Page 129 of Knockin' Boats
“Everyone onboard?—”
“Was drinking.”
“The victims, though. They also saw it.”
“Shaken and rattled. Possibly also drinking. Rick will cast as much doubt as possible on the situation.”
Sawyer clenched his jaw. “I’m not changing my story.”
“Of course not. I told him you wouldn’t.”
Sawyer sighed. “We should talk.”
My palms grew clammy and I swiped them over my shorts. It never ended well when someone said that, did it? What if this whole accident had reminded Sawyer of why we shouldn’t be together?
“Okay,” I said hesitantly. “Now?”
Sawyer nodded. His friends took a hint, saying their goodbyes and heading back toward the resort.
“Saw, before you say anything?—”
“I just need to get this off my chest. Witnessing that accident made me realize?—”
“I love you,” I blurted out.
His eyes widened.
“I know we’re supposed to be friends who fuck around,” I said quickly. “Maybe not even that after this reminder of how shitty my family’s business is. I should have done more to change it, not just left. I should have reported them or something. I don’t know. I’m sorry, Sawyer. I just needed you to know. You mean so much to me, and you scared the shit out of me tonight, honestly, and I-I?—”
“Love me,” he repeated.
I bit my bottom lip. “Yeah. I do.”
He stared at me, not saying anything, and I started to babble. “I know we’ve got a complicated history, and I know that if you don’t trust me, if you can’t, then I’ve no one but myself to blame for it. I just?—”
“Idotrust you, Ash. That’s what I wanted to tell you. The past is the past. It’s over. I want to put it behind us.”
“But?” I asked, sensing there was more.
“No but.And,”he said. “I trust youandI love you too.”
My breath caught. “You mean that?”
“You aren’t the only one who got some perspective from this crazy-awful night.” He licked his lips. “I know we’re still figuring shit out. Like…we’ve been together a really short time.”
“Yeah, but it’s so intense, and I’ve cared for so long.”
“That’s exactly it,” Sawyer said. “My feelings for you have always been strong, Ash. For a long time, I told myself they were hate. Maybe they even were. But once they shifted, they didn’t get any less intense. If I’m not going to hate you, then…I think I have to love you.”
I laughed at the absurdity of it.
At the truth of it.
Then I grabbed his face and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. Life was precious. Fragile.
Sawyer hadn’t been hurt tonight. He’d been the rescuer, not the victim. But it was a reminder that the lake was dangerous,fate was fickle, and you never knew when you’d be robbed of a second chance.
I didn’t want to waste another second of time that could be spent loving my best friend. My other half.
