by K. C. Lynn
My head snaps up to see Jenny reading my note. Rage pumps through my veins, not just at her but also myself. I grab her by the wrist and jerk her closer to me, ripping the note out of her hand. “What the fuck did I tell you about saying shit when it comes to her?”
Her eyes go huge and she swallows nervously. “It’s time for you to go.” Dragging her to the door, I open it up and give her a little push into the hallway then point my finger at her, “I mean it. Keep your fucking mouth shut about her.”
Then I slam the damn door in her face. She pounds on it once. “You’re a real asshole, you know that, Sawyer?”
Yup, I fucking do.
Cade shakes his head. “You know, it’s bad enough you fuck up, but with her? What part of what Cooper said didn’t sink in?”
My temper spikes even though I know he’s right. “Are you seriously giving me shit about this? You, out of all fucking people? How about you worry about your own shit, asshole, and stay the fuck out of mine!”
“We aren’t talking about my shit, we’re talking about yours. And I’m the one who drove her crying ass home last night, so I can say whatever the fuck I want to your stupid-ass.”
My anger deflates when he talks about her crying. “Shit!” I curse and dump my coffee down the sink, since it’s making my insides feel even more like lead. “I need to find a way to fucking fix this.”
“Well, one thing she said last night was she hoped your dick falls off. So you could hand that to her on a silver platter. That might help,” he adds, looking rather all too fucking pleased about the idea.
Grunting, I head to the bathroom to wash up, and think of a way to fix this without having to cut my dick off.
Two hours later I pull up to the diner, empty-handed, and still have no clue how the fuck I’m going to fix this mess. My stomach is in fucking knots thinking how much I let her down, like so many others have. I know we had no commitment to each other, but I’d like to think we had more than a friendship, until I went and fucked it up.
As I get out of my truck I see Kayla and Julia walk out of the diner. They both stop abruptly when they see me approach.
“Hi, Sawyer,” Julia greets sadly. I don’t miss the disappointment in her eyes. Which makes me feel even more like shit.
Kayla, of course, has no problem telling me exactly what she’s feeling. “Well hello, you fucking douche bag.”
Julia elbows her. I ignore the comment, since I know I deserve it, and clear my throat, “How is she?”
I look at Julia for an answer since I won’t want to hear what comes out of Kayla’s mouth.
“She’s all right. Just a little sad; Jenny didn’t help the situation.” I tense, “What do you mean?”
Kayla flushes red with anger and pipes up now, “Oh just that the stupid whore came walking in here this morning, to rub it in Grace’s face, that the two of you shared her fucking pie this morning, after fucking each other’s brains out.”
Violence pumps dangerously through my body. That fucking bitch! “That’s not true. She’s fucking lying.”
“We know that,” Julia replies quietly, “I think Grace does too, but it didn’t stop it from hurting her.”
Letting out a heavy breath I scrub my hand down my face. “I fucked up. I know that and I’m going to fix it.”
Julia smiles sadly, “I know you will, but it’s not going to be easy, Sawyer. It takes a lot for Grace to trust someone. She trusted you easier than anyone else.”
The truth of her words hit me, like a blow to the chest. Jesus, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this much fucking guilt in my life.
Nodding, I give a half-ass goodbye to the girls, and brace myself for what awaits me behind the diner door.
I wipe down the table that Julia and Kayla just left from and walk towards the kitchen. Looking down, I stick the money for the bill in my front pocket when I suddenly slam into a brick wall.
“Oomph!” Strong arms come around me and my hands clutch a soft T-shirt, trying to catch my balance. A familiar scent penetrates my senses and makes my heart beat faster. I know, before I even look up, who the brick wall is. With my heart in my throat I slowly raise my head all the way up, until my gaze crashes with a pair of intense green eyes.
“Hi, Cupcake.” A ton of emotions plague me at the sound Sawyer’s deep, smooth voice.
“Hi,” I croak out quietly.
