Page 29 of Won't Back Down

SAWYER

“You sure you don’t want me to stay with you?”

Willa shook her head, her hand automatically reaching down to stroke Roy’s ears. “I’ll be okay. They need to see me standing on my own. I learned enough from observing my entire family growing up to know that.”

I still didn’t like it, but I absolutely saw her point. It would be important to her that no one see me and assume I was somehow pulling strings as the man in the relationship. Not that I’d ever do that, but I understood her sensitivity on that point because of her parents’ marriage. She was here at the main ferry company offices to reassure leadership and staff. She didn’t need me for that.

“Okay. I’m gonna swing by the hardware store and pick up a few things.”

“Sounds good. I shouldn’t be more than an hour.”

Aware of the avid gazes of the ferry company staff inside, I skimmed my fingers over her cheek to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. I told myself it was for their benefit that I bent to brush my lips over hers. But that little catch of her breath? That was purely for me. And I was probably going to hell because, damn it, I wanted my wife in every way it was possible to want a woman.

“Text me if you get through early.”

“Uh-huh.”

I shouldn’t have enjoyed that dazed look in her eyes so damned much. Not when I had no intention of following through on this unexpectedly mutual attraction.

Opening the door, I nudged her inside, toward a smiling Winslow Hobbs, who’d been manager since before I joined the Navy. Roy obediently stuck to her like glue. I watched for a moment as she shook Winslow’s hand and followed him toward the offices in the back. She had this. Given I had plenty of time to kill, I elected to walk to the hardware store. I didn’t have so many things to get that carrying a couple bags would be a big deal. Maybe a walk in the bright summer morning would clear my head.

Between being in a new place and a way too vivid imagination offering mental images of Willa naked in that bathtub, with a secretive smile and an invitation to join her, I hadn’t been able to sleep for shit last night. It had taken everything I had to walk away from her with that picture in my head. Even if she was attracted—and it seemed like she was—we hadn’t even dated. We’d gone from friends—long-distance ones at that—to married in the blink of an eye. She’d had major losses, major changes, and she was vulnerable. I was meant to keep her safe, not take advantage. So, I’d wandered the house, exploring the place I’d be calling home for at least the next several months and noting an assortment of small repairs that needed to be taken care of.

Hence, the trip to the hardware store. It was something I could do to contribute. Given Willa’s status and my own current unemployment, that was important to me. While our friends had been wildly enthusiastic about our marriage, that wouldn’t be the case for everyone on Hatterwick. Plenty of folks would remember me as the son of the town drunk. The trash from the wrong side of the island who wasn’t remotely good enough for the likes of Willa. There was still a part of me that agreed.

“Sawyer Malone!”

I jerked my head toward the unmistakable summons and held in a scowl. Speaking of not good enough. Miles Busby was crossing the street, headed straight for me. Eldest kid of another prominent family on Hatterwick, he’d been a couple years ahead of me in school and stratospheres above me in social standing. I’d been one of his favorite targets. He’d stopped physically bullying me once Ford and Rios had completed our quartet, but the snide remarks designed to undermine my self-confidence had continued all the way until I’d left to join the Navy. He’d been a shit all his life, even before his little sister Gwen disappeared. His family’s tragedy hadn’t done a damned thing to improve his attitude.

He was all smiles as he intercepted me, and that just put me on edge. What did this fucker want?

“I understand felicitations are in order.”

“Excuse me?”

The smile got a little wider, as if he thought I didn’t understand what ‘felicitations’ meant. “On your wedding, of course. My sincerest congratulations to you and Willa.”

Ah. So the island grapevine was doing its job. Everybody knew—or would, by the end of the day. But that didn’t explain why he was talking to me about it. Miles had never said a sincere thing in his life, and there wasn’t a chance in hell he thought this marriage was a good thing.

“Thanks.”

I don’t know what he expected, but when I said nothing else, the faint, uncomfortable pause gave me an unreasonable sense of satisfaction.

“Right, well, as a descendant of one of the original founding families, Willa will be expected to have a role in celebrating the traditional events around Founder’s Day, like the parade and the ceremonial wreath laying.”

Willa would hate all of that. She loathed being the center of attention.

“Why exactly is this your concern?”

Busby adopted a faux-innocent expression. “Oh, didn’t you know? I’m the mayor of Sutter’s Ferry now.”

Just fucking perfect. This man had no business at all being in a position of power, no matter how small.

“I’d love to get together with you and your lovely bride to discuss the schedule of events and opportunities for her to participate and connect more deeply with the town’s history and community this year. It’s so important for Willa to be part of these traditions, now that she’s back and has taken on leadership of the Sutter legacy.”

Right. As if she hadn’t been back already contributing to the town for the past ten years. He didn’t give a damn about her until she was in a position to do something for him, and now he thought he could get to her through me? Was this what it was going to be like now? People who used to treat me like a piece of shit on the bottom of their shoe were now going to try to ingratiate themselves with me to access my wife?

I doubted Willa would want anything to do with any of this, but it was her decision how she wanted to navigate her family legacy, so I wouldn’t cut it off unless she wanted me to.

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