Page 32 of Break My Heart (The Haydon Falls #2)

Gina

‘Go ahead,’ I tell Brody.

He nods and drives off.

Sawyer and I walk to his parents’ house and go inside to the kitchen.

It’s a big farmhouse kitchen decorated with orange and white pumpkins, fall leaf garlands, and big bowls of apples everywhere.

It’s like something you’d see in a movie, one of those cozy, feel-good movies you watch under a blanket when it’s cold and rainy outside.

‘I overreacted,’ Sawyer says, putting his arms around me. ‘When you asked to promote G’s, I panicked. I saw it as a threat to my brewery.’

‘It’s not a threat. It’s just a few flyers.’

‘I get that, but can you at least see where I’m coming from? It’s Kanfield Brewery and we’re at Kanfield Orchard. Promoting another brewery just doesn’t seem right. It’s like if my parents put out flyers for other orchards.’

I nod, seeing his point. I shouldn’t have just assumed I could put them out because I’m dating Sawyer and am friends with his family, especially after telling Sawyer we needed to keep our business and personal lives separate.

‘Ask Nick,’ Sawyer says. ‘Or my dad. It’s their decision, not mine. If they think it’s okay, then go ahead.’

Just then, Nick walks in. ‘Hey, have you guys seen Lyndsay?’

‘I haven’t seen her,’ Sawyer says. ‘Hey, while you’re here, Gina has a question for you.’

As I tell Nick about the flyers, he keeps glancing at Sawyer.

‘What do you think?’ I ask. ‘Is it okay if I put them out?’

Nick looks back and forth between Sawyer and me. ‘You guys talked about this?’

‘A little,’ Sawyer says. ‘I told her it’s your call since you’re the one in charge of the orchard.’

The way Nick’s looking at Sawyer, I think he’s hesitant to tell me yes. I understand his hesitation. I’ll just find somewhere else to put the flyers.

‘I don’t need to put them out,’ I tell him. ‘I can pass them out around town.’

‘I’m not saying no,’ Nick says. ‘I just don’t know where I’d put them. And I think it’s only fair to let Sawyer put something out too.’

‘I’m already selling t-shirts and hats,’ he says.

‘But you’re out of them.’

‘Tom’s bringing more tomorrow.’

‘Just forget it,’ I say. ‘I don’t want to cause any problems.’

‘Add them to the table that’s on the way out,’ Nick says.

‘It’s kind of a free-for-all promo area where businesses can drop off cards.

It’s meant for services, like plumbing or roofing, but go ahead and put your flyers there.

’ He looks behind me and smiles. ‘There you are. Mom’s looking for you.

She needs some help at the bakery counter. ’

I glance back and see Lyndsay behind me. She hurries over to Nick. ‘I had to get a sweater. It’s getting chilly out there.’

He kisses her. ‘Let’s go.’

They head back outside.

‘I’ll go with you to get the flyers,’ Sawyer says, taking my hand.

‘I’m not going to do it. Nick didn’t seem like he wanted me to and I know you don’t.’

‘Gina, I never said that.’

‘You did. You just didn’t use those exact words.

And I’m okay with it. I don’t want to get special treatment because I’m your girlfriend.

We agreed to keep our business and personal lives separate.

If I didn’t know you and I asked if I could put the flyers out and you told me no, I’d accept it and move on. ’

‘Except Nick told you you could put them out.’

‘Nobody will see them on that table. By the time people get there, they’re tired and ready to leave. They don’t want to stop and pick up a flyer.’

‘It’s up to you.’

‘Maybe I’ll put them out tomorrow. Let’s go back to the festival.’

When we get to the barn, it looks totally different.

The craft booths have shut down for the day and the kid activities are gone.

All the tables have been moved aside to make room for people to dance.

The band is playing and the lights are dimmed, giving the place a different feel than it had earlier.

‘C’mon,’ Sawyer says, pulling me toward the dance floor. ‘Let’s get some people out here.’

‘How? What are we doing?’

‘Dancing. If we start, other people will join in.’

‘But everyone will see us. Are you sure you’re ready for that? ’

‘If I wasn’t, we wouldn’t be here.’ He takes my hand as his arm goes around my waist.

‘Everyone’s staring,’ I whisper as he leads us around the dance area.

‘Yeah? So?’

‘I’m not a good dancer.’

‘Then good thing you have a good partner.’

He is good, at least compared to me. I’m a terrible dancer.

Nick and Lyndsay join us, then Sawyer’s parents. Soon the whole dance floor is full.

We spend the rest of the night dancing, eating, and hanging out with Sawyer’s family. It’s probably good I’m here instead of at G’s. If I were there, I’d just be worrying about my lack of customers.

Around midnight, we go back to Sawyer’s apartment.

