Page 6 of Sawyer

I’ve been here not even a day, and I already hate it.But when my eyes look to the rearview mirror and I spot Annabelle, hands still on her hips, standing in the same spot, watching me drive away, her image getting smaller and smaller the farther I go, I find that I have to force my eyes back on the road.

As I pull back onto the shithouse road that’s full of holes and rocks that flick up onto my new truck, my cell rings, my brother's name flashing.

“What!”I answer, my mood clearly not any better.Probably because I still feel the shit and mud that’s coating my suit and skin.

“Whoa, bad day, brother?”the smart-ass asks, and I imagine he’s floating around in his pool in LA, without a fucking care in the world.

“You could say that.”

“What’s got your knickers in a knot?”

I swear if he was here, I’d punch him.

“I’m in the middle of fucking nowhere with cow shit on my suit.”Even getting out my frustration, I’m still glancing up at my rearview mirror, searching for the small-town beauty I just met and being immediately disappointed that I can’t see her anymore.

“Cows?Have you been eating gummies?”

“Gummies?What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Sawyer, you and cows don’t really go together.Where are you?Jersey?”

I roll my eyes.“No, Whispers.Where are you?”

“Home.Just trying to lay low.”

I turn the corner onto the main highway again, glad to have smooth asphalt under my tires, even though the stench of shit is starting to fill my truck.

“Lay low?You?Yeah, right.”

My brother loves the limelight.Even as a kid, he was always the one showing off in front of everyone.Especially the girls.

“How long are you in Whispers for?”He’s never been here, but he knows Connor and is best friends with Hudson, the local doctor.

“Not for long, if I have anything to do with it.”I see Distillery Drive up ahead and turn down, needing to speak with Tanner.

“Alright, well, I’ll call you later in the week.I might have something for you,” he says cryptically, but I don’t ask.There’s always something going on with him.

“Sure, talk then.”I end the call as I pull up to the distillery.As luck would have it, both Connor and Tanner are standing out front, so I jump out and strut straight up to them.

They take one look at me, and their faces morph into shock before they both get matching shit-eating grins.

“What the hell happened to you?”Connor asks, trying not to laugh.

“I ruined my fucking suit, that’s what happened.”

“You smell like shit,” Tanner says.

“That’s because it is shit!”I deadpan.

“Annabelle’s?”Tanner asks.

“Yes, Annabelle’s.”Oddly, my temper recedes a little at the mention of her name.Both the Whiteman men murmur and nod.

“You didn’t tell me she was a crazy farmer with crazier kids.”I don’t really mean it, but my aggravation lingers.

“She isn’t.She’s just got a lot on her plate.”Tanner looks at me pointedly.

“Yeah, well, her son looked like he wanted to gut me,” I murmur to them, remembering how Kevin’s eyes flamed when he was getting the cow back in the shed.