Then he walked past me without looking back.
I stood on the dock for a long time after, the towel wrapped around me, my skin still burning where his hands had been. I could still feel the phantom pressure of his arm around my waist, his thumb tracing a path along my stomach, his heart beating against my back.
That was the night I understood two things about myself.
I didn’t just love Knox Aldrich like a friend or like family.
I was in love with him.
And it was the most terrifying thing I’d ever felt because if he broke my heart, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to piece it back together.
I come backto the present with tears streaming down my face and my hand pressed to my stomach, where I can still feel the ghost of his touch. Even now. Even after everything. I’d give anything to be the Sawyer I was that night.
Chapter 15
Knox
Idon’t wake until Ella gently shakes my back.
“Hey, someone’s at the door for you.”
“Tell them to fuck off,” I say, my face buried in my pillow.
“It’s Sawyer.”
Blinking, I sit up slowly, stifling a groan from the pain. “What time is it?”
“Around noon. I didn’t want to bother you while you were resting.”
With the door open, I can hear my parents talking to someone on speaker downstairs. Whoever it is sounds serious. Then it all hits me at once. The accident. Owen. All the shit that needs to get done today.
I wish I could pull the blanket over my head and stay here all day. But Sawyer needs me.
“Alright,” I finally groan. “I’ll be right down.”
She nods and leaves me to brush my teeth and throw on some clothes. A solid night’s sleep helped but my body still feels like it’s been put through a meat grinder. I doubt it’ll feel better anytime soon. But I hurry downstairs, ignoring the soreness. Sawyer’s here and I need to see why.
My parents barely look at me as I pass them in the great room and I’m grateful. Whatever they’re doing, whoever’s on the phone, isn’t nearly as important as Sawyer.
Ella points to the front door. “She’s outside. I tried to invite her in but I don’t think she felt comfortable.”
I peek through the window and spot Helen’s Toyota idling at the end of the driveway, far enough away that she’d barely be spotted on our security cameras. And there’s Sawyer, standing on the porch in Owen’s college sweatshirt. It’s like someone punched me straight in the fractured ribs. Her light hair is pulled up and she looks about as well as I expected. Visible bruises, puffy eyes, dark circles. Even so, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
I open the door and shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her.
“Thorne, everything okay?”
“I need the locker code.” She doesn’t greet me, doesn’t smile, doesn’t even acknowledge that she knows me better than just about any person out there.
It takes me a second to process what she’s asking. Velocity—the locker with our stuff.
“0724.”
She blinks when realization hits her. It’s her birthday. My code for everything.
“Right,” she hesitates. “Thanks.”
She turns to leave and I’m already moving before I think about it. “Wait.” I step onto the porch. “I can go get them. The phones. I’ll drive to Wonder World, bring yours back to you. You don’t have to?—”
