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“All kidding aside, Sawyer. You deserve all the good things in life, and I hope Mr. Soren Montgomery Roberts realizes that.” My mouth dropped open at the same time Talia swatted at Rob’s arm.

“Hey, hey!” He raised his arm to shield himself, his smile taking over his whole face.

“You investigated him and didn’t tell me!” Talia squealed.

“I’m going to an unknown man’s house with two of my favorite ladies. Of course, I looked him up! You’ll be glad to know he’s got a good credit score.”

I knew he was kidding about his credit score, but it cracked me up all the same.

“Oh my word!” I exclaimed.

Talia laughed, her eyes dancing with amusement. I loved these moments of seeing a healthy relationship like theirs up close. They were best friends, but there was no mistaking the way they were attracted to each other. Talia and Rob were lucky to love each other so fiercely. If I ever were to fall in love, I’d want a relationship like theirs where I could be fully myself and be loved, flaws and all.

Chapter

Twenty

Soren

I carried out a baking sheet laden with seasoned ribs and tinfoil-wrapped asparagus with lemon, parmesan cheese, and butter, along with a shake of creole seasoning. It was always a crowd favorite, and Lane specifically asked me if I was making it. I lifted the grill lid and transferred the items to the racks. The smell of Applewood was in the air. Sawyer would be here soon and I had nerves of anticipation. I had slept with more women than I cared to admit, but I hadn’t truly dated that much, which left me feeling unbalanced and awkward. I’d never been this nervous before, and it wasn’t even a date. There was something inside me that wanted to be around Sawyer. It was more than getting a piece of Abel back, it was more than attraction. There was a spark in her that made me feel like a moth chasing after the warmth of light.

Outside of the two years where I walked through hell and then ultimately hit rock bottom, I’d had a good life. I still remembered the second worst day of my life in vivid detail, and it made me gun shy where women were concerned. I had rolled up from the pasture to a blonde sitting on my front porch steps, just as Sawyer had, except the difference had been night and day. A devil and an angel. Their differences couldn’t be cataloged, there were too many. I swallowed past the acidic bile that rose in my throat. Sawyer wasn’t anything like her, but the experience made me cautious to put myself in that vulnerable place ever again. I had a lot more to lose now. I heard the sound of tires on gravel and looked up to see a black BMW SUV pull in. That had to be Sawyer and her friends, Talia and Rob. They parked alongside my dark green pickup. I glanced down at the grill temp, closed the lid, wiped my already clean hands on the hand towel over my shoulder, and walked down the side steps. Sawyer stepped out wearing a pair of light wash distressed jeans cuffed at the ankle, a white shirt that was trimmed in lace, and white sneakers. Her waist length blonde hair was a cascade of loose curls over her shoulders and back. Everything about her was soft. Her eyes met mine as I realized I’d walked up to her without even realizing I was moving.

“Hey,” I rasped, the nerves evident in my voice. Hell, I was acting like some punk kid. What was wrong with me? At least Lane wasn’t here yet to witness this because I knew he wouldn’t let it go.

The corners of her full lips kicked up.

“I brought cheesecake.” She held up a food container.

“Good girl.”

Double what the hell. I had told her “good girl” like . . . I raked a hand through my hair. Her eyes widened and danced with amusement, and that’s when I heard a man clear his throat. I couldn’t even tear my eyes away from her to glance at where the sound came from.

“Can I try again?” I asked despite the heat crawling up my neck.

I blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand down my face. Why was I so awkward with her?

She nodded, biting her lip to contain her smile as light danced across her bright blue eyes.

“Hey, Pretty Girl. I’m glad you’re here.”

A smile lit up her face.

“Me too,” she agreed as she bit the inside of her cheek.

She turned to the couple that were now watching us as if we were a science experiment. I recognized Talia right away, and she was wearing another neon outfit that fit her personality. Today, she was mostly sunshine yellow. Next to her was a man who was almost as tall as Jonah, with thick black hair and intense dark green eyes.

“You’ve met Talia, and this is her husband, Rob.”

I stretched out my hand and Rob gave me a handshake that might have been more firm than necessary.

Talia was bubbly which I suspected was her typical nature. Rob was outgoing albeit a lot more reserved than his wife. His staredown was intimidating, but I couldn’t blame him for being protective of this girl. She was worth protecting.

“Come on in. I’ll carry that.”

I reached to take the container Sawyer was holding as Rob carried a casserole container for Talia. She passed it over, and I asked them about their drive over. After getting everything settled, I offered them glass bottle sodas and we gathered around the side porch by the grill. The conversation was stiff at first, but after a few minutes, things relaxed. Talia was excellent at keeping things flowing with small talk, and Jonah drove up in his matte black truck not long after.

“Hey, man.” He greeted me by smacking my shoulder after he had carried in a bowl of homemade guacamole and chips to the refrigerator. I made the introductions, and although Jonah was not a talker, I could see that he was trying to be welcoming. Rob was still watching me intensely and my neck burned in embarrassment at my earlier fumble. My mom would have slapped me upside the head. I wanted to slap me upside the head.