Page 30 of Taming His Honeydoll
Tootie took her hand and led her to the side of the bed where they both sat down. “So, is this the Sawyer you knew back in the college day?” She asked curiously. “And he’s Levi’s father?”
“Oliver told you?”
Tootie’s eyes were tender with concern. “Yes, he told me. Levi resembles Henry enough that I would never have guessed. No one did.”
Emma nodded and sighed. “It was a long time ago—I didn’t want anyone to know. Sawyer came looking for me at the hospital. He wants to see him.”
“I can understand that,” Tootie murmured. “Why didn’t you tell him at the time?”
Emma fidgeted. “I-I didn’t know when we broke up—and then he was gone.” She turned to Tootie then with more tears in her eyes and told her the whole story. How Sawyer had dumped her and then she hadn’t wanted to disappoint Oliver most of all. So, she’d jumped at Henry’s offer as a way out. “I-I felt like such a failure,” she confessed, gulping down sobs. “I had to make it on my own.”
Tootie hugged her tightly. “Oh, honey, you’ve been alone through all this and I’m so sorry. You should have let us help you,” she gently scolded.
Emma hung her head. “I was too ashamed—and angry.”
“Are you sure staying with Sawyer is the best thing to do right now?”
“I have to work, Aunt Tootie. I can’t just lay down and let family take care of me.”
“You could, dear girl, but it’s a testament to your character that you don’t want to.”
“I-It’s been a shock to see Sawyer again. He doesn’t act like he hates me, but I can tell he’s angry underneath. In fact, he says he wants to stay together, but I don’t want him to just take me because he wants his son.” She looked up at Tootie. “How could he leave me like that if he really loved me?” She asked, feeling lonely and lost.
“Do you love him?” Aunt Tootie asked quietly.
Emma nodded miserably. “I’ve always loved him. I told him, but he didn’t believe me. H-He told me not to wait for him—that if I found someone else and fell in love to just move on.”
“And you’re still angry at him because of that.”
“Yeah,” she confessed. “I married Henry because I felt like Sawyer didn’t deserve to be in Levi’s life, even if he is the father. Now, I’m not so sure, plus I have no clue what I’m doing with this threat to Levi—maybe even me.”
She trailed off and just stared at her hands, unsure what else to say. There were so many feelings swirling inside her. Guilt was one of them—she didn’t want to feel guilt. It made things even worse and more confusing.
Tootie reached over and patted her hands briskly. “Why don’t you take some Tylenol because I know your head must still be painful and you’ve been sleeping over four hours. Then get dressed and come down for dinner.
Ty and Chessy have gone home to see about their children, but Oliver and Marsha are downstairs. Marsha just woke up as well. Oliver insisted she put her feet up and nap while you were napping, but everyone is getting ready to eat.”
Emma stood up and hugged her. “Thanks, Aunt Tootie. It’s nice to share with you, even if nothing is resolved.”
“Don’t you worry now, it will all work out—it will just take some time, darling girl.”
“Did they get the pain pill prescription filled?”
Tootie’s eyes widened slightly as she inspected her. “Yes. Do you need one of those instead? Are you hurting badly?”
“Not right now,” Emma replied hastily, “but there were only two samples and Sawyer gave me the second one before I laid down. I don’t even want to use more if I don’t have to, but the pain was bad earlier today. So bad I threw up on the way here,” she confessed. “I just wanted to know in case I need one later.” Her head was aching more since she’d been crying, but not badly enough to warrant another pill that would basically knock her out.
“Pain has always made you nauseous,” Tootie soothed. “It’s no shame to take one if you need it. You don’t have to be all staunch and stoic on our account. We’re your family and don’t want you to be hurting.”
“Thanks, Aunt Tootie,” Emma sniffed. “You always make me feel better. I’m so glad you came.”
Aunt Tootie tutted and they talked a bit more, then she left Emma to get dressed and meet them downstairs.
When Emma stepped into the hallway, her appetite suddenly returned. The heavenly smell of garlic and Italian food wafted with other tendrils of tantalizing aromas up the stairway. Was there chocolate in there somewhere? She could use a big slice of chocolate cake about now. Confession must be good for the soul if she was suddenly hungry.
Then she saw Sawyer standing at the bottom of the stairway with one foot on the first step. He smiled appreciatively as she made her way down, carefully holding onto the railing. For some reason she felt a little bit dizzy. Whether it was because of her head injury or the sexy male waiting for her, she wasn’t sure. She studied him as she made her way down the steps.
He wore his hair differently. Back in the day he hadn’t been averse to tying his goldish curly locks behind his head in a short man-do. Today it was cropped closer to his scalp, shorter on the sides and wavy on the top.
