Page 43 of Break My Heart (The Haydon Falls #2)

If that’s true, it means I’m no better than my dad, running away from the people who love me. Why would I do that? Why would I run from that?

‘What are you doing out here? It’s damn near freezing.’

I turn and see Carl, Sawyer’s dad, coming up to me.

‘I was on the phone.’ I pull Sawyer’s jacket tighter around me. ‘I couldn’t hear with the music.’

‘Why don’t you come back inside and warm up?’

I nod, but remain where I am.

Carl stands beside me, staring out at the orchard. ‘So what’s the latest with you and Sawyer? You two back to being friends?’

‘We were always friends.’ I laugh a little. ‘Even when we were kids, fighting about who would win the pie-eating contest, we were friends. We just didn’t want to admit it.’

‘You think you two will be anything more than that?’

‘I don’t know.’

He’s quiet a moment, then says, ‘Sawyer got hurt real bad back when Kendall left. Never thought he’d let himself get close to a girl again.’ He pauses a moment. ‘He knows you might take off like she did, but he still wants to try to make it work with you. That should tell you something.’

What is he saying? That Sawyer loves me?

‘My boys changed after I had my heart attack last summer,’ Carl says.

‘They realized life’s too short to let your fears stop you from going out and getting what you want.

Just look at Nick. A year ago he was living in New York, working seven days a week with nothing to show for it but a big bank account.

He wasn’t happy, but he was too afraid to tell anyone.

He thought we’d be disappointed in him if he quit being a lawyer.

He thought he was stuck in that life. But now look at him.

He’s happier than ever and engaged to the girl he’s been pining over since high school.

He took a risk and it paid off.’ Carl notices me shivering and puts his arm around me.

‘Let’s get you inside before you freeze to death. ’

Sometimes Carl feels more like a dad than my own dad, and I’ve only known Carl a few months. We go in the barn and he walks over to Martha while I return to the table and give Sawyer his jacket.

He lays it over the chair as he stands up. ‘Dance with me.’

Looking out at the dance floor, I see it’s filled with couples now. Martha and Carl join in as a new song begins.

‘C’mon.’ Sawyer takes my hand. ‘It’ll help you warm up.’

He takes me to the dance floor and we find a spot off to the side, away from the band.

‘What’s the smile for?’ he asks, as we sway to the music.

‘I didn’t know I was smiling.’

‘It’s good. I like it. I haven’t seen it for awhile.’

‘It’s been a rough week.’

‘Things will get better. They always do.’

I rest my head on his shoulder, thinking about what he said when we were outside, about how I’m already part of his family.

Then I think about what his dad said about not letting fear stop you from having what you want.

I’m not usually someone who lets fear stand in my way, so why am I doing it now?

Why am I running from what I really want?

I look up at Sawyer. ‘I’ll do it.’

‘Do what?’

‘I’ll stay. I’ll stay in Haydon Falls. ’

‘Really? You just decided this?’

‘I don’t want to leave. I like it here. And you’re right. I can’t let a few assholes run me out of town.’

‘That’s the Gina I know.’ He smiles, but then his expression turns to one of concern. ‘But what if it doesn’t work out? What if G’s has to close?’

He’s worried I’ll leave. I’d like to say I won’t, but I can’t promise that, not yet.

‘I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens. All I know is what I want right now, and that’s to open G’s again.’ I pause. ‘And for us to get back together.’

Sawyer doesn’t say anything, but I can see his hesitation in the way he’s looking at me. He wants us to get back together, but he’s worried I’ll leave like his ex did.

‘I wish I could promise you I’ll never go,’ I say. ‘But I’m not ready to yet. We haven’t dated that long and I’m not ready to—’

‘I get it.’ His smile returns. ‘I need to convince you to stay. Challenge accepted.’

‘Challenge?’ My brows rise. ‘Is this a competition?’

‘It could be. If I win, you stay. If you win, you go back to your old life.’

‘That wouldn’t be winning.’

‘Then I guess you’ll have to stay. That way we both win.’

I tilt my head. ‘I’m not sure that makes sense.’

‘Who the hell cares? The point is you’re staying, for now.’

I smile at him. ‘I’m staying.’

He leans down and kisses me, and the “for now” part of what he just said no longer feels like it belongs. I don’t want to leave, even if G’s doesn’t work out. I want to stay here, with Sawyer, and see if we can make this work.

‘Come back with me,’ Sawyer says as we walk to the house.

It’s midnight and the reception just ended.

It turned out to be a great night, despite the news of my dad not coming back and my worries about G’s.

