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Just as I got to the table though, an arm reached around me to set down a poorly wrapped gift.
“My sister’s going to kill me for being late,” the voice said. I could hear the slight chuckle behind the words. Without turning to see the owner of the voice, I was surprised at how the baritone voice eased some of the fluttering in my chest.
The unknown never healed the anxiety.
Forcing a smile on my face, I turned toward the voice and was struck by his familiarity.
No, I never met this man before, but even without him stating ‘his sister,’ it was more than obvious who this man was. Standing easily six inches over my five-five self was Sydney’s replica. They had the same eyes, the same hair color, except on his shorter style, the red took more of a brassy brown tone.
“Sawyer,” he said, offering his hand and a smile.
His smile was wide yet not completely symmetrical. He had a crooked eye-tooth but if anything, it made him that more attractive, especially when surrounded by a five-o’clock shadow.
“Grace,” I whispered, before clearing my throat and repeating my name in a louder voice.
His smile stayed on his face and he lifted his offered hand again, bringing it to my attention. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grace.”
“Hey, Grace!” Sydney shouted and I wanted to reprimand her for being so loud with sleeping children around, but they were her kids who were sleeping. If she woke them, she could deal with their wrath.
Thankfully though, baby Bri stayed sleeping.
I stood and moved toward the mudroom, nearly there when my friend and her brother stepped through. My eyes brushed past Sydney for the briefest of moments, locking with Sawyer’s, before looking back at his sister.
I had never felt nervous around Sawyer. Not from the first moment I met him; not even during the awkward baby passing when Bri was born.
Yet for whatever reason, right now, I was.
With Sydney’s beautiful red hair—even though paired with a makeup-less face and comfy gym attire—and Sawyer dressed impeccably in business casual clothes that fit him like a glove, I felt incredibly mediocre in my jeans and off-shoulder sweatshirt.
“How’s my baby?” Sydney asked, walking right up to me and snatching my shield away from my chest. Now I didn’t have anything to do with my hands.
I stuck them in my pockets and looked around, trying to find something to say, but words wouldn’t come.
“Hey, Grace.”
And just like that, his voice had the power to calm everything inside me.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I was still unsure of damn near everything where he was concerned, but the anxiety started to melt away.
I offered him a small smile. “Hey, stranger.”
If it were a year ago, I would hug him. He’d hug me tight to him, lifting my feet off the ground, much like he did his sister. Right now though, we stood feet apart, one of us with her hands in her pockets and the other with a hand on his suitcase, and the other clenching and unclenching at his side.
“I’m,” I started, before taking a deep breath. “I’m glad to see you,” I finished. I forced my eyes to lock with his, watching as his shifted between mine.
He nodded and started to respond, but Sydney cut in. “Aren’t you two just a bunch of rosy roses. Where are my boys, Grace? Napping?”
Thankful for the distraction, I turned and nodded. “Yeah. They went down right after you left.” I went to move past her, with the goal being to grab my keys in the kitchen and leave. “I’ll just head out now. Give you two time to catch up.”
“No!” Sydney said, a little too quickly. “I mean, no. I thought maybe you would want to help take the boys down to see the seals and sea lions with Soy and me? Hang out down there.”
Sydney really wasn’t sly with her matchmaking, and it made my face heat knowing there wasn’t any way Sawyer wasn’t missing this.
“I don’t… I mean.” My nerves were getting the best of me as I stumbled with what I was trying to say.
“Yeah. Come with,” Sawyer cut in, his eyes still fixed on mine. His face didn’t hold any answers for me, but it was in the tone of his words.
I bit down on my lip, fidgeting in my spot. “I just…” I looked over my shoulder around the room before settling my gaze down to my feet.
