Page 112 of Sassy Love
Wonderful! Reed and I will be in town the day before. Also, I hope you don’t mind but we RSVP’d for the whole family, since it’s always months between Lawson visits.
Of course! That’s amazing. I’ll keep that between us. It’ll be a lovely surprise for him.
Great, I’ll let you know when we land on the 23rd.
Thank you
She hearts my message, and I click my phone off with a content smile over my face. If twenty-year-old me could see this conversation, she would be squealing, jumping out of her skin.
My phone buzzes again as I go to return it back to my bag. I turn it back over and find one more text from Ruby.
Tapping the screen, I read the words and my breath stalls out.
We are just so thrilled Lawson has you in his life
We.
His entire family.
This close-knit family stuff builds a pressure behind my ribs that I’ve never felt before. A soft, fine hand closes around my wrist. “Ready when you are, sweetheart.”
I snap my gaze from where it’s still stuck on my phone to Mills. She tilts her head before I drop the phone into my bag. I wouldn’t know how to respond to that text, even if I wanted to.
“Let’s go home.” I take the basket from Millie’s arm and pay for her items, which earns me a frown and a breathy chastising at the counter where a young girl bags the items.
Out on the sidewalk, we wander to the next tiny family-owned business. A fresh produce shop. Millie disappears inside, claiming to need vegetables. I hover by the boxes of fresh fruit angled for display as an old man in a navy apron bags up citrus fruits for a lady to my right.
Millie reappears with three bags of vegetables, standing in front of the grocer and slipping him cash before I can pay.
The triumphant expression on her face makes me chuckle. Feisty little old woman. “Done, now we can go home.” She sets her shoulders back, walking for our building. It’s three blocks, and I settle in beside her without a word. I’m too lost in my thoughts to shoot the breeze.
Just when I think I understand this thing between Lawson and I, something tosses a wrench into the works.
“You’re far too quiet, young lady. Spill it.” Mills loops her arm through my own as we cross the street.
“I think I?—”
Her eyes snap up to mine when the tone of my voice registers.
“I’m not sure I’m cut out for a relationship, Mills.”
She slaps my arm with her free hand. “Fiddlesticks. Strong women have successful relationships every day.”
I chuckle at her, but it’s breathy and weak.
I don’t feel strong. I feel pulled in every direction, unable to choose one.
I don’t believe in love. At least not the fairy-tale type. There is no such thing as meeting one person who fixes everything. That’s useless bullshit. But...
And it’s a big but.
Lawson has debunked so many other things I’ve held onto to keep my heart safe for so long. He’s not trying to get promoted over me. He takes care of me before he worries about himself. He’s selfless that way. Lawson Rawlins is all heart, and fuck if he doesn’t rile me up in a way I never thought possible.
I wouldn’t swipe right on this man. He’s not a good time, he’s... a lifetime kind of thing.
That right there scares the hell out of me.
I asked him not to break my heart, and the man promised to break his before he let mine take a hit. What kind of guy does that?
