Page 65 of Sawyer
Kevin’s gaze is equal partsis this real?andcan we go?I give him a small smile.
“Maybe?”I shrug my shoulders.I’m not sure I can make it work, but I don’t want to burst his bubble just as it's starting to grow.
“Ma!He owns the Mets!”Kevin says, scrambling to put on the jersey, now clearly on team Sawyer.
“I heard,” I say as Sawyer grins.
“I got your mom some things too.Here, take a look.”Sawyer passes the kids all the bags before looking at me.I can tell he’s trying to gauge how I’m feeling, but I remain in the kitchen, watching this unravel in front of me, not able to move.
“You didn’t need to…” I shake my head, not sure how to handle all this.Words don’t seem like enough.This is something I can never repay.Something I could never do for my boys, yet it brings them so much joy I can’t say no.
“I know, I wanted to.No takebacks, remember.”He gives me a wink, leaving the boys to dive into the other bags as he walks my way.Once he’s in front of me, his hand cups my jaw, his thumb brushing my cheek.
I bite the inside of my lip, still struggling with what to say.“You’re spoiling them…”
“Good, I want to spoil you too.”He looks at me in wonder, and I give him a small smile.
“Do you have a jersey for me?”I ask in jest, not even thinking he did.
“I do.Got us all matching ones.But… I also have something better.”
My stomach tightens in anticipation.“Oh?”
“I had a business meeting today.I pitched Gertie’s to a large hotel client, asking them to place Gertie’s Soap in all their bathrooms countrywide.”
That’s certainly not what I was expecting.
“Say that again?”I hold my breath, not wanting to get too excited.
“I had a meeting at the distillery with Tanner today, talking to a hotel heiress who’s putting some whiskey in all her hotel bars.I mentioned Gertie’s to her, suggested it for her bathrooms.She wants me to run the numbers and send her a proposal,” he says slowly, gently pushing my hair behind my ear.
“That sounds like it’s a big deal…” My eyes glass over, my emotions now about to get the better of me.I still don’t feel like this is real.
“It would make your side hustle a full-blown business.It would bring in more money than you know what to do with.It will mean that you can do Gertie’s full-time, do all the things you’ve always wanted.Send the kids to college, live the life you always dreamed of.”
Nerves and hopefulness fight for priority as my mind tries to take this in.“That’s a big offer you’re making to a girl like me, Sawyer.”
“You’re worth it.”He leans forward, brushing his lips over mine.And I kiss him, giving my heart exactly what it wants.While my boys are preoccupied, I kiss him like he’s my lifeline before I pull back and look into his eyes.
“I don’t know what to say.I don’t know how I will ever repay you…”
“No repayment needed.I want to do this.It’s a good business decision.Tanner and Victoria are both excited about it, and I knew that this would be amazing for you.”
I swallow, nodding in agreement.
“It’s not over the line, but I’m going to be trying very hard to get it done for you.”He kisses my forehead, and the softness of the way he’s holding me makes me ask the question that I haven’t been able to let go of.
“What is all this?”I’m too scared to really think about what he’s doing for us.I mean, it’s just caps and mitts and jerseys.It’s just work he’s doing for Tanner, which will help Victoria and, by association, me.But it feels like more.
“This is me, still trying to sweep you off your feet… Is it working yet?”He grins, and I huff a small laugh as butterflies flap wildly in my belly.
“You don’t have to spoil us.We’re not expecting anything like that from you.I just like having you in our lives…” I’m honest, hoping he knows that I’m not with him for his money.For any of this.
“I can’t believe it took me so long to find a woman like you.”
I hold my breath, waiting for him to continue.
“I sure as hell miss you when I’m not with you, and I miss you when I’m right near you.You’re all I’m fucking thinking about, and still flying between here and the city is already killing me, knowing I have to leave you again.”
