by T. L. Haddix
“So despite their… somewhat salacious start, I guess you could say, they loved each other?”
“They did. Deeply.”
They’d reached the house, and Sawyer pulled the car into the driveway slowly. There were six or seven other vehicles there, and he parked behind one of the large SUVs.
“This is it.”
Sydney let out a silent whistle. “This is beautiful.”
He couldn’t disagree. Set far back off the street, the property encompassed just over two acres and was surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence. With stately oaks, landscaped flower beds, and a brick-paved driveway, the scene was set for the house itself.
“How big is it?” she asked as they got out.
“Just under five thousand square feet, best I recall,” he said as they met at the front of the car. The sandstone three-story mansion was stunning, welcoming for all it’s size. “This place scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. Coming from a three-bedroom trailer that had seen better days, I was always terrified I’d put a foot wrong or use the wrong fork or something.”
“Would they have cared if you did?” Sydney asked as she slid an arm around his waist.
“Nah. Not until my brothers got old enough to be embarrassed by me. Then it got hard to explain to friends how I was their brother but didn’t live here. I stayed away most of the time after that started happening. Mom and Dad came to see me at Nan’s. Things got better between us all after we were older and living in different states. Here’s Frank now.”
A tall, dark-haired man just a couple of inches shorter than him was coming down the wide steps to meet them. He held his arms open and Sawyer stepped up for a hug. It was tight and hard and full of emotion.
“Glad you’re here,” Frank said as he pulled back, looking Sawyer over from head to toe. “Good Lord, you’re in even better shape than you were in Florida. Didn’t you get the memo that you’re supposed to be getting paunchy and bald by now?” he said with a half grin.
Sawyer smiled. “That one must have slipped by my desk. You aren’t looking half bad, yourself.” It was true. There were some good genes in the family pool, Sawyer thought.
“Thanks. You’ll have to tell me what you do to keep those muscles toned, though.” Frank squeezed his arm. “You must be Sydney. You don’t look half bad for someone who rode from Kentucky in the trunk of a car. I’m Frank, this lug’s brother.”
She shook hands with him, a puzzled frown on her face. “Nice to meet you. But what in the world are you talking about, the trunk of the car?”
Frank winked at her. “When he called a few hours ago to let us know you’d been delayed, Nan asked about you. He told her he’d tied you up in the trunk.”
Sydney’s mouth dropped open and she smacked Sawyer’s arm. “That’s what you were laughing about. Turkey.” Her cheeks flushed. “I can’t believe you said that. They’re going to think I’m awful.”
Sawyer grinned at her discomfort. “I couldn’t resist.” His amusement didn’t last, however, as they approached the front door. “How’s Mom?”
Frank shook his head. “Lost. Stunned. She went up for a nap a while ago. I think she’s still waiting to wake up from the nightmare. Hell, we all are. Come on in.”
His mother was coming down the steps as they entered the foyer. She gasped, tears forming in her eyes, and hurried down to meet them.
“Oh, my baby boy. Oh, Sawyer. Thank God.”
He enveloped her in a tight hug. “Mom.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nan come out of the living room. She nodded at him but went to Sydney, giving him a moment alone with his mother.
“Let me look at you,” Elise Evans said, pulling back as she swiped at her cheeks. “Such a handsome boy. You look so much like him.”
“Hardly a boy anymore,” he said with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Mom. So damned sorry.”
“So am I. It was so fast, Sawyer. He was happy, smiling and laughing, telling me one of those awful jokes. And then he was just gone. I can’t believe he’s gone,” she whispered.
Sawyer tucked her under his chin, closing his eyes as she cried. “Neither can I.”
As harshly as she’d thought of Sawyer’s parents after learning how they’d practically abandoned him, Sydney’s heart broke as she watched him console his mother. The raw grief on her face spoke loudly to the depth of her feelings for the man who was gone. It reminded Sydney that people were never one-dimensional, but were multifaceted and complex, good and bad simultaneously. Even something that seemed so black-and-white as Sawyer’s childhood had shades of gray thrown in the mix.
“Well, look at you. I expected you to be taller,” a trim woman with short gray hair and Sawyer’s eyes said as she approached. “And you’re just as cute as a damned button. Sawyer has good taste. I’m Nan.”
Sydney smiled as she hugged the woman who wasn’t any taller than her. “I’m so happy to meet you. And I thought you’d be taller, too.”
“I told her she looks pretty good for someone who’s been locked in the trunk for hours,” Frank said in a low voice. “Come on in the living room and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“We’ll be right in, Frank.” Nan linked their arms together as they followed him. “Word of warning—Christie’s here. That’s Sawyer’s ex-wife. I’m sorry.”
“He mentioned she probably would be,” Sydney assured her. “I’m a big girl. I can handle her.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing that,” Nan said quietly. “He’s never brought anyone home with him before. That has her panties in something of a twist.”
“Well, it wasn’t like he volunteered to bring me, exactly.”
“She doesn’t know that.” Nan leveled a knowing look on her. “So you’re still not on speaking terms, is that what you’re trying to tell me?”
