Page 87 of Wild Bliss

He needed to think this thing through. He couldn’t talkabout it with Sabrina because he didn’t want her to worry.

It sucked to be alone.

Except he kind of wasn’t.

His grandfather had been a part of this town.

His grandfather had been broken when Sawyer’s mom died.

Would he have taken back all of the love so he never had tofeel the grief?

Shit. Was this the question he’d been sitting with forfifteen years?

He was asking the wrong question. Everyone had to make thedecision for themselves as to what they were willing to risk. Would he takeback going after his brother? Even knowing his brother would end up being aselfish ass who never spoke to him again? Would he go back and tell Wes to fuckhimself and leave him with the Horde?

He wouldn’t have met Wyatt, wouldn’t have been waiting togive Wyatt a safe place to land.

Would he have held back on loving his mom if he’d known shewould die so suddenly?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“I have abandonment issues.” It made him vaguely ill to saythe words.

Everyone froze, all eyes on him like he’d grown a secondhead.

“Is this what those sci-fi guys mean when they say they felta disturbance in the force?” Max asked.

Like Max Harper knew anything aboutStar Wars. Hewondered if Sabrina likedStar Wars. She looked more like a Trekkie.He could handle a Trekkie. She also looked like a woman who would like Disneymovies.

But that was what Wyatt was there for.

It was odd how the world didn’t seem as dark as it had meremoments before.

“She didn’t abandon you, son,” Mel said quietly, putting anarm on Sawyer’s shoulder. “She died. Your brothers… I don’t think they handledthings well, but they grieved, too. We can’t know what’s truly in someone’sheart, but I’ve found most people do things for selfish reasons and notmalicious ones. Thoughtless, but not with cruel intent.”

Wes had found a new home, a new world. Jimmy had been gonesince he graduated from high school, joining the Army and only coming home fortheir grandfather’s funeral. He’d left and built a new family for himself.

What if he could do the same? He turned to Mel. “I’m worriedWyatt’s going to do something dumb.”

“This is more words than I’ve ever heard Sawyer say at onetime,” Max said with a shake of his head.

He sent Max his middle finger. “You are not helpful, Harper.And I think I might need some. I don’t want Wyatt to leave. He’s happy here,and if he leaves, Sabrina is still going to want someone to watch home andgarden shit with her and she’s going to want to talk about the books she’sreading and…I don’t think I’ll be good at that part. I think we need Wyatt.”

“Because you see Wyatt, too. Because you have eyes and he’sin your line of sight,” Henry said with a beatific smile.

“I do not love Wyatt.” Except maybe he did. Maybe this weirdloosening in his chest when his friend was around was something like love.“Okay, let’s just say I’m happy to have him around. And I might…might…that wordSabrina. I mean she’s around a lot, and you get real used to someone, and Ithink they call it that word.”

“Love.” Rafe had a grin on his face like all of this wassome unexpected entertainment. “You’re falling in love with Sabrina.”

“You know she’s only been around you for a week or so.” Maxpointed out the fallacy in his reasoning. “I don’t think you’ve had time forher to be a habit yet.”

Henry shifted as Poppy’s head came up and she yawned. “Max,he’s working on it.”

“Well, I had to tell Rach I loved her real fast or she wasgoing to kill me with a bunch of flowers.” Max frowned. “I don’t see why Sawyergets to work around it. It’s not fair.”

He wasn’t listening to Max. But he might listen to theothers. “Sheriff, have you looked into the situation with the Horde?”

“You’re asking if I’ve made a study of a potential threat tothis town and its citizens?” the sheriff asked. “Pretty much the day afterWyatt got here. Zane and I reached out to some people we know who are still inthat world. Wyatt is a solid guy. He would never have been involved if he’dbeen given a choice. I like the kid.”

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