Page 125 of Sawyer

“Fine, I’m not okay.” Ava pulls back a little to look up at me. “Can we talk? I don’t mean to ruin our date?—”

“You’re not ruining anything.”

“Thank you, Sawyer.” She looks like she’s going to cry all over again. “I’m so sorry. Honestly, I’ve been looking forward to this all week, and I really want us to have a good time, but I needed—I had to—I debated whether or not I should come, or if I should cancel …”

“Is June safe?”

“June is safe. Dan took her. He and I just got into it before she left.”

I let out a breath of relief. At the same time, my chest tightens with growing anger. Dan took June, but he still obviously fucked up big time.

“You should’ve called me, Ava. You know you can call me, right? Anytime, day or night.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I needed to gather my thoughts and get myself together. Can we go outside? Talk there?”

“Of course.” Glancing over my shoulder, I see that all my brothers have gathered at the bar behind us. I can tell by the way they set down their drinks that they’re ready to leave if I need their help.

My chest swells. My family has always been there for me. But it’s only now that I’m willing to accept that I actually need them.

It’s only now that I’m willing to accept their help.

“Y’all okay?” Cash asks. Luckily the band hasn’t started yet so he doesn’t need to shout, which might draw attention to us.

I nod. “We’re just gonna go talk in my truck. Give us a few.”

“We’ll be here,” Wyatt says, cracking his knuckles. “Been a minute since we’ve had a fight in these parts.”

“That was once,” Cash replies, parroting his wife’s line. “And the other guy started it.”

I don’t love fighting. But if someone hurt my girl?—

Yeah, he’s gonna have a date with my right fist.

Putting a hand on the small of Ava’s back, I guide her to the door and open it for her. The air outside is bracing, the darkness not quite complete now that we’re heading into spring.

She’s trembling. I curse, pulling her closer. Something bad definitely happened, and I’m definitely going to crack some skulls if that something was her asshole ex putting his hands on her or being abusive in any other way.

What kind of man makes somebody cry hard enough that her eyes swell up like this?

Makes me feel helpless. And angry. And now I wanna fix this, whatever the problem is, even though I just had a whole conversation with my brother about how harmful my pathological need to fix everything and save everyone has become.

What if—for now—I just make a promise to listen? Because I know Ava, and she doesn’t need me to punch anyone for her. She can hold her own. But she does need a friend. A shoulder to cry on.

I’m your man, Ava.

I open the passenger door for her and give her a hand as she climbs inside. I hustle to the driver’s side and start the ignition, cranking the heat. Luckily the engine is still warm—I was only inside for a little less than an hour—so we get comfortable quickly.

“Your seat warmer is right there.” I nod at the button on her door.

Turning on the warmer with her thumb, she manages a tight smile. “You think of everything.”

“I hate seein’ you like this,” I say softly. “What happened?”

I wanna touch her, put my hand on her thigh like I always do when she’s in my truck. Let her know I’m here.

But I also wanna give her space. She wants physical comfort, I’m in. That’s her call to make, though.

“Dan just lost his mind.” Ava takes off her hat and sets it on the console between us, letting her head fall back on the headrest. “I shouldn’t let him upset me because I know that’s what he wants. But he really got to me today.”

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