Page 127 of Knockin' Boats
And I did.
Getting that call tonight. Finding out how close he’d come to an accident. Hearing the anger and fear in his voice.
It put everything into perspective.
We weren’t just fucking around. At least I wasn’t. And I never had been.
I was in love with my best friend. I had been since the first angry kiss he’d taken from me. I had been since the impulsive kiss I’d laid on him.
I had been…since I lost him.
Since high school.
Since before I understood I could love him.
Since forever, maybe.
I loved Sawyer West.
His cruiser finally approached the dock. My knees went weak with relief.
“Finally,” Cash said behind me.
I turned. His friends had all come out at some point. They all watched me with wary eyes. How much had they heard? Did they know the deception Rick was trying to pull off?
Did they hear me call Sawyer myboyfriend?
Fuck it. None of that mattered.
My focus zeroed in on the boat, and as Sawyer came into dock, I darted forward to grab the lines and help him tie up.
Cash helped the guests disembark.
Brooks and Skylar stood a short way up the walk, checking in with them and offering their apologies for the ugly side of lake life they’d had to witness.
Poppy came up beside me, slipping an arm around my waist, while I waited for Sawyer to get free of his responsibilities so I could talk to him.
Her quiet support was really kind, but it wasn’t what I needed most.
I needed Sawyer. Needed to touch him. To speak to him. To kiss him.
To just reassure myself that Rick and Julian’s disgusting recklessness and deceit hadn’t touched him.
The tourists didn’t talk much. There was no laughter. They were all stone-cold sober, despite coming from a booze cruise. They all went inside quickly, seeming eager to leave the memory of the cruise behind them.
Then it was just Sawyer.
I took two steps forward, heart lurching. Poppy’s arm dropped away from me.
He looked down, gaze connecting with mine. My heart hammered as I watched him hop down onto the dock in front of me.
His angry words returned to me.
He was just doing what you all do, right? Party on the lake. Keep your passengers happy, no matter what it takes. And fuck the safety of everyone else out here.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted. “I didn’t know— I would never have?—”
Sawyer pulled me into a tight hug. “No, I’m sorry. I was freaking and I took it out on you.”
