Page 65 of The Inevitable Us

“You don’t get to make this something that it’s not,” Sawyer yells. The sound of furniture turning over breaks up whatever my father’s response might have been followed by what sounds like the pool table balls hitting the floor. My mother groans loudly at the noise, and I flinch. Josie moves to go down to break it up.

“Just keep making the deviled eggs, and leave them to it for now,” Mom orders, her eyes never leaving the stairs.

It’s when it’s quiet that I get truly worried. My mom moves towards the door first, and I follow behind Josie. “Watch the fourth step,” Josie reminds me. “It creaks.”

We creep down the stairs, and peek over the side.

Sawyer and my father are facing away from us, both lounging in one of the overstuffed chairs in the room.

“Are you going to marry her?” my father asks, holding a cold bottle of beer on his eye.

“Yes, and soon,” Sawyer answers.

Josie gasps, and Mom gives her a look that could kill.

Sawyer has a bottle of beer icing his cheek. Dad’s resting his legs on an overturned bar stool, using it as an ottoman.

At Sawyer’s confession, I feel my heart start to palpitate. He wants to marry soon? “Back upstairs,” Mom mouths as we tip toe towards the kitchen.

As we walk away, right before I close the door, I hear my father snarl, “She deserves better than you.”

I hear the clink of glass before Sawyer shamelessly admits, “Yes, she does. But I’m keeping her anyway.”

Footballoccupiesmostofthe conversation at the table, with Sawyer joining in occasionally. Nate is in his fourth year of college and graduating this year. He’s entering the NFL draft this spring and graduating with a degree in finance, saying if he’s not drafted, he can work different jobs he’ll enjoy. As if he’s not going to be drafted…. he’s a favorite for a first-round pick. It’s all anyone talks about when he’s around as the draft gets closer and the excitement builds.

Nate keeps eyeing Sawyer curiously as if trying to puzzle it out but seems to have accepted the relationship without any issues, and greeted Sawyer politely. Things are still tense, but it feels as if the tide has shifted a bit.

“How’s Taylee?” my dad asks Sawyer from across the table. His lip is red and swollen, and he has a small rip in his shirt. “I met her once or twice. She was…interesting, to say the least.”

“She is still, to say the least, interesting,” Sawyer snorts out. His eye is swollen half shut, despite the ice pack, and his knuckles are bruised and swollen. “Life on the ranch is never boring.”

“And what is the time frame on you leaving this ranch?” Dad asks, serving himself a plate of food without making eye contact. His body is tense as he asks, bracing for the answer.

“Soon,” Sawyer answers.

“And security?” my dad asks. “What are you going to do about..”

“I have that handled, thank you,” Sawyer interrupts.

My dad returns to his Brussels sprouts, forking one sharply and bringing it to his mouth. He gives Sawyer a sideways glance of annoyance.

“I would be willing to have a security system….”

“NO,” Sawyer and I both answer at the same time.

Sawyer clears his throat. “I assure you, I have it handled.”

My dad gives Sawyer an annoyed look before going back to his food.

Rory, who’s been quiet and sullen during the meal, glances between myself and Sawyer from time to time. His “not really my girlfriend” Nevaeh had shown up right before we ate. Barely speaking, the entire meal, they left together before we did the dishes.

After washing the last pot, we leave and return to his uncle’s apartment. I walk down the same street Serendipity is on, hand in hand with Sawyer, openly, just because I can.

Chapter thirty-three

Rosalie

Thereisnobetterway to wake up than to Sawyer hovering over me, his hands on my pussy, fingering me, preparing me for him. He does this so often—waking me up to fuck me in the middle of the night— that I’ve taken to sleeping naked often. It’s an invitation and a practicality. I crave it now. I crave him.

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