We have to pass through the brewery to get there and I can’t help but feel some defeat when I see all the people.

Maybe it’s only like this because of the festival.

When the tourists leave town, Sawyer and I will be back to a level playing field, both of us competing for the locals.

*?*?*

The next morning, my alarm goes off at six. I set it last night because I wanted to get up early and not be tempted to sleep in. But it’s hard to get up when the room is chilly and I’m comfy and warm in Sawyer’s arms.

‘What time is it?’ he asks, yawning.

‘Six. I need to get going.’

‘Why? It’s Saturday.’

‘I have to work. The hard cider competition is only a week away. ’

‘It’s too late to start a new cider. It wouldn’t have time to ferment.’ He pulls me against his chest. ‘C’mon, just a couple more hours. Then we’ll go to my parents’ house for breakfast. My mom invited the whole family.’

‘I’m not family,’ I say, but I like the idea of that. I’d love to be part of Sawyer’s family, but that would mean marrying him and I don’t see that happening.

‘They treat you like family.’ Sawyer pulls me closer and kisses my head. ‘My parents love you. They think you’re good for me. My brothers do too.’

I look up at him. ‘Why am I good for you?’

‘Because you drive me crazy.’

‘And that’s a good thing?’

‘It is when it makes me work harder.’

‘I don’t get it.’

‘When you do stuff better than me, it makes me work harder so I can beat you. I can’t stand losing. It pisses me off.’

‘I don’t like losing either.’

‘That’s why we’re good together. We help each other be our best.’ He kisses me as his hand slides up my thigh.

I break from the kiss. ‘I’d love to, but I really need to go.’

He groans and lays back on the bed.

I laugh. ‘Hey, you’re the one who said you didn’t want our relationship to just be about sex.’

‘And it’s not. But right now, I could really use some.’

‘Later.’ I get out of bed. ‘Let me get some stuff done first.’

He turns on his side and watches me get dressed. ‘Why don’t you shower here?’

‘Because you’ll join me and I’ll never leave.’

‘I don’t see the problem.’

I smile. ‘Later. I promise.’

‘What time are you coming to the festival?’ He gets out of bed and the sight of his naked body makes me want to change my mind about the shower.

‘I don’t know yet. I’ll text you. Will you be there all day?’

‘Yeah. I just need to go through the receipts from last night and then I’ll head over.’ He puts on his jeans but not his shirt, probably trying to tempt me, knowing I love his muscular chest and abs.

I look away and finish getting dressed. ‘So how’s your cider coming? Are you done with it?’

‘Yeah. I have a few versions. I still need to decide which one I’m going to enter.’ He walks up to me. ‘You sure I can’t convince you to stay? I could make you breakfast.’

‘I can’t. I have too much to do.’ My phone rings. I check the screen and see Ryder’s name. Why is he calling this early? I silence the call and give Sawyer a kiss. ‘I’ll see you at the festival.’

He follows me to the door. ‘Who was that? On the phone?’

‘Ryder. He probably just wants to tell me about some beer article he read. He’s always calling to tell me that stuff.’

‘Why are you still talking to him?’

‘Why wouldn’t I?’

‘He’s your ex. And now you’re with me. Don’t you think it’s time you stop talking to him?’

‘No. Ryder is just a friend. Even when we were dating, he was more like a friend than a boyfriend.’

‘You lived with the guy. That’s more serious than a boyfriend.’

‘It’s not. I only lived with him because my lease was up and I was spending more time at his place than mine. It just made sense to move in with him.’

‘How often does he call?’

‘Sawyer, I’m not going to argue about this. You don’t have to be jealous of Ryder. My relationship with him is over. ’

‘It’s not over if he’s still calling you and showing up here.’

‘He came here to help me with G’s. That’s it. And I really don’t like that you’re acting like this, like you don’t trust me.’

‘I trust you. I just don’t trust him.’

‘He doesn’t live here. And he’s dating someone else now. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll see you later.’

After a quick stop back at my apartment to shower and change clothes, I drive to G’s.

‘What happened to my sign?’ I mutter to myself as I notice one of the signs promoting my beer special is missing.

As I get closer, I notice it’s not missing.

It just fell down. I pull over to the side of the road and get out of the truck.

As I walk up to the sign, I see it’s flattened to the ground, like someone drove over it.

Looking farther down the road, I see the same thing. Someone drove over all my signs.

It could’ve happened by accident. Someone could’ve been looking at their phone, swerved out of the lane, and run over the signs. The signs are on wire legs that easily bend.

As I fix the signs, I start wondering if maybe it wasn’t an accident. If it was only one sign, I could believe it, but three? Maybe it was high school kids. They’re always running stuff over for fun.

Going into G’s, my phone rings. It’s Ryder again.

‘Hey, Ryder,’ I answer. ‘Why are you calling so early?’