Neither of us makes an effort to move from our embrace. And even though my heart is still heavy with pain, I can’t help but want to soak in the warmth of his body, and the safety of his arms. I continue to stare into his sexy green eyes. Eyes that are normally filled with so much laughter, but today look a little… regretful? Or maybe that’s just what I want to see. I hate myself when my gaze moves to his full lips… lips that were just on Jenny.
Ouch!
Ripping my gaze away from his perfect mouth I try to step back, but he tightens his hold on me.
“Can we talk?” his soft voice contradicts his fierce expression.
I swallow nervously and nod, “Yeah, I can take a quick break. Come on into the back.”
This time, when I step away, he lets go. He follows behind me as we make our way into the kitchen. “Mind if I take a quick break, Mac?”
Mac looks over at Sawyer before answering. “Not at all, darlin’. Take as much time as you need. Shelly will be all right on her own for a bit.”
“Thanks.”
When we get to the back entrance I open the big steel door to let in some fresh air, hoping this will ease some of my anxiety. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to ward off the sudden chill. I stare outside since I’m too nervous to look at Sawyer right now.
“Has the dog come back?”
I shake my head regretfully. “No, and I check every night. I’m real worried about him.”
When he doesn’t say anything I look over and see him watching me with too many emotions to name. I hate myself for noticin’ how damn sexy he looks today… well, okay, everyday. Instead of his typical jeans he usually wears, he’s sportin’ black
Nike track pants that hang just right on his lean hips, and a red Hollister T-shirt that stretches across his muscular frame perfectly.
Seriously? Can’t he look like crap just once in his life?
When my gaze moves back to his face, he’s wearin’ a sly grin, knowing I was checkin’ him out.
Well crap!
Turning a furious shade of red, I look away and clear my throat. “So I guess you got my pie?”
“Yeah I did.”
“Did you eat any of it yet?” I ask quietly, feelin’ apprehensive of the answer after Jenny’s mean comment.
His voice goes hard, “No, I didn’t. That bitch fucking lied to you, Grace.”
My head snaps up in surprise, and I quickly realize he must have run into Julia and Kayla outside.
Not knowing what to say to that, I nod and look back down at my feet. “I’m real sorry for what I said yesterday, Sawyer. I let my humiliation run my mouth. I didn’t mean it.” Emotion clogs my throat as I try to get the words out.
“You don’t need to apologize, Cupcake. I’m the one who’s sorry; I was an asshole. I showed up here yesterday, pissed off from you ignoring me. I didn’t know why, or what the fuck was going on, then I let your words bruise my ego, and even though I have a really fucking big one I still don’t like it to take a beating.”
My lips twitch but it dies quickly with what he says next. “It didn’t mean anything, Grace.”
I put my hand up, stopping him, “You don’t need to explain anythin’ to me, Sawyer, we’re nothin’ more than friends.” And it’s true he doesn’t. Yes, it hurts me something fierce, but I know that’s all me and my feelins’.
“Bullshit!” he shouts angrily, “what I feel for you is a lot more than fucking friends.”
I snap my gaze to his and feel my own anger spike. “Are you seriously tellin’ me right now, you care for me more than a friend? After you just shoved your dick in someone els
e, Sawyer Evans?”
His hands run through his messy blonde hair in frustration and he starts pacin’. “Listen, Grace, I know I fucked up real bad last night, all right. As soon as I woke up this morning I regretted it. I still don’t understand how the fuck it happened.” I scoff but he doesn’t let me talk. “It’s true, one minute I’m at Badass Jack’s, drinking my fucking face off, spewing’ shit to Jack about delicious fucking pies that can kick your ass and blonde chicks who smell like fucking cupcakes. Then the next thing I know I’m comparing that bitch to cupcakes, and she is the complete opposite of a fucking cupcake. I was so pissed at you that I didn’t push her away,” he’s out of breath by the time he finishes.
Tears begin to leak down my face and my heart breaks a little more. “That’s just it, Sawyer. She is the complete opposite of me. She’s your type, I’m not and I’m not ever gonna be.”
“She is not my fucking type! I like fucking cupcakes!”
A small laugh escapes me but quickly turns into a sob. I drop my head and cover my face with my hands.
