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Heath, who had demanded in the beginning that they marry, was suddenly unhappy about this turn of events. He refused to give his blessing until his lawyer had a chance to put together a prenuptial agreement.
“How long does it take to draft a prenup?” Sawyer asked, taking a seat next to his bride-to-be.
Piper flinched at the word. “I don’t want to make you sign a prenup. That’s like saying we know we’re going to get a divorce so we’d better figure out who gets what ahead of time.”
“If it makes your dad feel better, I’ll sign anything. I don’t want your money.” He kissed her cheek, making her blush. “All I want are those smiles.”
“Are you sure about all this? I don’t want you to do this just because it’s what I want. I want you to be as sure as I am.”
Sawyer felt a twinge of doubt but pushed it down. “I’m sure.”
“I want both my parents to be here. I need my dad to walk me down the aisle or I’ll regret it.”
“Then call him and tell him to bring his prenup and a pen. Your husband isn’t afraid to sign it.” He cupped her cheek and planted a kiss on her forehead. “I have to call the pastor and our florist.”
“Why don’t you ask her if we could take all the flowers in here and reuse them?”
Sawyer gave her another kiss. “Good thinking, honey. I like that idea, because these are already paid for.”
He left her to deal with her father while he went back in the house to call Pastor Kline. He was halfway up the stairs when he heard Faith’s voice. She was talking to someone in her room with the door closed.
Sawyer crept up the remaining steps and stood outside her door. She must have been on the phone, because she was the only one he could hear.
“I have a bad feeling about this. I feel like this is more about Mom than it is about Piper.” She paused. “I know. But how do I tell him that? How do I convince him of that?”
Sawyer pushed open the door. There was nothing she could say to convince him not to go through with this. He was marrying Piper because he wanted to. This had nothing to do with Gretchen. Why would he care what Gretchen had to say?
“Who are you talking to?”
Faith spun around and her face flamed. “I have to go,” she said into the phone before hanging up. “Sawyer…”
“Who was on the phone?”
“It was Dean.” She fidgeted with her phone before setting it down on the dresser. “I’m worried about you and he’s my person.”
“What are you so worried about?”
“You’re so angry. Look…when Mom left, you blamed yourself. Dad tried his best to reassure you, but I know you took it personally.”
“What?” Maybe he’d felt that way when he was four, but he wasn’t a kid anymore. “That was a long time ago, Faith. I think I’ve gotten over it.”
“You say that, but I think until you sit down and talk to her about why she left, you’re never going to heal.”
Sit down with Gretchen? No, thanks. Sawyer didn’t blame himself for her leaving. She left because she was a terrible mom. She left because she was selfish, and she’d returned for the same reason. It wouldn’t take long for her to show her true colors. She’d be asking for money in no time.
He didn’t want to waste another minute listening to his sister act like an armchair psychologist. There was nothing wrong with him. He wasn’t suffering from any ridiculous childhood trauma. His life was better because Gretchen wasn’t in it. His dad had made sure he had everything he needed. And what his father couldn’t do, Harriet and Faith had taken care of for him. They still did.
“Think what you want. I don’t need to have a sit-down with someone who isn’t relevant in my life.” Sawyer ducked into his room and grabbed his phone off the bed. Instead of calling Pastor Kline, he called Harriet first. He’d show them all that this had nothing to do with Gretchen by going over to Harriet’s without a care in the world.
* * *
PIPER DIDN’T WANT to hear her father complain anymore. “Dad, this is what you wanted the day I told you we were having a baby. You said you wanted Sawyer to make an honest woman out of me. Not only is he going to do that, but he wants to do it. We don’t have to fake anything.”