The heat in Sydney’s cheeks was answer enough for Nan, who grinned. “That’s my boy.” She patted Sydney’s hand. “Let’s stir ‘em up a little.”
“God help us.” Sydney cast a glance over her shoulder at Sawyer. “I didn’t expect to feel sorry for her. I suppose that’s an awful thing to say to you, given that she’s your daughter. But once he told me about his childhood… Thank God he had you.”
Nan was studying her closely. “You love him, don’t you?”
Sydney pressed her lips together and nodded. “Too much, it feels like. And at the same time, that’s not enough. Does that make sense?”
“Oh, more than you know.”
They went on in the living room and Frank made the introductions.
“My wife, Jana. Our oldest daughter, Samantha. My brother Matt, the baby, and his wife Leslie. And this is Christie Denton. She’s a uh, a friend of the family from way back.”
“I’m aware,” Sydney said, meeting the cool blonde’s gaze head on with a regal nod.
“So just who are you exactly?” Matt asked, not unkindly. “Nan’s been insinuating all sorts of juicy things.” Although he resembled Sawyer and Frank enough that one could tell they were related, he was softer, more of a cherub version of his older brothers.
“I don’t even know you’re last name,” Frank said, embarrassed. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
Sydney smiled. “It’s Gibson.”
“Don’t let her kid you,” Sawyer said from behind her. He touched her shoulder. “It’s Trouble, capital T. Mom, this is Sydney. Sydney, my mother, Elise.”
“Sawyer told me you were special,” Elise said in Sydney’s ear when they hugged. “I’m so pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise, though I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Elise nodded. “Thank you. Come sit down, you two. How was the trip up?”
“Uneventful,” Sawyer told her as they sat down on a short c
ouch. He stretched his arm out behind Sydney casually, as though he’d done it a thousand times. She didn’t know if the move was calculated or not, nor did she care, but it sent a clear message they were more than friends. Especially when she leaned into him just a bit, needing to feel the solidness of him against her.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” Elise told her apologetically. “All the guest rooms are taken.”
“I’m sure she can find a nice hotel room not far from here,” Christie said with a gracious smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that, Elise. I’m sure Cindy understands, don’t you?”
As an opening sally, Sydney had to admit it was a pretty good one. Bold, worked straight to the point at setting the tone. If the situation had been less serious, she would have applauded.
“It’s Sydney. And actually, we already have a room,” Sawyer said. “No offense, Mom.”
Elise frowned, concerned. “Are you sure?”
Sydney touched Sawyer’s side with her hand. “It’s fine. I promise.” She thought about calling Sawyer’s ex Cathy, but she didn’t want to lower herself to that level. Instead, she just ignored her.
“Well, at least say you’ll have meals with us,” Elise said worriedly. “I don’t want either of you to feel like you’re not welcome here.”
“Absolutely, we’ll eat here,” Sawyer assured her, glancing at Sydney, who nodded.
“So not to be nosy,” Matt said, causing his wife to jab him in the ribs and roll her eyes, “but I am. How’d you meet?”
Sydney looked at Sawyer, whose lips were twitching. “Oh, no. Not there.”
“It’s the beginning,” he said with a shrug as she groaned and ducked her face against his shoulder. “She threw up on me.”
“I was six! I couldn’t help it. Besides, you should have moved faster.”
He gently pinched her arm. “Moved faster? There was no warning. Just blaaaaahh,” he said, making a flowing gesture from his mouth with his hand to add to the effect.
“Love at first sight, huh?” Frank grinned at them.
Sydney hid her face behind her hands, shaking her head. “I did have the most awful crush on him after that.”
Christie’s lip curled up. “Bonding over vomit. How romantic. So this is long-standing, your relationship, I mean.”
“Not really,” Sydney said, watching Sawyer. “He’s been a family friend for years. After that, he pretty much avoided me, and I can’t say that I blame him. But then when I came home a couple of months ago, my father mentioned that Sawyer needed an assistant.”
“I didn’t want to hire her,” he admitted. “She kissed me when she was nineteen, you see. Just about embarrassed the both of us to death. And I hadn’t seen her since.”
Sydney poked him in the ribs. “Are you trying to make them think I’m awful? You keep this up and you might end up needing that room here, after all.”
Even his mother chuckled at that.
“What? It’s the truth,” he said, laughing softly. “Ten years from now when the kids are asking us how we met, they’ll cackle about how you got sick all over me. But if we have daughters, we won’t mention the kiss. Not until they’re married. I’d hate to give them ideas.”
He stared at her, his gaze challenging, but Sydney was dumbstruck. She couldn’t have responded right then if she were on fire.
“Kids? You have children?” Christie asked.
The unholy glee in the woman’s face lit Sydney’s temper. “Not yet, we don’t.” If it wouldn’t have embarrassed Sawyer terribly and potentially caused his family pain, she would have told the bitch to fuck off.
“Sydney assures me that adoption isn’t just for puppies and kittens,” he said, giving her a wink.