Sawyer comes to stand in front of me; his big, warm hands encircle my wrists.
“Look at me, Grace,” he demands softly, pulling my hands away. He cups my face, forcing my gaze to his. “It-didn’t-mean-anything. I know you don’t understand that, but it’s the fucking truth.”
I stare into his warm green eyes that shine with regret and sincerity. I desperately want to believe him, a part of me does, but the pain from last night is too fresh.
His jaw clenches, “I’m sorry she came in here this morning. She was fucking mad at me and took it out on you.”
I sniffle, “It’s not your fault she’s so darn mean. Besides, Kayla put her in her place real good. Told her if she didn’t leave she was gonna rip her fake boobs off and beat the shit out of her with them.”
He chuckles, “That girl is real hard not to like. Even when she’s calling me ‘a fucking douche bag’.”
I smile sadly, picturing Kayla laying into him when she saw him outside. “Yeah, she’s pretty amazin’. I have some real good friends.”
He rests his forehead against mine and his gaze darkens with regret again. “I’m going to be one of those people again, Grace. I know it’s going to take time for you to trust me, but I’ll make this up to you, I swear it.”
I swallow thickly and don’t say anythin’. His green gaze zeroes in on my mouth, and some major hot tension fills the air around us. “Sawyer Evans, if you put those lips anywhere near mine, after you just had them on someone else, I will punch you in the throat.”
He lets out a half-laugh, half-groan. The needful sound hits me right between the legs. He begins draggin’ his nose across the side of my cheek, his lips almost brushing but not quite. My heart rate spikes to a whole new level, my breathing turning shallow and quick. His arms encircle my waist, pulling me against his hard body. I feel his erection against my stomach, and holy moly what a big erection it is. He continues dragging his nose across my face until his mouth hits my ear. “I won’t kiss you until you ask me to, Cupcake. And I fucking promise you will, because I know you feel this too, Grace, I know it’s not just me.”
“Grace?”
I suck in a startled breath and jump back from Sawyer.
“Oh shoot!” Shelly says while coverin’ her eyes, as if Sawyer and I are naked. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. I’m having some problems with the register, uh, whenever you’re done can you help me?”
“No problem, Shelly, you didn’t interrupt. I’ll be right out.”
“Okay thanks,” she scurries out with her hand coverin’ half her face.
“I need to go,” I whisper and begin to walk away.
“Grace?” Stopping, I take a deep breath and turn back to him. “I’m going to prove to you how much I like cupcakes.”
I shake my head but can’t hide the small smile that graces my lips. “Bye, Sexy Sawyer.”
I walk away feeling a little more light-hearted, thinkin’ there might be hope yet for Sawyer and I to fix our friendship. As for anythin’ else, well… that I’m not so sure about.
Later that evenin’, when I’m taking the trash out back, a loud whimpering snags my attention.
“Hello?”
At the sound of my voice the cry becomes louder and more desperate. Dropping the garbage bags by the bin I listen carefully and follow the heart breakin’ sound.
Turning the corner I gasp, “Chuckie?” I rush over to the chocolate lab that’s lying on his side, with his leg twisted at a weird angle. The spotlight from the building shines directly on him, showing small blood patches on his nose, as if his skin has been rubbed raw.
“Oh no, baby, what happened?”
Chuckie whines, as if tryin’ to answer me, “It’s okay, honey, I’m gonna help you.”
Shoot what am I going to do? I have no car and Mac already left…
Sawyer.
I grab my cell out of my front pocket, and with blurry vision I scroll through my contacts till I see Sawyer’s name.
He answers on the second ring. “Well hello, Cupcake, this is a pleasant surprise.”
“Sawyer,” I choke out.
“Grace? What’s wrong?”
“I need your help. It’s Chuckie; he’s hurt real bad. He needs a doctor, and I don’t know how to get him there. He can’t walk.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m out back behind the diner.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you.”
Sawyer disconnects and I put a gentle hand on the side of Chuckie’s neck. “It’s all right, boy, Sawyer’s comin’; he’ll help us.”