Being with Sawyer tonight reminded me how good he makes me feel, even when the rest of my life isn’t going well.

‘I can’t,’ I tell him. ‘I’m supposed to be staying here tonight.’

‘My parents won’t care if you don’t stay here. I’m not in high school. They know I bring girls to my apartment.’

‘How many girls are we talking about here?’ I ask, eyeing him.

He laughs. ‘Hopefully only one from now on.’ He puts his arm around me and turns me toward the driveway. ‘C’mon, let’s go.’

‘Sawyer, I can’t. Your mom will—’

‘Hey, Mom!’ Sawyer yells, and when I look behind us, I see Martha and Carl walking hand-in-hand back to the house. ‘Gina’s going to stay with me tonight.’

‘I expect to see both of you in the morning for breakfast,’ Martha says in her motherly tone.

‘Yeah, Mom, we’ll be there,’ he says, walking me to his car.

‘I left my overnight bag there,’ I whisper.

‘Why are you whispering? They can’t hear you. They went in the house.’

‘I don’t know. I guess I feel like I’m in trouble for not staying there. I’m not used to the parent thing. I don’t know how it works.’

‘We’re adults. You don’t have to ask their permission to do stuff.’ He points to the house. ‘They’re probably in there right now, saying how happy they are that we made up and are back together. I guarantee they’re not in there saying how angry they are that you’re not spending the night there.’

We get in the car and Sawyer heads to his place.

‘I need to stop at my apartment and get some clothes.’

‘We’ll go there in the morning.’ He glances at me and smiles. ‘You don’t need clothes tonight. ’

I smile back. It feels good to be with Sawyer again, like things are back to how they were meant to be.

I’m not usually someone who believes in that stuff, but when it comes to Sawyer, I really feel like we were meant to find each other.

Why else would my grandfather end up winning a building in this tiny town where Sawyer lives?

A building I’d later inherit to open my brewery? That can’t just be a coincidence.

*?*?*

‘Great breakfast, Mom,’ Sawyer says, setting his napkin on the table.

It’s Sunday morning and we just finished having breakfast with Sawyer’s family.

At first I couldn’t eat because everyone was staring at us, waiting for Sawyer and me to explain what was going on.

Finally, Sawyer just blurted out that I’m his girlfriend again, and after some hugs and congratulations, everything was back to normal and my appetite returned.

‘I’m stuffed,’ Nash says, leaning back in his chair. He and Callie stayed at a hotel last night. It’s an old historic hotel, the fanciest one in town. Nash looks at Callie. ‘What do you think, Mrs. Wheeler? Should we hit the road?’

‘Mrs. Wheeler.’ Callie laughs. ‘I have to get used to that, but yeah, we should get going.’

‘When are you guys moving here?’ I ask.

‘Next Friday,’ Nash says. ‘That’ll give me almost a week to wrap up my projects in Chicago while Callie gets us packed.’

‘I’m going to miss you two,’ Mitch says.

‘They’re only a few hours away,’ Jake says to his dad.

‘You can come see them anytime,’ Martha says to Mitch. ‘We’d love to have you. ’

‘We’re going to head out,’ Nash says as he and Callie get up from the table.

‘Thanks for all your help with the wedding,’ Callie says, looking at all of us around the table. ‘It was a perfect day.’

‘I second that,’ Nash says.

Martha gets up and gives them a hug. ‘We’ll see you soon. Have a safe drive back.’

‘We’re going to head out too,’ Sawyer says, getting up. ‘I need to do some work before we go to G’s this afternoon.’

‘When’s the dumpster getting there?’ Brody asks.

‘It should be there around noon,’ I tell him.

‘You want to just meet there?’ Jason says to Brody. ‘Or you want me to pick you up?’

‘We can meet there,’ Brody says.

I look at them. ‘Wait—what do you mean?’

‘They’re going to help us clean up,’ Sawyer explains.

‘Oh, you guys don’t have to do that,’ I say to Jason and Brody. ‘I don’t want to take up your Sunday.’

‘It’s not just them,’ Sawyer says. ‘We’ve got a whole crew lined up to be there.’

I turn to Sawyer. ‘You hired people? I can’t pay them.’

‘You’re not. They’re doing it for free.’

‘The boys and I talked to some people in town,’ Carl says. ‘We told them what happened and that we could use some help. Some will be there today for the cleanup and others volunteered to help Nash out when he starts the repairs.’

‘But they don’t even know me.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Carl says. ‘This is how people are here. Someone needs help, we all pitch in. Haydon Falls is a good town. Those two that attacked your business don’t represent us. They’re just too bad seeds that made you their target. It wasn’t right, and the rest of us want to help fix it.’

