She had seen her brother in the service, sitting on the far side of the sanctuary. He was a few pews ahead, and at first she hadn’t recognized him. She certainly hadn’t expected to see him in a church, of all places. But then he’d leaned over to whisper something to the woman sitting next to him, and Olivia had seen his profile.
Her escape outside had been cowardly on her part. If he was in church, maybe things were changing inside of him. Maybe he’d finally found God! But she hadn’t been ready to face Brian...or to have him simply turn away from her. Not in front of all those people.
The church doors opened, and a couple of people came outside. Then a few more. The service was over. She looked over at Sawyer.
“I wish you remembered Brian. Then you could tell me what you thought about my situation with him. You never had any trouble pointing out where I was wrong.”
“So, I was a bit of a jerk?” he asked hesitantly.
“No, you were honest. And generally, right,” she replied. “I could count on you to tell me the truth, even if it was uncomfortable.”
There had been a time when she and Mia had had a falling out. Mia had been upset with Olivia for missing a Christmas party at her parents’ place—back when the Whites still lived in Beaut. Olivia hadn’t thought it was a big deal, but it was Sawyer who’d pointed out that Mia had needed the emotional support at that party. Her parents could be hard on her. Sawyer had seen the root of the problem, and Olivia hadn’t.
“Maybe it’s better I don’t remember him,” Sawyer said. “I’m not the one you need to talk to.”
“That is frustratingly wise of you,” she said, then sighed.
“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” He shot her a teasing grin.
That was the old Sawyer there—the one from their single days. And she realized with a melancholy rush that she missed him, even now, because this wouldn’t last, either. Whatever this time was without Sawyer’s memory, this strange little oasis in the middle of their complicated history, would end, too.
The two teenage girls came out the church doors with Bella and Lizzie, followed by Lloyd. Olivia and Sawyer stood up.
“Back at it, then,” Sawyer said quietly.
“You’re doing well, Sawyer,” she said. “You’re a good dad, you know.”
“I’m trying real hard,” he replied.
The toddlers and their minders headed toward them, and Olivia looked up just as her brother came outside. Her brother was a shorter man, thin and wiry. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, more dressed down than the others coming outside. But he was good-looking in a way that the girls had always appreciated. Maybe it was his confidence. The young woman holding his hand was about an inch taller than he was in her heels, and she was slim, too, with long blond hair that fell loose down her back. Brian’s gaze casually swept over them, then he froze, noticing her for the first time. Olivia swallowed and waved.
“Go on,” Sawyer said. “Lloyd and I can handle the girls.”
Olivia shot him a grateful look, and headed out of the graveyard toward her brother.
Brian murmured something to his girlfriend, but he didn’t make any move in Olivia’s direction. Brian and the young woman just waited until Olivia reached them.
“Hi,” Olivia said.
“Hey.” Brian was curt. “Didn’t know I’d see you here.”
“Well—here I am.” She forced a smile in the woman’s direction and put out her hand. “I’m Olivia, Brian’s sister.”
“Hi, I’m Shari.” She smiled and they shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”
She seemed nice enough, and Olivia turned back to her brother. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Brian cast her an annoyed look. “Shari’s grandmother asked us to go—a real guilt trip about how she doesn’t have much longer in this life and she wanted to have at least one church service with Shari there.”
Olivia couldn’t help but smile at Shari for that one. “She must be good at the guilt trips, your grandmother.”
“A pro.” Shari chuckled. “So we came. Duty done.”
“So, you aren’t a Christian—” Olivia began.
“My sister is,” Brian explained to Shari. “And no, Shari and I aren’t into church. This was a favor to her grandmother. End of story. No third degree.”
“Oh.” Olivia nodded a couple of times. “I left a few messages.”
“I got them,” he replied.
“Can we talk?” Olivia sighed. “Look, I know you’re angry, but we can work through this.”
“You don’t even know what you did, do you?” he retorted, and Olivia felt heat rise in her cheeks. This was embarrassing.
Shari cast a mildly embarrassed look between Olivia and Brian, and then gave Brian’s arm a squeeze.
“I’m going to just let you two talk,” Shari said, and she moved away from them. Brian’s gaze followed her as she moved on down the sidewalk. This girl wasn’t just some girlfriend—she was special to Brian. She could tell by the way he looked at her.
“Shari seems nice,” Olivia said.
“She is nice,” Brian said, his gaze snapping toward her again. “Now, what do you want?”
“I want a conversation with you!” she said. “Brian, how long are you going to punish me for having gotten an education?”
Brian shook his head. “It’s not your degree that makes me so mad. It’s your whole attitude. This place was never good enough for you, and Mom just wanted to make you happy. She worked herself to the bone to scrape up money to keep you in school. Do you know how much she struggled to put you through?”
“I didn’t know you wouldn’t get your shot, Brian,” she said with a shake of her head. “And you understand why I had to leave—”
“Yeah, because you misbehaved,” he shot
