Page 8 of Sofa King Devotion

“I got it,” he shouts back, but his hold on the giant glass vase tightens.

Evie rolls her eyes. “He's about as useful as a steering wheel on a mule.”

I snort. Evie always has a way with words. They will either cut you or make you laugh. I open the tailgate of the truck while Sawyer is caught in conversation with Evie’s husband.

“Oh, beautiful.” Evie runs her hand across the top. “You do incredible work.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “Thanks.”

“Might have to bid on this myself.” Evie leans in closer. “The hubs said I can’t bid on Sawyer. Even if it’s for a good cause.”

It’s harder than it should be to force out a laugh.

"Sawyer Logan! Is that you?!" I hear a girl squeal excitedly, and we all turn.

If it isn’t the blast from the past, Carly Rose. What the fuck? I thought she left for the big city with a modeling career on the rise. Is this what they mean by manifesting because she’s the last person I want to see. And damn it, she's as beautiful as ever.

Chapter Six

SAWYER

A woman comes rushing in my direction, so I step to the side. When she pops up in front of me again, I glance around to see if she’s talking to someone else.

“Sawyer, it’s me.” She blinks, and her eyelashes are so long they look uncomfortable. I’m worried she’s doing permanent damage to her vision as she stares with a smile that is borderline threatening.

“Um, hi?” I say while looking over the top of her head to Lane. She’s pretending to talk to Mrs. Evie about the china cabinet, but I don’t miss the way her eyes dart in my direction.

“Sawyer, stop playing.” The woman in front of me slaps me on the arm, and I take a step back and grab the place she hit. “It’s me, Carly Rose.”

“Nice to meet you?” Not knowing her seems to make her madder.

“I’m Carly Rose.” She holds her hands out like I’m not seeing her clearly, and I shrug a shoulder.

“I’m Sawyer Logan?” Again, she’s annoyed I don’t know her, and I watch her lips press together tightly before she takes a step in my direction.

“Well, you should remember me.” This time she raises her chin in the air all hoity-toity. “I was your first girlfriend.”

“No, you weren’t.” My brows come together in a scowl, and I shake off the idea.

“My goodness, I went away to the big city for a few years and suddenly you’ve forgotten all about little ol’ me.” She blinks a few times, and I wonder if she can wear sunglasses with those things on.

“If you were important to me, I’d remember you,” I say, and some of her ego deflates. I hear a snort from behind her and see Lane trying to cover it up as a cough.

Carly Rose turns around and follows my gaze. She huffs a snotty laugh before she shakes her head. “Should have known you were still hung up on her. I swear the only reason you used to talk to me at all is because my locker was next to hers.”

My eyes widen in shock, and then I have to hold back my laughter. “Oh, now I remember you.” She looks at me cautiously. “You were the one that kept leaving all those notes in my locker. Yeah, it’s coming back now. Didn’t you tell everyone we kissed after I said I wouldn’t be your boyfriend?”

“No, that’s not what happened.” She’s denying it, but her face turns bright red before glancing around to see who else can hear this conversation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I remember because you scratched CR on the door to my locker. I had to stop using it after that, so you told everyone we broke up.” I look at Lane, and she’s watching this exchange with an expression I can’t read.

“You’re a real asshole,” Carly Rose hisses under her breath and then turns around and stomps off.

“But I’m not a liar,” I call after her, and she gives me the middle finger.

“Making friends?” Rhodes says as he walks up behind me.

Lane glances between the two of us before she follows Mrs. Evie inside.

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