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“Everything alright here?” Sawyer asked as he approached our table, pulling me back to the surface. He’d obviously heard what just went down. Becauseof coursehe did.
“Uh, yeah, just... you know, small town drama.” I attempted a laugh, but it came out as a strangled gasp, more akin to the sound of seagulls squabbling over scraps.
“Small towns,” he grunted with a shake of his head, “everyone’s got a front-row seat to your personal soap opera.”
“Feels more like a horror show,” I confessed, casting my gaze downward.
“I should go,” Alex said, a bit too abruptly. She gave me a smirk and scurried away faster than she’d appeared.
“Look, Hannah,” Sawyer began, sitting in the now-vacant chair across from me, “people will talk, but they’ve got short memories. Give it a week, and they’ll have a new scandal to chew on.”
“Thanks, I guess.” I offered a wry smile, the warmth of his concern like sunlight on my face after a long stint in the cold depths.
“You wanna get out of here?”
“God, yes.”
He stood, offering me his hand, and it was the easiest decision in the world to take it. We shuffled through the Witch’s Brew’s exit, the warmth of Sawyer’s presence was a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.
The fresh air was bracing, a slap of ice against my skin, bringing me back to life. With Sawyer by my side, the watchful eyes of the town no longer felt quite so oppressive.
As we walked down Harbor Street in comfortable silence, I wondered if he meant it earlier when he looked like he was about to kiss me. I could still feel the burn from his hand on my neck.
Before I could make conversation, Tom reappeared, his face contorted with rage. “So this is what made you walk away from me?!”
“Tom, don’t—“ I started, but Sawyer cut me off.
“Hey man, she said it’s over. Time to fuck off,” Sawyer said, his voice firm, with an underlying rage.
“Who the hell are you, anyway? Her knight in shining armor?” Tom sneered, advancing with clenched fists. He stared daggers at Sawyer, but then his eyes shifted to mine. “What, are you slumming it with this dirtbag? I never thought you’d turn into such a whore.”
It happened so fast—a flash like lightning. Sawyer grabbed Tom’s wrist, twisted slightly, and with a deft movement, had Tom pinned against the nearby wall, his arm behind his back. The display of control was swift, like a riptide that could catch you if you weren’t careful.
“Listen, asshole,” Sawyer’s voice was low but edged with steel, “Hannah’s made herself clear. Walk away, or I’ll help you find the door every time you show your face here.”
“Fuck off!” Tom spat, trying to wriggle free, but Sawyer’s grip was unyielding.
“Choice is yours.” Sawyer’s eyes didn’t waver from Tom’s, an unspoken challenge hanging between them.
After a tense moment, Tom relented with a grunt. Sawyer released him, and Tom stumbled before regaining his balance. He shot us both a venomous look before storming off down the street, his defeated figure growing smaller until it disappeared completely.
This day was one of the most embarrassing I could ever remember, but seeing Tom get flattened by Sawyer made it all worth it. I wasn’t even ashamed to admit it.
“Are you always this... chivalrous?” I asked, the corners of my mouth lifting despite the evening’s events.
“Only when I know someone worth protecting.” His gaze met mine again, and I caught a glimpse of the depth of his words in those honey-brown eyes. This man had become my unexpected protector, standing tall and solid, like the cliffs that held their ground against the ocean’s relentless push. There was something he wasn’t saying, I could see it in the tension of his jaw, the tightness around those eyes that seemed to see right through me.
We didn’t say another word, just started walking again, heading toward the hill that led home. And when he took my hand in his again, I breathed a contented sigh. The timing was off for more. But this was enough.
fifteen
HANNAH
I collapsedonto the chair in my office, exhaustion seeping into my bones. Twelve hours on my feet at the animal hospital had drained every last drop of energy from my body. As I reviewed my notes, the day’s chaos replayed in my mind on an endless loop—a lacerated leg here, a tumor removal there, not to mention the three spayings. I was beat.
A metallic jiggling noise from the back door made me jolt upright, heart suddenly pounding. What the hell was that? I quietly closed and locked the door of my small office, grabbing my phone and pulling up the security camera app Sawyer had installed. The feed from the front cameras showed the empty reception area and the closed front door. But the back camera was blacked out.
Shit, it wasn’t recording.