His painful whimper breaks my heart. I bury my face in his neck and hug him gently. Stale cigarette smoke fills my nostrils. Barely two minutes later an engine comes roarin’ down the back alley. Headlights flash beside Chuckie and I when Sawyer puts his truck in park.
Chuckie’s cryin’ turns frantic when Sawyer comes runnin’ over. “It’s okay, boy, Sawyer won’t hurt you,” I say soothingly.
Sawyer kneels down beside me. When he takes in Chuckie’s state his eyes fill with rage and his jaw clenches.
“He’s hurt real bad, Sawyer. I think his leg is broken, and somethin’ is wrong with his nose,” I explain on a small sob.
He puts a comforting arm around my shoulder and kisses the side of my head. “It’ll be okay, Grace. We’ll help him.”
Within minutes Sawyer has made a makeshift splint for Chuckie’s leg, somethin’ I would have never known to do. The whole time the sweet dog whimpered in pain, I hugged him and told him everything would be okay. I just pray I was tellin’ him the truth.
Grace and I are sitting in the waiting room at the animal hospital, waiting on word about Chuckie. I keep a reassuring hand on her back, and even though I know now is not the time I can’t seem to keep my dick down. Her goddamn cupcake smell floods my senses, and when she let her long wavy blond hair out of her ponytail… Fuck! I want to wrap the silky strands around my fist and kiss the fucking sadness off her beautiful face.
“Do you think someone did that to him, Sawyer?” Her sad voice pulls me from my perverted thoughts, and makes me want to go beat the shit out of the person who did this. Not just for the dog, but for making my Cupcake cry.
My Cupcake? Jesus, I’m fucking losing it.
“Yeah, Grace, I think so,” I tell her truthfully.
Suddenly her sad brown eyes turn fierce and she clenches her jaw. “When I find out who did this, Sawyer, oh boy are they gonna be sorry,” she says, shaking her head and punching a tiny fist into her open hand.
I bite back a chuckle, not wanting to piss her off more. Fuck she’s cute. “Easy there, Rocky Balboa; let’s wait to see what the vet says first.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth the vet comes out. “Grace Morgan?”
Grace and I stand. “I’m Dr. Richards,” the older man shakes our hands, “you can come in now and see Chuckie.”
I put my h
and on the small of Grace’s back, because I can’t seem to stop touching her, and we follow the vet into the examining room. Grace rushes over to Chuckie, who’s lying on the exam table with a cast on his leg and a bandaged nose. She buries her face in his neck, and her shoulders shake gently as she cries again.
The vet clears his throat, “Chuckie is not your dog; is that correct, Miss Grace?”
She stands now, but keeps her hand on the side of the dog’s stomach. “He wasn’t before, but he is now,” she states firmly.
He gives her a small smile, “Well, that would be real great if you took him home with you. Otherwise I’m going to have to call ASPCA to come pick him up. It seems he’s been abused for quite some time now. The x-rays showed us previous broken bones that were not treated properly. To be honest, I’m surprised he was able to walk at all.”
Grace begins to cry harder. Walking over, I put my arm around her shoulders. “What about his nose?” she asks.
“They’re cigarette burns.”
She sucks in a sharp breath then shakes her head sadly. “Can I take him home now?”
“Yes, but he needs to come back in three weeks time to get his cast off. I’ll also provide you with medication to help manage his pain. Lauren will give it to you when you take care of the bill.”
Grace tenses slightly at the mention of the bill, it probably never even crossed her mind until now.
She nods, “All right I will do that right now, thank you for helpin’ him.”
“It was my pleasure, Miss Grace. Thank you for bringing him.”
She turns to me, “I guess I should pick up a bowl and some food too. I don’t know what’s good. I’ve never had a dog before.”
I give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not hard, Cupcake; I’ll help you.”
Walking out, we head to the supply section and I grab everything the dog will need. I notice Grace checking all the prices and pick up on her anxiety. Without saying anything I carry it all up to the front counter.
“All righty, that will be $850,” the lady says after ringing everything through.