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I glance in the direction he said and feel my heart beat harder.
“I don’t know if Andie has told you anything about me, but I’ve been friends with her mom for a long a time, since Andie was in high school. She means the world to me—”
“Say no more,” I interrupt. “My intentions are honorable.” I laugh and run my hands through my hair. “I feel like a broken record, but I get it. I get that she has a lot of people who care about her here, and I respect that. But at the end of the day what happens between Andie and I, is between us.”
Aiden nods. “For the record, you don’t need to say anything as it’s written all over your face.” He grins. “If you’re going to be around us, you need to practice your poker face...and watch Diego and Kasey because they cheat.”
“Good to know.”
“I’m heading out now with Sarah, she really isn’t feeling too well. But it was nice to meet you, after hearing about you for so long.” Aiden offers his hand.
I shake. “Thanks. I’ll see you again, and tell your wife that I hope she’s soon able to enjoy her pregnancy.”
He grins. “I like you.”
Aiden disappears from view so I slowly walk back to the house while imagining what it would be like to be a permanent part of this family. I find that I can’t imagine not being.
Entering through the opened glass doors, I spot Andie sitting beside her mom and the minute her eyes find mine across the room, everything else fades, and her smile at seeing me is one I’ll never forget.
15
Andie
I hate the fact that we’re back in Denver and that in thirty minutes I’ll be taking a class. It was nice being home with Sawyer and being able to just be with him. Now everything is back to normal and we’re arriving at College separately and trying our best not to find ourselves alone together. It’s difficult because all I want is for him to kiss me good luck before I stand at the front of the auditorium in front of a double class.
My nerves are always close to the surface anyway but with the stress of wanting one thing but having to accept another is getting to me. I think when I was getting my things together after breakfast that Sawyer could tell I was about to crack because he left me alone even though I sensed him wanting to hold me, to say something.
I know that I need to calm down so sitting behind the desk, I slowly look around the currently empty room and practice the breathing exercises that Violet suggested. It’s a slow inhale and then an equally slow exhale. I do this over until I feel the butterflies starting to settle in my stomach and the panic slowly subsides.
I’m not usually this freaked, but then again I’ve never given a class with so many people expected to attend either.
I can do this!
Glancing at my cell, I swipe the screen and opening up my messages, my finger hovers over Sawyer’s name. I know why he’s left me alone, but I’m not sure that I want that. I hesitate and then go for it.
Me: I need you :/
I see the hovering dots as he responds.
Sawyer: Turn around.
I smile and turning, he’s standing a few feet away with a wry expression on his handsome face.
“It’s killed me staying away from you.” He moves closer. “But the last thing I wanted was to set you off when I could clearly see that you were hanging on by a thread.”
I tilt my head to the side and smile. “You know me well. My anxiety got the better of me, but I think I’m calmer now. My medication has kicked in, and I just needed to see you before the students started arriving to make it through the class.”
He moves closer and his fingers twitch to reach out to me, which I want him so desperately to do, but know that we can’t...we really can’t. Ignoring the right of wrong of this, I reach forward and taking his hand, I bring it up to my face.
He inhales and caresses my face with the palm of his hand as I lean into his touch. “You make me believe that anything is possible,” he whispers.
We’re now so close together than even a piece of paper wouldn’t fit.
“Just having you here with me, makes me believe that I can do anything.”
He shakes his head. “You, Andie, are the strongest woman I know. You can do anything that you set your mind to. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise my beautiful girl.”
Tears hover on my lashes at his words and seeing them, he wipes them away with his thumbs. “Have I given you something else to think about?”
