Page 17

Chapter seventeen

Clayton

The gravel crunched beneath Clayton’s boots as he made his way down the narrow path. The afternoon sun cast long shadows through the trees, and the thick scent of pine mingled with the occasional sweetness of wildflowers. In the distance, the lake shimmered—a pool of liquid blue green that seemed almost too serene against the chaos of reality.

Ahead of him, James and Brody walked side by side, their laughter carrying back on the breeze. Behind them, Sawyer lingered, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets. Clayton knew where Sawyer’s mind likely was—on the news he’d received that morning, the endless questions about his past that still had no answers.

It hurt Clayton to see him like this, burdened by a weight too heavy for anyone to carry alone. The questions about his parents, about the kidnapping, remained unanswered. Clayton hated the helplessness that came with it—the realization that he couldn’t make this better for Sawyer, no matter how much he wanted to.

“So,” Clayton called out, breaking the silence. “How does it feel to be scavenger hunt champions? You gonna add that to your résumés, or what?”

James turned with a wide grin, his expression brimming with pride. “Damn right we are! ‘James and Brody: motorcycle mechanics and professional clue solvers.’ Got a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Brody chuckled, shaking his head as they continued walking. “Yeah, sure. Like we don’t already have enough on our plates at the shop. Maybe we’ll put it on the business cards, just for kicks.”

The shop was their second home, the place where they spent countless hours tinkering with engines and breathing life back into bikes. They wore their grease stains like badges of honor, and if anyone deserved a win, Clayton figured it was those two.

“Hope you’re ready for your prize,” Clayton said, his tone teasing. “You’ll get it at dinner. Sawyer and I have something special lined up.”

Brody raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering across his face. “Special, huh? Should we be worried?”

“Worried? Nah,” Sawyer said from behind them, finally chiming in. His voice was calm but tinged with a subtle edge. “More like impressed.”

“Yeah,” Clayton added, aiming to keep the mood light. “Might even be a little humbled. It’s not every day you get to bask in the glory of a scavenger hunt victory.”

The trail widened as they neared the lake, its glassy surface catching the sun and throwing back a dance of light. Ducks paddled lazily near the shoreline, the scene framed by towering trees that made the place feel timeless.

They stopped near the edge of the water, and Clayton and Sawyer both clapped James and Brody on the back. “Congratulations, guys,” Sawyer said, his smile warm despite the storm brewing behind it.

“Thanks,” James replied, his grin unwavering. “You two put together one hell of a hunt. Had us sweating near the end, though.”

As the group chuckled and exchanged banter, James gestured for Sawyer to follow him a little farther down the shoreline. Clayton watched as they walked a short distance away, their voices low and serious. It wasn’t hard for Clayton to guess what they were talking about—James was a new friend for Sawyer. If anyone could help him navigate this mess, he could. James had a knack for reading emotional expressions on people’s faces. He must have sensed Sawyer was miles away and in pain. James didn’t need to know Sawyer enough to read his face. His sense of helping touched Clayton’s heart. Maybe he could help Sawyer.

Clayton and Brody were left alone. Brody leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed as he gazed out at the lake. Clayton moved closer, his hands finding their usual place on his belt.

“Something on your mind, Clayton?” Brody asked, his tone steady and unassuming.

Clayton hesitated. The words felt heavy, but Brody had a way about him, like he could handle whatever you threw at him. And Clayton needed to let it out.

“It’s Sawyer,” Clayton admitted, his eyes trained on the water. “He got some devastating information this morning about his past. Sawyer was kidnapped from his parents, then sold to his so-called parents. But it didn’t lead anywhere. No names, no faces. Just…more questions.”

Brody nodded; his expression stunned. He let the silence sit before responding. “That’s fucking rough. Not knowing…it’s like carrying a weight that never shifts.”

Clayton sighed, his voice dropping. “Yeah. And I can’t fix it. I can’t make it better for him, and it kills me. I hate feeling so useless.”

Brody turned to him, his gaze steady. “You ever think maybe it’s not about fixing it?”

Clayton frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Sometimes,” Brody’s tone was deliberate, “people don’t need you to solve their problems. They just need to know you’re there. That they’re not alone with it.”

The words hit Clayton harder than he expected—simple yet profound. He’d been so focused on trying to find answers, to fix things, that he hadn’t considered the possibility that just being there for Sawyer might be enough.

“You think that’s what he needs?” Clayton asked, doubt lingering in his voice.

Brody nodded. “I think what he needs is to know he’s got people in his corner. And from where I’m standing, he’s got one hell of a corner.”

The weight on Clayton’s chest lightened, if only slightly. Maybe Brody was right. Maybe he didn’t need to have all the answers. Maybe just walking beside Sawyer—like they were doing in camp—was enough.

As they let the silence linger between them, Clayton’s phone rang. The ring tone was from Timberline. He answered it immediately. Charlie never called him unless it was an emergency.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“Need you to come in. Major problems. Police are here. Owen tried to come in and when we stopped him, he left and broke a window, climbed in here and started breaking bottles and throwing furniture. The police want you in here now. Sorry.”

“On my way.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Owen broke into Timberline and smashed shit. Police need me there now.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey James, we need you two over here.” Body shouted over to them.

James and Sawyer rejoined them, and there was a lightness to Sawyer’s expression that hadn’t been there before. Whatever James had said must have helped and Clayton was grateful someone could help Sawyer when he failed at it.

“I got an emergency call from Timberline. We’re heading back, would you like to come, Sawyer? It’s about Owen busting up the place. He’s not there now, but I need to talk to the officers.”

“I want to come. Maybe I can help and discuss what happened here with him.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. If you don’t mind leaving camp.”

“I want to be with you. I’d like to help you sometimes too. It’s not always the other way around.”

Clayton grinned, Brody was right. Sometimes you can’t fix things, but you can make a person feel loved and wanted. Clayton hugged Sawyer. “Thanks. I really need you with me.”

As they made their way back up the trail, Clayton felt a quiet sense of peace about Sawyer. The answers might not come today, or tomorrow, or even for years. But for now, they had each other. And sometimes, that was more than enough. He was able to deal what was at hand right now.