Page 7 of Unbearable

Staying on a couch for a month did not sound appealing at all.

He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. “Sounds good, good night. See you in the morning. Love ya.”

“Night, Dad. Love you too.”

He disappeared down the hall, and my thoughts traveled to everything he had done for me, for my brothers.

That’s the thing about David James—despite the shitcard life handed him, he was determined to always love his kids unconditionally.

While he lost the love of his life and worked through the deepest trenches of grief, he never stopped showing up for us, exactly as we needed him to, without a second thought.

THREE

Dotty

COAL - DYLAN GOSSETT

I wokefrom a sleepy morning haze as the scent of bacon and coffee hit me. Rolling over, I promptly found myself falling onto the hard floor.

All at once, a flood of memories overwhelmed me—the couch, the cabin, the funeral. I involuntarily forfeited those precious, fleeting moments of peace first thing in the morning before reality fully set in.

“Well, that’s one way to wake up.” Sawyer tried and failed to hide his laugh.

Groaning, I managed to get to my feet. “Good morning to you too.”

“There’s breakfast in the kitchen. Dad took off to tend to the ranch.” He smiled at me.

I looked at my phone and rubbed my eyes. “It’s seven in the morning, and you are smiling at me, being all”—I wagged my finger at him—“perky. You weren’t even home when I passed out. What is wrong with you?”

Sawyer, towering over me with his tall, muscular frame and broad shoulders, broke out in a big smile. “It’s really good to have you home, Dotty. I missed your fire.” Hisstrong arms enveloped me in a side hug before he ruffled my hair.

“Yeah, yeah, missed you too. Now don’t speak to me anymore until I have some caffeine,” I murmured, heading toward the kitchen. Grabbing a mug, I filled it to the brim with coffee.

Sawyer and I sat in silence as we ate breakfast until he broke the peaceful silence, like the typical older brother he was.

“Any plans for today? We’re all gathering at Outlaw’s later tonight. Please say you’ll come,” he pleaded, flashing his best puppy-dog eyes.

I had never set foot in Woodstone Falls’ only bar, but it had the reputation as the town’s premier hangout spot, no doubt because there was little competition elsewhere.

“I am going to take a look at the cabin and figure out what I need to do to maybe get a renter in there.” I finished my breakfast and walked over to load my plate in the dishwasher. “But yes, I will come out. Can’t say no to that star-studded face, now can I?”

“Sure can’t. They don’t pay me the big bucks for nothing.” Sawyer’s smile lit up the room. He was six five and two hundred and sixty pounds of muscle, and the NFL loved him for it. But he loved us the same and never let fame change him one bit—despite being one of the best lineman in the league.

Sawyer let me use Grandpa’s old truck, now his own, so I could head to the cabin. But first, I planned to stop by Woodstone Perks for a latte. My dad’s coffee wasn’t going to cut it.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods greeted me as I pushed open the door. A quaint bell above the door chimed softly as I walked through.

The cozy ambiance of the café was exactly as I had remembered it to be. Locally painted art pieces tastefully cluttered the brick walls, and the wood shelves were lined with well-loved books.

“My eyes must be deceiving, Aiden, because I do believe Dotty James just walked in,” Thomas, the co-owner of Woodstone Perks, said. He raised his tawny hand above his brow in a theatrical gesture, as if peering into the distance.

Aiden smiled at me and looked back to his husband. “Oh, shush, you old man.” He patted him on the chest teasingly, but his blue eyes sparkled at him adoringly. “Dotty, it is so good to see you. We have missed you around these parts.”

“I have missed you guys too. And Ireallyhave missed your coffee. Can I get a vanilla latte, extra hot please?”

“Coming right up.” Thomas smiled at me as I went to hand him my card.

“On the house for you today, sweetheart. So sorry to hear about your grandfather,” he said, his tone genuine.

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