Page 56 of A Me and You Thing
“They have?”
It’s clear I’ve shocked her—and rendering Bree speechless is a hard thing to do. “Yeah. It’s on my mind more times than I care to admit.”
“Mine too.”
Our hands clasp together tightly, and I know this is the beginning of something new between us. I see her with completely different eyes. “You need to know that...”
“I already know you love Quinn and you always will. I’ve accepted it a long time ago. I loved her too.”
Okay, that takes away the feeling as though I’m deceiving her in some way.
“Is there room for one more in your heart? That’s what I need to know.”
I mull that over. “The thing is, Bree, you’re already in my heart. And you’re there to stay.”
Her eyes glisten, but there are no tears. Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths as emotions fill her.
I squeeze her hand. “Once we do this, there’s no going back.”
She shakes her head in the negative. “I don’t wanna go back. It won’t take much for this life to be perfect, Sawyer. Let’s take it and never let go. We both know it can end without notice.”
She’s sitting in the corner of the couch, half facing me, her head leaning against the cushions. She looks inviting, alluring.
It’s my undoing. Last time I kissed her in the kitchen, she initiated it. This time it will be me. This is my choice. Decision made. I have a second chance at happiness and I’m taking it.
I lean forward and press my lips to hers. She responds immediately. Her hands delve into my hair as if it’s what she’s always wanted to do. I gather her in my arms, wrapping them around her back, my weight leaning into her. Our kiss deepens as we meld into each other. I turn my mind off and don’t let it wander to Quinn. This is the No Quinn Zone, and I vow to keep our relationship about us and only us. Three’s a crowd.
But the third person is there, lurking in the periphery. There’s no denying it. She always will be.
I’m reminded of the seahorse. They’re fascinating little guys. The seahorse has been romanticized as a monogamous species that mates for life—even though it’s really just for the breeding season. Even further, it has been said that if they lose their mate, they refuse anyone else and eventually die of loneliness.
Not true. The widowed seahorse will pair up with the next available mate as soon as possible, debunking part of the romantic myth.
I thought I’d never love anyone like I loved Quinn. I couldn’t even imagine being with someone else. While I am a monogamous creature, I refuse to curl up and die alone. I don’t have it in me. I need someone in my life.
I guess I have more in common with the seahorse than I imagined. Huh. There’s a thought for you.
I cast it away, giving all of my attention to Bree. And for the first time in a long time, she’s the only one on my mind. My only focus. I let it happen, and find myself slipping into a place I’ve longed to go.
Breezy. I didn’t see this coming, but now that it has, I wonder how I didn’t know it from the very beginning.
Chapter Eighteen
Sawyer
“WHICH ONE SOUNDS better? Italian lemon with homemade lemon curd and lemoncello buttercream or chocolate fudge with peppermint mousse? Or since it’s a beach wedding, we could go a little tropical and do a banana and coconut cake with white chocolate ganache. What do you think?” Bree asks.
We’re sitting at the kitchen table, an array of glossy pamphlets spread out in front of Bree. A light ocean breeze filters in through the open window, ruffling my hair just enough to make me wish I was outside. Distracted, I stare out the kitchen window at the white picket fence. I shouldn’t’ve had it installed. It’s a constant reminder that Quinn and I had the American dream. Except now I’m minus Quinn, the key element.
The white picket fence didn’t make me feel better. It made things worse. I look at it and think of her. Every time. Like a yellow ribbon on an old oak tree, it screams I still want her. As if I’m waiting for Quinn to return, and it’s my secret message just for her. She’s the only one who would understand the message. If she saw it, I know she’d know I still love her and always will.
Hope is sometimes damaging. Especially when I’m hoping for something that can never happen.
“Sawyer?”
“Huh?”
Bree folds her arms. “Did you hear a word I just said?”
