I didn’t have the gross feeling in my gut talking to them. The day was a success, and I didn’t care if they liked it or not. That revelation meant everything. Clara loaded the last box she had into her van, walked toward me, arms spread wide, and gave me a huge hug. “Oh, Sarah. This was amazing. We got so many donations. Enough to feed the rascals for a year!”
I squeezed her back. “I’m so happy. And all the puppies were taken!”
“Yes. It always guts me seeing them leave, but knowing they get their homes now…ugh.” She sniffed and gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Thank you so much. I’m excited for you.”
“No, thank you! You brought the pups, and honestly that’s why people even show up.”
She reached over and squeezed my forearm. “Seriously, thank you. I’m gonna head back and take the funds to the bank, but stay in touch, Sarah. For real.”
“You got it.”
She drove off and I barely took another step before I was lifted off the ground. “Hey!” I yelled, kicking my feet until Brigham set me down with a huge smile. “Was the swing really necessary?”
“Yes.” He kept his hands on me and dipped his head low, capturing my mouth in a kiss that sent tingles down my spine. “I’m fucking proud of you.”
“Yeah,” I said, blushing and boasting at the same time. “I’m proud of myself.”
“That’s sexy. You being all confident and shit. It works for me.” He wiggled his eyebrows before his expression softened. “Your parents came, too?”
“Looks like it.”
“Come on, let’s go talk.” He slid an arm around my shoulders, holding my hand, and led the way. “That took guts for them to come. It might not seem like it, but it’s an olive branch.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” I leaned into him, walking over to find my parents talking to Megan and Ethan. The situation hit me. My best friends, my parents and Brigham. My worlds were colliding, and instead of freaking out or panicking, I loved it. Sure, I was mad at my parents a bit, but I loved them. All the people I loved, talking and celebrating a huge, successful day for me.
Loved.
Wait.
My pulse skyrocketed and I stared at Brigham’s profile as he talked with Ethan. Brigham Monaghan, baseball guy who was in the middle of a drug investigation, who had a heart of gold and was patient and kind.I love him. That’s what this is.
While the moment was simple, just a group of us talking, it felt monumental. The feeling was new and gripped me tight, overwhelming my senses and thoughts. Loving Brigham was easy and happened so quickly, it should’ve scared me. But the second that thought entered my mind, he reached over and took my hand in his, rubbing his thumb gently over my skin and looking at me with so much tenderness, I knew in my bones that he had some feelings for me too.
Possibly love. At least a strong like.
I grinned, drunk from the event, from Brigham and the direction my life was taking. I refused to let anything ruin this moment, even when Brigham’s phone went off and his eyebrows drew together in a frown. “I gotta take this—be right back, Blue Bell.”
Chapter Twenty
Brigham
Seeing my lawyer’s name pop up on my phone was like a blast of freezing air down my body. Her calls brought on a bout of anxiety that sent me into a nervous frenzy. I paced the grassy area off to the right of the event and took a deep breath. “Hey, Wynona.”
“Brigham, got good news and bad news.”
“All right.” I gritted my teeth and looked at the mountains in the distance. Phoenix was my home.The heat, smells, colors, the people.I took a calming breath and focused on the way the blue sky seemed endless here. “Don’t care what you say first.”
“Good news first. The officer’s daughter got caught up in some other drug situation and her word is now shit. I’m hoping to strike a deal with the county to drop the drug charges completely. It’ll be her word now against yours.”
