Page 65 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

“As much as I loved Millie’s cooking, especially since she was doing the best she could with the resources she had, I’ve had enough stew to last me a lifetime.”

He decided on pizza and ordered a large, thick crust, supreme with extra cheese. His stomach rumbled and his mouth watered at the thought of the food coming.

While he waited, he turned on the television and flipped through the channels. There wasn’t a whole lot on, so he settledfor some reruns ofCriminal Minds.His mind really wasn’t on the show.

Sawyer missed Gwen. He thought about how her blue eyes sparkled when she looked at him. He could almost feel her lips pressed against his and her arms wrapped around him.

Growling, he ran his fingers through his hair, wishing he could beat some sense into Jerome. Sawyer wasn’t mad at Gwen and understood and respected her decision. He had expected it anyway, but he still had to ask. Gwen was a good woman and would put Brent before anyone else. She couldn’t bear to lose him. Putting the kid first was the right thing to do. He was a child and had already lost his parents.

I can’t imagine Jerome’s comments if he told Brent that the Johnsons were not only responsible for Brent’s parents’ death but also for taking Gwen away from him.

The doorbell rang and Sawyer practically ran to the door. He gave the driver a fifty-percent tip before settling on the couch.

He had just finished when his phone rang.

“Dr. Johnson.”

“Hello, Dr. Johnson. This is Dr. John Anderson. I just got a new patient who is in the ICU with a broken leg and a massive infection.”

Sawyer leaned forward on the couch and asked anxiously, “Zaid. How is he?”

“He’s going to be okay. We’ve got him on an IV with morphine and heavy-duty antibiotics. He told me everything that you did. You saved his life.”

“I did my best. I was terrified that I was going to have to perform field surgery and amputate his leg.”

“You would have if one more day had gone by. I’m pretty sure we can save it, though, barring any complications. I think we might even be able to save his toes, but I’m not positive about that,” the doctor said. “Can you give me a rundown on the medication he received and all the care you provided?”

Sawyer kicked into professional doctor mode and explained everything, including the herbs he prescribed once they ran out of antibiotics.

“Good call. Like I said, you saved his life and likely his leg. He and his fiancé describe you as the best thing since Superman.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. Thanks for the update. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”

Sawyer sat back on the couch and smiled. He was glad that Zaid was going to make it. That would have been a hard, bitter pill to swallow.

The next day, Gunner brought Bubba, Sawyer’s Akita, over to the house. Sawyer greeted the huge dog and loved on him. Bubba stood on his back legs and put his front paws on Sawyer’s shoulders.

“I missed you, too, big guy,” Sawyer laughed.

Gunner grinned at him. “So, big brother, how was vacation?”

“I’m hungry, I don’t have any food here. Let’s go to Alice’s diner and I’ll tell you the whole long, drawn-out story.”

“Alice would love to see you. I know she’s been as worried as everyone else,” Gunner said.

Alice was their eldest brother’s mother-in-law. Alice and her husband, Jim, became an important part of the family when Lane married Taylor.

True enough, Alice ran up to Sawyer as soon as he walked into the place. She gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

“You’re safe. We’ve been so worried about you. Taylor called me as soon as you let Lane know you were good and got the phone tree started, but it’s still great to see you in the flesh.”

“Thanks, Alice. What’s the special today?”

“Beef stew.”

Sawyer groaned. “Anything but that. That’s pretty much what we ate the last few days we were stuck on the mountain.”

“How about a steak, baked potato, and country green beans?”

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