Page 7 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

Sawyer remained silent, not comfortable with the attention. He’d just done what any decent person would do.

The men on the floor began to groan as they regained consciousness. While the firefighters continued to inspect them, and Pamela tended to some things at the bar, Quinn said to Sawyer, “How have you been?”

“I’m good.”

He noticed the sheriff’s eyes squinting a little, as if studying him. “Haven’t seen you in town much.”

“You know me. I stick to myself. Got pretty much everything I need at home,” Sawyer replied.

He went into Big Cedar about once a month to grab supplies at the general store. The owner, Joe Graves, was a Daddy, so Sawyer liked supporting him and the business. Other than that, though, town didn’t hold much for him, save for the occasional trip to Marsha’s diner.

The truth was probably that it was too difficult to see all the Daddies with their precious Littles, but he didn’t want to confront that fact right now.

“I come to the Thirsty Logger here a few times a week,” he continued. “But other than that, you know I’m more at home in the woods.” He grinned, hoping Quinn didn’t press too hard.

They were casual friends, sure, but he wasn’t in the mood for a deep conversation or questions about why he hadn’t found the right Little yet.

“The Logger is still a ways out of town,” Quinn pointed out. “You should venture into Big Cedar more.” He paused and smiled. “We’ve had some Littles come through recently, here and there, who were just visiting. Didn’t have Daddies.”

He didn’t say anything further about that, but Sawyer knew the implication was clear: there were single Littles in Big Cedar. Drop by and maybe meet one.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Sawyer said. He reached back and grabbed his beer off the bar, more out of eagerness to have something to distract him than out of thirst. He enjoyed conversations with Quinn, but he’d rather them be over a poker game with the other guys rather than one on one where serious topics might come up.

Serious topics that Sawyer had no desire to talk about right now.

Either Quinn picked up on that fact or needed to deal with the prisoners, because he said, “Thanks again for the help. I’ve got to get these guys booked into jail. Been a while since we’ve had anyone in there.”

“Well, if there’s anyone around these parts who deserve it, it’s them,” Sawyer said.

He meant it, too.

He’d seen those idiots around and they were usually getting rowdy and disrupting the peace. They weren’t Daddies and seemed to stay out of the town of Big Cedar. But they ran around that county, and even though Sawyer hadn’t known their names, he knew their reputation.

He finished the last swallow of beer, set the mug down, and reached for his wallet.

“Nope,” Pamela declared from behind the bar. “Not today.”

“I insist,” he said, slapping a twenty down. “And keep the change.”

She scoffed but gave him an expression of gratitude.

Sawyer nodded to her and then the sheriff and the firemen before going out the door and to his old Bronco. The entire time, Quinn’s words kept ringing in his head.

Maybe his pal was right. Perhaps he should go into Big Cedar more. How would he meet a Little if he stayed holed up in his cabin, or wandered around the woods alone every day?

But then he remembered what had happened the last time he’d been involved with a woman; the Little he still thought about from time to time.

With that in mind, he fired up the Bronco’s engine and headed in the opposite direction of town and toward that remote cabin he called home.

CHAPTER FIVE

It was a little after seven in the evening when Amber made it to Big Cedar.

Her cheeks were still tear-stained as she thought of the tattered remnants of Honey that she’d stuffed into her suitcase. She’d learn sewing and would fix the bear if it was the last thing she did.

The good news was that she never had to see Donnie again! Thank God. And Honey would be repaired one day soon. There was no way she’d leave her best friend on the whole planet torn in two!

The bus didn’t linger, merely dropping her off at a bench on Main Street that had a tall pole attached and a sign that simply read BUS STOP. She was the only passenger to disembark and suddenly she felt very alone as she glanced around the tiny town.

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