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Warren’s smile thanked me. “It’s date night for us. Looks like for you too.”
I cleared my throat and regrettably dropped Sawyer’s hand. “Oh, um . . . we’re just . . .”
“This is Dane’s daughter,” Sawyer jumped in unwillingly.
Warren and Bridget both tipped their heads.
“When Emma was a baby, her mother married Dane after her first husband died.”
They nodded like that cleared up the last name discrepancy.
“We are sorry about the loss of your mother,” Bridget offered.
“Thank you,” I replied.
Warren looked between Sawyer and me with interest. A hint of a smile could be seen in his eyes. I had seen those glints in Sawyer’s many times. “It’s nice you two are . . . friends.”
It was freaking dandy.
Warren scrubbed a hand over his face while taking a deep breath. “Would you mind if we used the lane next to yours? I would love to catch up with you.” His eyes begged Sawyer’s before he focused on me. “And I’d like to get to know you better.”
“That would be great,” I responded without thinking. Warren had this effect on me, like Sawyer. He was so easy to like, just like his son.
Sawyer didn’t appreciate my willingness one bit. He grabbed my hand. “Can I speak to you?” He didn’t wait for my response before he began pulling me away toward the shoe rental counter. By the time we got there, Sawyer’s face was a dark shade of red. I’d never seen him angry before and I hated that it was directed toward me. He let go of my hand. “Em, what are you doing?”
I glanced over at a forlorn Warren before focusing back on a seething Sawyer. “He’s your dad and he obviously cares about you.”
“He left my mom for Bridget.”
Oh. So she was the woman. She looked so nice. I was having a hard time hating her. “I didn’t know that, but Sawyer, he’s your father.”
“You don’t know what it’s like to have your dad betray his family.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Not in the way you experienced it, but . . .” I hesitated, “when my dad struck up a relationship with your mom so soon after my mother’s death, that felt like a betrayal to me.”
Sawyer opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and let it out. The red began to dissipate from his face.
“I don’t know everything that went on in your family, but if you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen. But I do know what it’s like to lose a parent and how much I would give to talk to my mom again if for only one second, or to even have my dad reach out to me now.” My eyes teared up.
“Em.” Sawyer rested his hand on my arm. “Your dad loves you.”
I wiped my eyes. “From the looks of it, your dad loves you too. And aren’t you the one who told me that I needed to move forward and mend my heart? Maybe it’s time for you to do the same.”
Sawyer’s head dropped while he mulled over what I had to say. “Maybe you’re right,” he spoke low.
“If you want to leave, we can; if you want to stay, I’ll help you through it.”
He tipped up his head and gave me a crooked grin. “What would I do without you?”
“You might actually win a game of bowling.” I smiled.
He pulled me to him for a hug. I settled into his chest and soaked in his clean scent. For a moment I closed my eyes and only concentrated on the strong, steady beat of his heart. What I wouldn’t have given to stay there forever. I knew I couldn’t, so I pulled away. “We better join your dad and Bridget.”
Sawyer’s brow furrowed. “Okay, Em.” But he wasn’t done torturing me; he put his arm around me on the walk over and gave me a squeeze. “Was this our first fight?”
I laughed at him. He said the strangest things sometimes. It was one of his endearing qualities. “I think I’ve had more heated discussions with the soda dispenser at the convenience store than I just had with you.”
“Well, that’s good; it means we’re good communicators.”
“If you say so.”
It didn’t take long for us to reach the lane where his dad and Bridget waited for us. This time, though, I think Bridget was keeping her distance from Warren on purpose, as if she thought it might help. Infidelity was awful, and I didn’t condone it, but I could tell Bridget loved Warren. I wanted to know their story. Whether they realized it or not, it intertwined into my own.
Warren stepped forward. “We can go.”
“Don’t,” Sawyer offered.
Warren smiled at me as if it was my doing. I suppose I had something to do with it. Both he and Bridget looked relieved.
