Chapter Nineteen
Sawyer
After a week of dates with Lana—either at my house, at the field party, or at Hank’s it was time I took her somewhere nice. She never complained and was open to anything I suggested. Even the other day when I’d asked if she’d wanted to go with me to pick out stuff for my dorm room she’d gone with me happily. Granted, I had to rein her in on her decorating ideas. I was a guy and our curtains and quilts didn’t need to match. I just needed something dark enough to block out the sun on mornings I might actually get to sleep in.
Today, I’d decided to surprise her with a trip to New Orleans. It was a two-hour drive from Grove. The only info I’d given her was that she needed to wear a sundress and comfortable shoes. The restaurant I was taking her to that night was too nice for shorts and required a little bit of a dressier look. We’d be doing a good amount of walking the streets too. As much as I loved her legs in heels, I didn’t figure she’d thank me for not warning her about the walking.
I couldn’t think of a time I’d been this anxious to see someone. She’d fallen asleep in my arms last night and I’d had to sneak out the window in Ashton’s room that Beau had used many times when we were kids.
I pressed the button on the garage door opener and started to back out when my eyes landed on Ashton standing in front of her Jetta, directly behind me. Opening my truck door, I stepped out and walked out to where she was standing.
Tears were streaming down her face and her shoulders were shaking with loud sobs. What the hell?
“Ash, what’s wrong? Is Lana okay?” My heart constricted. Why else would Ash be in my driveway crying like someone was dead? God, please tell me Lana was okay. I’d just left her in her bed a few hours ago. She’d been fine.
“Ash, tell me what’s wrong now.” I felt my throat tighten up and I resisted the urge to grab her shoulders and shake her. I needed her to speak.
“Lana is fine,” she sobbed and I took a deep gulp of air as my panic eased off. This wasn’t about Lana. I could calm down.
“Thank God,” I breathed.
“It’s Beau—he... he,” she burst into tears again.
“Is Beau okay?” I asked and she shoved Beau’s cell phone into my hands.
“Just read that text,” she wailed.
Read what text? Shaking my head, I looked down at Beau’s phone. The text that had Ashton all upset was already opened on the screen.
Sugar: Hey sexy. I had a blast dancing with you last week. And you owe me one more game of pool. That was an unfair game and you know it. You distracted me. So you find another night away from that ball and chain of yours and get your gorgeous ass back to the bar next weekend when I’m back in town XOXO.
I lifted my eyes to meet Ashton’s red swollen ones and all I could think about was exactly how I was going to murder my brother.
Lana
Sawyer: I can’t make it. Not sure if you’ve talked to Ash but Beau cheated on her and she needs me. I’ve got to go beat his sorry ass and then see what I can do to calm her down. She was outside on my driveway this morning bawling her eyes out.
I reread the text message from Sawyer for the third time before I finally put my phone down. I don’t know what surprised me more: Beau cheating on Ash or Sawyer dropping me to fix her problems. He could have at least called me. Maybe asked for my help with Ash. He’d done neither. Because this was what he’d been waiting on. All this time, I was just a fill-in while he waited. Beau served Ashton up to him on a silver platter and I wasn’t stupid enough to think I stood a chance of holding onto him. He loved her. He just liked me. I was the summer fling. She was the girl he wanted to spend forever with.
Picking my phone back up, I found Jewel’s number and pressed send.
“It’s about time you called me. How’s it going with Mr. Hot and Sexy?”
“It’s not. I need to leave. Can I come there?”
“Uh, oh. That doesn’t sound good. Of course, you can come here. Do I need to come get you? Because it could be like tonight before I get there. I have plans with this fabulously hot lifeguard. He has the best ass I’ve ever seen. His hair is a little long but I can overlook that.”
“No, I’ll get a ride. I’ll see you in a few hours. Thanks Jewel.”
“No problemo, chica. See ya soon.”
I hung up the phone and dialed one more number.
“Hello,” the cautious tone in Ethan’s voice told me he knew who was calling.