“W-what?” The blood drains from his face. He shakes his head. “No. She…” He clears his throat. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
The pain in his voice is evident. The lines in his face deepen. I feel for my best friend. I watch from afar, wanting to be there for both of them, but not wanting to move for fear of disturbing the moment.
Sawyer’s not a bad guy. He’s fiercely loyal and sticks to his morals no matter what. Over the past year that I’ve known him, I’ve seen hints of his anger. He’s resented his family for a long time. Especially Rae. Now, I’m seeing it dissolve in mere instants.
Rae takes a hesitant step toward her brother. “I was going to, but you found out about me taking the job, and you took off. I tried to call you, Sawyer. I tried to email you, to find you on social media. I hired private investigators all over the country to find you! I even sent one down to Mexico and another to Canada. I looked for you for three years.” She sucks in a breath, her bottom lip trembling. “Found you six months ago, but you still wouldn’t talk to me. That’s when Lucy and I decided to come up here. A fresh start—or at least, that’s what I’d hoped.”
The ripped shreds of their broken relationship flutter in the breeze between them. I can smell the heartbreak and betrayal between them, but there’s a hint of something sweet.
Forgiveness. Understanding.
Sawyer runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “We were supposed to leave that day and start the business together. I came home, and Mom and Dad told me you’d accepted their job offer. They threw it in my face because I’d just refused to take it. I thought you sold out.”
“I did,” Rae whispers. “But I did it for Lucy—and Roman.” A tear falls down her cheek, and all I want to do is brush it away.
Sawyer is my best friend, but he’s in the wrong. Totally, completely wrong. Rae did what she thought was right to take care of her sister and nephew. She stayed back, in a place she hated, in order to provide for her family. She didn’t sell out—she sacrificed. Sacrificed her dream of having her own business with Sawyer. Sacrificed her independence. Her autonomy. She even sacrificed her relationship with Sawyer to take care of the one who needed her more.
I understand that to my core. It speaks to something deep in my heart. Didn’t I take care of Sarah from the time my mother left until now? Wasn’t my sister my priority in everything? Even with Oliver and the kids in her life now, I still think of her all the time.
It’s the reason I’m planning this over-the-top birthday party. It’s the reason I’m trying to protect her from our own father.
I get it. Everything Rae did, all the choices she made, I understand.
Sawyer’s shoulders slump as he brings his hands to his temples. He shakes his head, mumbling something.
When he lifts his eyes up, he looks at me. “Is this true? Does Lucy have a kid?”
A lump forms in my throat, and all I can do is nod. “He’s nearly three years old, Sawyer.”
“That’s why you said I should come back.” My best friend’s eyes are wide as the horror of his actions settles in. He turns to his sister, shoving his hand in his hair. “I left you both behind to deal with that. I thought you sold out, Rae. I didn’t know.”
She’s crying, closing the distance to her brother and wrapping him in a hug. I shrink back, not wanting to intrude, even though my heart wants to be with her.
It surprises me how much I care—but not about Sawyer’s pain. It’s Rae that my eyes linger on. It’s Rae’s tears I want to brush away. It’s her I want to wrap in my arms and hold until she feels better.
As I watch them cry on each other’s shoulders, I know I was right to tell him to come back. I know I was right about Rae.
She’s not the spawn of hell. She’s not worse than Hitler. She’s better than both of us.
Sawyer wipes his nose on the back of his palm, nodding to the car. “Can I meet him?”
Rae’s face breaks into the most brilliant smile I’ve ever seen, and my heart stutters. No one can deny how much she cares about her family. She nods, her hair trembling around her face. She motions to the car, lifting her gaze to me.
With shining eyes, she gives me an unsaid thank you. I soak it all up. There’s tenderness in her eyes. Appreciation. Gratitude.
By telling Sawyer to come back, I didn’t ruin my chances with Rae. It was inconvenient timing, maybe, but I’d do it a million times over if it meant seeing the relief and happiness on Rae’s face. She walks over to me, accepting the outstretched car keys.
Then, she surprises me by wrapping her arms around me and holding me close.
“Thank you for telling him to come back,” she whispers, then pulls away and squeezes my shoulders. Her gaze says something else. I don’t know if what happened between us earlier was a flash, or if she wants to pick up where we left off.
Disappointment wells up inside me at the thought, but I push it down. Now is not the time to worry about sleeping with her.
She smiles. I nod, unable to speak. I watch them drive away, letting out a sigh.
Rae Montgomery is nothing like I thought she’d be. She’s worked for three and a half years to bring her family back together again, and I was able to witness the moment it happened. I was even able to contribute to it, by telling Sawyer to come back.
As the taillights disappear around the corner, I let out a sigh. Sawyer’s old car is still parked on the street in front of my house, and my
