Page 39 of Karma's Kiss

Sawyer steps inside and smirks down at me. His expression seems to say,What? Like it’s hard to get into book club?

The group’s discussion ofHis Glory Rideis completely derailed by the presence of Sawyer. I stand back and watch as they fawn all over him like he’s God’s gift to earth. They ruffle his hair, pinch his cheeks—the works.

“So handsome!”

“So tall!”

“And look at those dimples!”

Queenie gets him a glass of cold iced tea as Pamela starts loading up a paper plate for him.

“I’m really not hungry. Just came from dinner,” he protests, though in the end he accepts the plate and offers a hearty thanks.

“He was just with Crawford.Sucha dutiful grandson. Takes him out to eat once a week,” Lolly brags to the ladies before turning back to Sawyer. “What are you doing here though? I don’t need a ride home for another few hours.”

He peers over at me, almost shyly.No. Not possible. This man cannot be shy.“Came to see Madison, actually.”

The group—hearing this juicy piece of gossip—whips their heads in my direction. I blush and give a guilty little wave, like yes, that’s me. I’m the Madison he’s referring to.

I’m surprised by their slack-jawed expressions; I figured word had already spread through town that Sawyer and I are dating. After all, a few of these women were at The Black Door last night, only a few tables away from where we were eating.

“Itoldyou that was them last night!” Laura exclaims, pointing a finger at Pamela. “We couldn’t be sure. We were a few chardonnays in and neither one of us remembered our glasses…”

“Wait,” Paulette Dougherty says, shaking her head. “I thought you wereengaged, Madison. To that man from Alabama. Matthew something, wasn’t it?”

Within a fraction of a second, the group goes deathly quiet. There are a few awkward coughs. Lolly furrows her brows at me, expecting an answerand fast.

“I was,” I say with a small smile, trying to make sure Paulette doesn’t feel bad for bringing up the subject. “Not anymore.”

“Now she’s busy turning me down,” Sawyer adds, and I’m grateful for the quick subject change. “I tried to get her to sneak away with me tonight, but she wanted to be here for book club.”

The women give me approving nods as if they too would turn down a date with Sawyer Garnett, the town’s golden boy, for a chance to be included in this ultra-exclusive club.

“You all could spare her for a little while though, right?” Before they can respond with protests or approvals, he carries his plate and his iced tea toward me and nods toward the kitchen. “Come on, let’s go out on the porch and let them get back to it in here. Hate to interrupt.”

I don’t see any reason to argue; I like sitting on my mom’s back porch, especially in summer time. If you can get past the heat—usually there’s at least a decent breeze—it’s worth it for the ambiance. Jasmine scents the air, so pungent and sweet. The porch overlooks a sloping backyard filled with cedar trees and two stately live oaks that compete for attention in the center of the lawn. David and I used to climb up one and then leap across to the other. It’s how he broke his arm in the third grade.

Queenie’s entire property inclines down to a creek. I used to wade in it as a child, searching for tadpoles and collecting them in a bucket. Even now, I can hear the water trickling over the shallow rapids as Sawyer and I take a seat side by side at her porch table. I grabbed my plate from the kitchen on my way out, so the two of us dive into all the yummy food.

“I’m not even hungry, but I dream about Lolly’s pigs in a blanket.” Sawyer pops two in his mouth and chews with a smile.

“Bet you’re proud of yourself, getting everything you want.” When he seems confused, I tack on, “Just strolled on in here and stole me away.”

He licks his bottom lip but stays quiet. Maybe he knows I’m right and there’s no sense in denying it.

“You know I really should be pumping the brakes with you. Those ladies probably think it’s weird that you’re here…given my recent engagement and all.” It feels important that I remind him of the circumstances surrounding my return to Oak Hill.

“I don’t really mind what they have to say, and there’s no need to pump the brakes. Let’s just see where this goes, Madison. Don’t get in your head about it all. It’s simple. I came over to enjoy these pigs in a blanket, and once I’m done, I’m going to ask you to take me down to the creek. You’ll think I’m doing it ’cause I want to check it out, but really, I’m just trying to get you far enough away from the house so those ladies in there can’t peek through the blinds and watch me kiss you.”

I can’t suppress my smile.

I nod back toward the house. “By the way, you know that’s no simple book club happening in there.”

His eyes widen as he picks up a bacon-wrapped shrimp. “Oh I’m aware. I flipped through one of my grandma’s books a few months back to see if I should read it. The title sounded right up my alley.Standing at Attention, with a soldier on the cover. Thought it was a nonfiction book about war.”

“But it wasn’t?”

He shudders. “Not the page I turned to. Parts of him were saluting, but definitely not that flag…”

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