“Aren’t you getting too old for that?” Christie said, taking a sip of her drink. Judging from the color of the liquid and the shape of the glass, Sydney felt safe in assuming it wasn’t sweet tea or cola.
“I’m not.” Sawyer stared at Christie pointedly. “Anything else you’d like to ask?”
She turned away, staring out the window. Sydney thought she would have been frowning if her face hadn’t been so tight from having been tugged and pulled this way and that.
“I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses,” Nan put in from beside Sydney, her tone smug with satisfaction. “I’ve been waiting years for him to figure that out, you know, about puppies and kittens. Looks like he just needed a certain kind of push.”
“Or a certain person to do the pushing,” Sawyer said. He sat forward, sighing. “Mom mentioned that there’s food. We didn’t stop to eat. I could use some calories.”
Sydney nodded, following his lead. “If it isn’t too much trouble.”
“Not at all,” Elise said, standing. “There’s a buffet in the dining room. We’re expecting a full house, so we’ll probably keep food going for the next few days.”
“If you’re feeding them, you’d better eat, too,” Matt told her as several people got to their feet. “She hasn’t been eating.”
“I’m not hungry. And I ate a little breakfast this morning,” she told him as he kissed her cheek. “Come on, you two. Let’s get you fed.”
“Actually, I need the restroom first,” Sydney said.
“I’ll show you where it is.” Sawyer held his hand out and she took it. “I need to wash up, too.”
“We’ll see you in the dining room, then,” Nan said. “Take your time. We’ll just be grazing.”
They left the living room, Sawyer leading her down the hall to the left.
“Bathroom’s here under the stairs,” he said. But he kept going.
Sydney, her hand still in his, followed. “Okay. Where are you taking me?”
“In here.” He went through a door that opened into a study, closing it behind them by backing Sydney into it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say all that. It just slipped out.”
She flattened her hands against his chest, trying to hide her disappointment. “So you didn’t mean it.”
“I didn’t say that.” He braced his hands on either side of her head, leaning in to steal a kiss. “I didn’t say that at all.”
By the time he raised his head, she was breathless and flushed. Her emotions were roiling through her, confusion warring with hope.
“You didn’t seem to object too heavily to what I was saying,” he said, his voice low as he traced her lips with his thumb.
Sydney nipped him, capturing the digit between her teeth. “You, sir, are trying to start two things we cannot and will not finish here,” she warned. “And I didn’t hear anything I disagreed with out there.”
“No?”
She shook her head.
“You’d really have kids with me?” He asked the question solemnly, his eyes sober, with a tiny furrow of concern appearing between his brows.
Sydney reached up and touched his cheek. “I really would.”
“Even if they were adopted?”
“Well, unless you know of some other way, they’d have to be,” she chided softly. “Silly man.”
To her surprise, he ducked his head, his cheeks flushing as he pressed a hand low on her belly. “I’d like to see you pregnant. Maybe we could… maybe Danny would provide… or a clinic… I don’t know.”
“Sawyer…” she whispered, stunned. “You’re serious?”
He lifted his head. “I love you. And yeah, I’m serious.”
She felt like she’d been sucker punched, like all the air in the room had been sucked out. “You love me?”
“With everything in me.” He removed her glasses and stuck them in the pocket of his dress shirt, then wiped away the tears she hadn’t even been aware of shedding.
“Since when?”
He shrugged. “Tennessee, maybe. M
aybe before that. I don’t know. I figured it out last week. Your dad and Danny knew it, too. It was all they could do not to laugh at me, especially Archer. After seeing me swear off love and marriage for so many years, I guess he’s—”
Sydney’s kiss cut his words off. She didn’t give a damn what her father thought. All she cared about was somehow convincing herself she hadn’t imagined the last few minutes.
“You have hellacious timing, did you know that?” she whispered when she pulled back. “You meant what you said? You aren’t just teasing me?”
He threaded his fingers into her hair carefully. “I meant every word. I love you. I want to marry you, have a family… or not. Depending on what you want.”
“I want you. Anything or anyone else would just be a bonus,” she rasped through her tears. “I love you so much.”
Sawyer drew her to him, holding her tight. “Thank God.”
A knock at the door interrupted them a minute later. “You okay in there, kids?” Nan asked.
“Just fine,” Sawyer told her, opening the door. “We just had a little air to clear.”
She raised an eyebrow, glancing from his happy grin to Sydney’s tearstained, smiling face. “I see. Good to know. Come get some food.”
“I still need the restroom,” Sydney said, putting her glasses on as they went back down the hall. “I’ll be in there in just a second.”
Once she was closeted alone in the bathroom, she let her body sag against the door, too weak with emotions to move for a few seconds. She couldn’t believe it—Sawyer loved her. Moreover, he wasn’t rejecting her and that love. He was embracing it. Of all the results she’d expected when she’d started working for him, this hadn’t even been on the list. She half worried she’d lost her mind.
She had to pull herself together now, though. Later there’d be time to sift back through the day, analyze his words, her emotions. She wasn’t sure she hadn’t dreamed the whole thing.