I sip my beer. “Yeah, well, someone needs to look out for you animals.”
“We’re grown adults, Sawyer. We’re all okay, so you can stop running your rescue mission now.” His fingers dig into my sternum. “Maybe if you stopped hurting yourself by putting everyone else first, you’d see that Ava ain’t gonna hurt you. You don’t need a piece of paper to tell you what you already know.”
“Yeah?” I sniffle. “And what’s that?”
He grins, his expression softening. “You already got your happy ending. The safety, the respect, the commitment—it’s happening right fucking now, Sawyer. Open your goddamn eyes.”
I shit you not, the door opens right then and a tall blonde in blue jeans and a cowboy hat strides into the bar.
“See?” he murmurs. “She showed. Y’all are gonna be just fine, I promise.”
I see Ava and my heart, my stomach—everything swoops, my eyes burning and laughter bubbling up inside me.
Relief.
That’s what this feeling is. Relief that I get to re-prioritize shit so I can make sure I’m taken care of too.
I get to go live my fucking life with Ava. Whatever that looks like. Wedding, no wedding. We’ve got two babies between us, so Ella’s gonna get that sibling I’ve always wanted for her. A built-in best friend.
Am I jumping twenty steps ahead? Hell yeah I am. But this really is what I want. Not a ring or a rented tux.
I wanna drink and dance with this woman, and only this woman, for the rest of my life. I wanna take her home—take her toourhome—and show her what our happy ending looks like, pun intended.
The certainty of that conviction grips me and doesn’t let go.
I can live without Ava becoming Mrs. Rivers.
I can’t, however, live without Ava.
So I grab the beer I’ve had waiting for her and turn to greet her.
Seeing her face, I immediately draw up short. An ugly feeling cuts through my center as I take in her swollen, bloodshot eyes.
Hell, her whole face is swollen, like she’s been crying for hours.
I hold my beer in a death grip. Jesus fucking Christ.
Jesus fuckingChrist, what did that asshole do?
“I’m—” She clears her throat. “Sorry I’m so late. It was—I’ve had a day?—”
“Who?” I bite out the word. My pulse jumps, palms tingling. I feel my brothers watching us.
Ava blinks, her throat working as she swallows. “What do?—”
“Who did this to you?” I gesture to her face.
She looks up at me. “What do you mean?”
Despite the way my heart is going apeshit, I keep my voice calm. “Who made you cry? Who hurt you? Please tell me, Ava.”
Her chin trembles, and next thing I know Duke’s taking the beers out of my hands and I’m gently pulling Ava in for a hug.
“Are you okay?” I whisper, kissing the top of her head.
She nods. “I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay.”
