Page 15 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

And heaven help anyone who’d ever hurt her.

She was safe now, though. That was all that mattered. If he had his way, she’d be safe from now on.

He kept quiet and listened as Alyssa spoke.

“When we got back to my house, I realized I never saw a car that you came in. So we started wondering if maybe you were walking. I told my Daddy and we came to find you, just to make sure you’re okay.’

“You did all that for me?” the town newcomer asked.

“Of course,” Alyssa said.

Amber was beaming with what looked like sheer happiness, and it warmed Sawyer’s heart.

“I rode the bus into town,” Amber explained. “And I didn’t know the Collier place was so far from the bus stop.” She lookedslightly embarrassed as she added, “I didn’t think about that before I got here.”

“You’re staying at the Collier place?” Quinn asked.

“Yes. I’ve sorta been hired as the caretaker,” Amber explained. “They aren’t paying me a salary, but I get to live there. See.” She reached for the beat-up suitcase that rested beside the booth, unzipped a front pocket, and pulled out a tri-folded piece of paper. She smoothed it out and passed it forward to the sheriff. “I signed this and mailed it back to them. Then they signed it and had it notarized and sent me a copy. Just in case anyone wondered what I was doing on their land.”

Quinn didn’t bother examining it, instead just nodding with a smile. “That’s great. That place can use some TLC and I bet you’ll do a wonderful job. But it’s too far for you to walk there. Why don’t you let us give you a ride?” He looked at his wife and said, “Little Alyssa would love the extra time with you. You could even come for dinner at our place first.”

“Thank you, Sir. But Miss Marsha gave me so much food I’m about to burst!” She giggled, and it was the cutest thing Sawyer had ever heard. “And Mr.… eh, Sawyer said he’d give me a ride.” She looked him in the eyes as she said, “I didn’t get your last name, Sir.”

“Greystone,” he told her. “But you can just call me Sawyer.”

“Are you sure, Sir?”

He smiled. “Yes, Amber. I’m sure.”

She bobbed her head in satisfaction. “Okay. Sawyer.” She said the name like she liked it, a fact he was thankful for.

“Sawyer is a good man. He helped me today, in fact. Two guys decided to cause some trouble in a bar and Sawyer backed me up. I’m obliged to him. I also know he’ll get you to the Collier place safely,” Quinn said.

While he wasn’t the type to like praise or attention, he was glad the sheriff vouched for him. He’d been wondering if Amberwas feeling apprehensive about letting a strange man driver her to a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Of course, he’d never hurt her. He’d die before he let anything happy to the little sweetie. But she didn’t know that. Not yet.

“Will you come play with us sometime?” Alyssa asked. “There are other Littles in town, too, that you haven’t met yet. We always want to make new friends!’

Sawyer liked hearing the conversation, because it confirmed his suspicions that Amber was in fact a Little. Not that he really needed the proof. She gave off all the vibes, making his inner Daddy alarm go off like the one across the street at the station that sounded anytime there was a wildfire.

“I’d love to,” Amber said giddily. “Do you meet at the playground a lot?”

“Every time our Daddies let us,” Alyssa said. “And sometimes we play at each other’s houses. We even have sleepovers. You’ll love it around here!”

Sawyer tried not to be obvious about watching Amber, but he wanted to gauge her reaction. Based on the look in her eyes and the way her lips turned up, she was enjoying the thought of being included.

That’s when Sawyer remembered her words about being part of the foster system and living in a group home. They could become family units with loving adults that became like parents and other kids that grew to be siblings.

But they could also be intense and competitive. Sometimes neglectful.

He wondered which one Amber had experienced.

One thing was for certain: she wouldn’t want for anything now. He’d see to that. Maybe she wasn’t his Little. Maybe she was. But either way, he was going to take care of that cutie in the future and make sure she succeeded there in Big Cedar.

“Come on, honey,” Quinn said to Alyssa. “Let Little Amber finish her pie so Sawyer can take her out to her cabin before it gets any later.” He looked at Sawyer. “I know she’s in good hands.”

Sawyer nodded.

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