The Whites were silent, watching him nervously. Irene started to fiddle with a bracelet on her wrist and Wyatt’s lips started to twitch.
“That’s why we haven’t spoken in two years,” Sawyer went on as the memory finally settled into place in his head. “I’m not some selfish jerk who couldn’t forgive a slight from parents who wanted a better match for their daughter. I’m a dad who won’t give up his little girls! What makes you think I’d be interested now?” He shook his head slowly. “The answer is still no. No! I will not give up my children! No, I will not send them to live with you so I can pretend I have no other obligations!” His voice was rising and he couldn’t help it this time. “I might not remember everything, but I remember my girls! They’re mine, and they’re my reason for everything I do... It might not be easy, but since when are the good things easy? I’m their father, and I’ll provide everything they need—that’s a guarantee!” He marched over to the front door and hauled it open. “Now, get out!”
Olivia stared at the Whites in shock. They wanted her to help them convince an injured man to give up his children? She could hardly believe it. Lloyd and Evelyn had come to the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, and for a heart-stopping moment, everything was silence.
“Olivia?” Irene said tightly.
“What?” she demanded. “You told me that you wanted to reconcile! This—whatever this is—is not reconciliation!”
“Things have gotten out of hand here,” Wyatt said firmly.
“I’ll say!” Olivia shot back. “You asked me to help you to be a family again! How could you think this is what a family looks like? Those girls need their father!”
“We said he could visit!” Irene said testily. “And I’ll have you know, young lady, you’d better start holding up your end of the bargain if you expect us to speak on your behalf—”
“I don’t expect you to,” Olivia shot back. “Keep your influence. I was naive to think you actually wanted to help me to begin with.”
Sawyer looked at her questioningly, but she couldn’t explain now. The Whites picked up their things and moved toward the door.
“Sawyer, man to man, here—” Wyatt began.
“Man to man, you’d better leave before I get really angry,” Sawyer snapped back, and Wyatt took his wife’s hand and they swept out the door. Sawyer swung it shut with a bang that made Olivia’s heart jump in her chest.
“What’s happening?” Lloyd asked.
Sawyer rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m not really sure. But I have a feeling that Mia’s parents had bigger plans for my daughters than anyone else realized.”
Olivia felt tears rise in her eyes. “I had no idea, Sawyer. I promise you that. I would never have spoken for them if I’d realized what they wanted!”
“Yeah...” He heaved a sigh, then he looked toward the hallway. “Did we wake the girls up?”
Evelyn slipped away to check—she and Lloyd had been caring for the girls all morning, after all—and Lloyd went to the window.
“They’ve just pulled out,” Lloyd said, his voice low. “Do you think that’s the last of them?”
“No idea...” Sawyer looked deflated now, tired, and Olivia slid her hand into his.
“They’re sleeping still,” Evelyn said, coming back into the room. “But listen, if you need any help at all, Sawyer—”
“No, I’m fine for now,” Sawyer said, and he tightened his grip on Olivia’s hand.
“Why don’t I take you out to the barn,” Lloyd said, looking over at Evelyn. “We can give these two some space. I think the worst is over.”
Evelyn nodded and while they got their coats and headed outside, Olivia looked up into Sawyer’s face.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
What else could she say? She felt horrible that she’d been part of this at all, but she hadn’t known that the Whites wanted to take their granddaughters away from him! Her mind was still spinning, trying to catch up. Was this what the Whites had become?
“I’m really sorry.” Tears misted her eyes.
“I know.” Sawyer rubbed his hands over his face.
“I had no idea...”
“What were they talking about, speaking on your behalf?”
Olivia swallowed back the lump in her throat. “They said they’d speak to the hospital board to help lower our debt if I helped them to reconcile with you. I didn’t tell you about it right away, because you couldn’t remember, and then when I brought it up, you knew where you stood already—you said you’d talk to them when you were ready. And that was fair. I knew then that I wouldn’t get the favor from them, so there didn’t seem to be any point in bringing it up.”
He was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. “And you were willing to walk away from that kind of help?”
“Yes. I wasn’t going to take advantage of you, Sawyer. I couldn’t do that! You don’t remember what we were to each other, but I’ve always—” She stopped, biting back the words. She was saying too much.
“You’ve always what?” His dark eyes met hers, and she couldn’t hold the words back anymore. She’d been trying to protect him while he recovered, but hiding all those motives and feelings hurt too much. It was time he knew it all.
“I’ve always loved you. When I shouldn’t. When you weren’t mine to love. When you didn’t love me back. I loved you,” she said, her voice trembling. “You told me you needed space with Mia because you loved her, and I gave it to you because I was trying to cut off the last of my feelings for you. I thought I had... And I’m only telling you now because I can’t have you believe that I’d do anything to hurt you or to separate you from your children.”
“You thought you had cut off your feelings for me,” he said. “But?”
Olivia had already said too much, and felt a wave of panic.
“Olivia—” His voice was deep and firm.