‘What about all that stuff they read about me? The stuff Wade put online? There have to be at least some people in town that believed that stuff and want nothing to do with me.’

‘A few of the old timers, sure, but that isn’t about you. It’s about them not wanting anyone new moving to town.’

‘I’ll be over around one,’ Nick says, getting up. ‘I need to do some work in the orchard before I go.’

‘I’ll help you clean up,’ Lyndsay says to Martha as she gets up to gather the plates.

‘Thanks for breakfast, Martha,’ I tell her.

‘You’re welcome.’ She winks at me and smiles, then smiles at Sawyer.

As we’re driving back to his place, my phone rings. ‘It’s Ryder,’ I say to Sawyer. ‘I’ll tell him I’m busy.’

‘You should tell him—’ Sawyer shakes his head. ‘Never mind.’

This morning before we left for breakfast, Sawyer and I had a long talk about Ryder.

Even since I told Ryder what happened to G’s, he’s been calling and texting me, offering to come here.

Sawyer doesn’t want me to remain friends with Ryder because he’s convinced Ryder wants me back.

I insisted Ryder and I are just friends, but Sawyer didn’t believe me and we argued about it until Sawyer said he trusts me and that if I really valued Ryder’s friendship that much that he’d stay out of it.

‘Hey, Ryder,’ I say.

‘Hey, I was just checking in to see how everything’s going.’

‘It’s good. The supplies have been ordered and we’re going to clean up the debris today.’

‘Any idea when you’ll reopen?’

‘No. It really depends on when we get the supplies.’

‘When you have a reopen date, I’ll come down the week before and get everything set up. ’

‘You don’t have to do that. That’s my job. It’s my place.’

‘Yeah, but you’re new at this. You might miss something.’

‘I won’t,’ I say, getting that irritated feeling that pops up whenever Ryder talks to me this way, like I’m incompetent. ‘I can do this, Ryder. I don’t need your help.’

Sawyer glances at me as we wait at a stoplight. I can tell he wants to say something, but he won’t. He agreed to stay out of it.

‘Why don’t you drive up to Green Bay next weekend?’ Ryder says. ‘Get away from that place. You could use a break and it’ll be good to have you here again. We can go out to that restaurant you like, the one with the smoked meat.’

Ryder likes that place. I don’t. He just assumes I like it because I didn’t complain all the times we went there.

‘I can’t go there next weekend,’ I say.

Sawyer mutters something under his breath as he turns into the lot behind his place.

‘C’mon, Gina,’ Ryder says. ‘It’ll be like old times. I ended it with Mandy, so we’re free to do whatever we want.’

He’s single again. Is that why he keeps calling me? Because he wants us to get back together?

Sawyer parks the car and opens his door. ‘I’ll be upstairs.’

‘No, wait.’ I grab his arm as I talk into the phone. ‘Ryder, this needs to end.’

‘What needs to end?’

‘Us.’ I let go of Sawyer but keep my eyes on him. ‘I need a clean break. I don’t want to see you anymore.’

He laughs. ‘What the hell are you talking about? We’re friends. We’ve been friends for years.’

‘And now I have new friends. And a new life. And a boyfriend. It’s time to end this, Ryder. It’s time for you to move on with someone else. ’

‘Did that asshole tell you to do this?’ Ryder says, getting angry.

‘No. It’s my decision. And he’s not an asshole. He’s a great guy.’ I smile at Sawyer. ‘And I love him.’ My heart’s beating really fast after saying that. I almost didn’t, but then it slipped out.

Sawyer’s smiling at me as he turns and undoes my seatbelt.

‘Ryder, I have to go,’ I say as Sawyer wraps his hand around the side of my face and leans toward me.

‘Gina, what the hell?’ Ryder says. ‘You can’t be serious. What—’

I end the call and drop the phone as Sawyer kisses me. My phone rings. I’m sure it’s Ryder calling back. I ignore it, my focus on Sawyer and how good it feels to kiss him again after our week apart.

‘You really love me?’ he asks over my lips.

‘I do.’

‘I love you too.’ His lips press to mine before I can respond, but there’s really nothing to say. I knew he loved me. It’s what scared me and made me want to run away. I don’t know why I’m like that, if it’s genetics or just what my dad taught me by leaving me all the time when I was growing up.

I’m over that now, and I’m not my dad. I’m not going to run from love. I’m going to embrace it, fight for it, and do whatever I can to make it last.