Page 53 of Sawyer
That makes me chuckle.“That all it takes, huh?A foot massage?”I tease her.
“And the amazing orgasms you deliver… Can’t forget about those.”
I bark out a laugh.She’s softened around me.When I first met her, joking like this wouldn’t have happened.I was too wired and hustling with work, and she was too focused on what needed to happen for her and the boys to be safe and happy.We both still have those things in our lives, but out here, in the peace of the night, with no one and nothing around us, all of that feels less and less important.
“I like this.I like being here.”I rub along her feet, one by one, releasing the tension.While I was at my desk for most of the morning, I know she’s been on her feet all day.This woman is a workhorse, there’s no doubt about it.
“I like having you here.”
“I mean, I could pass on the chickens with the foot fetish…”
“Sorry about that.Should’ve warned you.”She giggles, the sound hitting me straight in the chest.I take a deep breath, the cool, fresh air filling my lungs as my shoulders lower, my body fully relaxed, and my mind only on her.
“I never thought I would feel so at peace here in Whispers, here with you,” I say seriously.
“I never thought a city boy would turn up to my farm and feel like he was always meant to be here.”
We look at each other as my hand trails up her shins and back down.
“I guess it’s a surprise for both of us.”I lean my head back, getting more comfortable, wondering if this could be my life, if I could be the man she needs, the man I know I need to be.
My inbox is still overflowing, my cell continues to ring, but I’m no longer jumping at every call or rushing to every meeting.Subconsciously, being in Whispers has made me step back from the grind, from the daily rush of corporate life, but I look at her and know, while the town is amazing, I’ve worked from different places before and never felt like this.Like it’s okay to let go a bit, and it’s because of her.
24
Annabelle
My eyes are peeled to the game.We're in the top of the sixth inning, and the score is close at 4-3.We’re just one run behind and have runners on first and second base with two outs.
“We just need one good hit here,” Sawyer says as he, along with Hudson and Lacy, watch one of our own team members step up to the plate.
“That’s Harry, he’s usually pretty good,” Hudson murmurs.I look at my son on first base, having just hit a ground ball and sprinting to secure his spot.Harvey is on second base, and if we win this, we are two for two.
“God, even though it's a kids’ game, it’s still so stressful,” Lacy says with a nervous little shimmy, sealed to Hudson's side, watching their son with pride on their faces, not dissimilar to the expression I have, I’m sure.
“You’ve got this, Harry!”I hear his father yell from somewhere nearby.God, I swear if I knew kids’ baseball was going to be this nail-biting and anxiety-inducing, then I may have reconsidered my choice to allow Kevin to play.But as I look at my son on first base, steely determination on his face, I know it was the right move.
“Look at Kevin…” Sawyer says to me.
“I know.”My eyes stay on my son.He’s concentrating hard, taking a step away from the base in preparation to run.
“It’s almost like he knows what's going to happen before it actually does,” he says, as Noah sits comfortably on his broad shoulders, looking over everything and pulling at Sawyer's hair every five minutes.The city lawyer now appears more casual than ever.He’s been in Whispers more often than not for a few weeks now and comes to every game he can.
But it isn’t his looks or his money that have me feeling things I haven’t in a very long time.It’s the way he’s here, with my son on his shoulders, watching my other son play baseball on a Saturday.It’s the way he talks to me like I’m his equal, not looking at me with pity, but looking at me like he admires me, desires me, and can’t get enough of me.And his actions only prove his admiration to be true.
While we’re getting closer, I still see so much of the city in him, and weekends in Whispers aren’t exactly vibrant.But I’d be lying if I didn’t do a happy dance inside, knowing he wants to spend more time with us.Should I put my solid walls back up and expect heartbreak?Maybe.But just like everything else in my life, if it happens, I’ll get through it.
“Here he goes,” Hudson says, and I hold my breath just as the pitch is thrown.Harry hits it well, and Kevin sprints.I had no idea he was that fast, probably from all the running around he does on the farm.He makes it to second and keeps going as the parents start to cheer.
“Go, boys!”Hudson shouts, and I squeeze my hands together as I watch.The ball is being thrown back, but the kids in the field can’t throw too far, one stumbling a bit and dropping the ball, giving us more time.
“Keep going!”Sawyer calls out, and I watch both Harvey and Kevin reach home base, little Harry following behind them and the cohort of us parents cheering and clapping loudly, our kids winning their match, albeit much closer than their last.
“Wow, what a game.”Sawyer looks down at me, grinning from ear to ear.
“Can we go to the playground now?”Noah moans, and I chuckle.
“Sure, honey.Let’s just grab Kevin, and we can all go.”
