by JoAnn Durgin
“Takes after her mother—my sister, Allie Randall.” Sawyer lifted out of his chair. “Heather, this might sound strange, but thanks for bidding and not expecting a date. Just know I’ll be happy to reciprocate in some other way. Name it. Pedicab service for a month?”
After only a moment’s hesitation, Heather’s smile sobered. “I know you care about Ava and you seem like an upstanding guy. Just don’t make promises to her that you can’t keep.”
He tilted his head. “I wouldn’t hurt Ava for anything in the world. If it’s not violating a confidence, could you maybe clue me in?”
Heather started to speak and then hesitated, biting her lower lip. “Has she told you about Cole?”
“Yes. At least everything she felt comfortable telling me. I know they dated a couple of years and that he was killed six months before their wedding.”
She nodded. “It’s not my place to give you any more details, but she’s had to deal with a lot of insinuations and whispers about the circumstances of his death.”
That news hit Sawyer like a punch to the gut. “Should I ask?”
“Another woman was in the car with Cole when he died. Some people said some hurtful things to Ava. Rumors were flying.” Heather’s blue-eyed gaze bore into him. “I knew Cole, knew Cole and Ava as a couple. He wasn’t perfect, but he was a Christian man and committed to her. The rumors had no validation but they hurt Ava deeply. I think it’s taken her longer to get over his death because she still doesn’t have all the answers.”
“I had no idea.” Sawyer scrubbed one hand over the stubble beginning to form on his jawline. “I’m sorry she’s had to endure the ignorance and insensitivity of others.”
“Ava’s strong, but she also has a very tender heart,” Heather said. “As tough as she can be, she bruises easily. For a long time after the accident, she was in shock. She didn’t push to find out the truth. It might have been better if she had so she’d know, once and for all.”
Sawyer ached for Ava’s loss. “I lost my friend under similar circumstances, so I understand her pain. Thanks for telling me, Heather. I’ll keep what you’ve told me in confidence.”
“I appreciate you, Sawyer.” Lifting on her toes, Heather kissed his cheek. “If you love her, take care of her heart.”
“I will,” Sawyer said as Heather departed. As God is my witness.
~~♥~~
Wiping her hands on a dishtowel, Ava glanced at her cell phone on the kitchen counter. Retrieving the phone, she smiled at the message from Heather. Wish you were here. you have nothing to worry about with sawyer. total gentleman. he wowed everyone. xoxoxo. She’d attached a photo. With bated breath, Ava quickly clicked on the photo.
Be still my heart. Sawyer looked tall and almost sinfully handsome in his black tuxedo and red bow tie. Like he stepped out of the pages of GQ. Her gaze moved to the beautiful bouquet of two dozen yellow tulips delivered by the local florist earlier in the day.
“Oh!” She jumped and nearly dropped the phone when “I Could Have Danced All Night” began to play.
“Hi Ava.”
“Hi handsome. How’d it go tonight?”
“Great, actually. I wanted to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day.”
Her heart swelled and tears filled her eyes. “The same to you. Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful. How did you know yellow tulips are my favorite?”
“You told me.”
“I did? When?” She had a decent memory but couldn’t remember ever discussing flowers with Sawyer.
“At Carson’s. You mentioned how red was your favorite color except for tulips. I think you specifically named the tulip as your favorite flower, but I’d have to do a mental rewind to check.”
“Not necessary. It is. Have I told you how wonderful you are today?”
“You just did. Thank you, Ballerina. I happen to think you’re pretty great, too.”
“The older man who lives next door apparently thinks so, too. He asked me if I’d posed for that silly painting. I’ve fended him off twice today.”
“No kidding.” Sawyer chuckled. “Want me to come over and set him straight? I could bring over my easel, one of those painter’s wheels, and wear a jaunty cap. Tell him to mind his own business in a French accent.”
Ava laughed softly. “No, silly, but thank you for the offer. So, do you have a date lined up with the winning bidder?”
“Curious, are you?” His low chuckle warmed her everywhere.
“No.” She managed to stifle her giggle.
“A little bit jealous?”
“Of course not. I just need to start praying—mightily—for the poor woman now.”
Sawyer laughed so loud that Ava held the phone away from her ear. “Careful. You’ll wake my neighbors. I’m already on shaky ground after your shenanigans last night. But I took the heat on your behalf because the shenanigans were totally worth it.”
“Magnanimous of you. In answer to your question, you have nothing to worry about in terms of the winning bidder.”
“Good to hear. So, how much did you earn for the children?”
“More than two thousand. I lost track once they got to that point.”
She mock gasped, teasing him. “Pennies?”
“Trust me, I’m more surprised than you. Would you have paid more?”
“That’s terrific, Sawyer. As to whether I’d have paid more, that depends.”
“On?”
“On whether or not you can dance, for one thing. I already know you’re more than adequate in the kissing department.”
“Not a problem. I wholeheartedly accept that challenge. I’ll take you to dinner again soon and twirl you on the dance floor. Or you can twirl me. Then you can be the judge. We can end the evening in the kissing department.”
“I like that idea. Call me early this week and we can discuss it, okay?”
“Will do. Enjoy your day tomorrow,” he said. His voice sounded lower than usual. Sexy.
“You too. Is there something else?” She’d detected the slightest bit of hesitation in his voice.
“No,” he said. “I’ll talk to you in a couple of days. Good night, Ballerina. Sweet dreams.”
“You too. Good night, Sawyer.”
As she turned off the kitchen lights and headed toward the bedroom, Ava couldn’t stop smiling.
Chapter 14
~~♥~~
“And the Pacers score!” Sawyer pumped his fist in the air. He took another swig of Diet Coke and reached for a tortilla chip. “Hey Allie,” he called over his shoulder, “where’s that salsa dip?”
“Patience, hotshot. I’m slaving away out here as best I can.”
Sawyer laughed and settled back in his recliner in the family room. The one his mom used to occupy while working on her knitting or crocheting while Dad watched sports or the news.
“You’re killing me here!” Matt groaned and shook his head. “The Celtics haven’t been the same since Pierce and Garnett left.” A native of Boston, Allie’s husband made watching this match-up livelier than usual. In the second quarter, the Pacers had consistently outscored the Celtics, and Matt was not a happy camper.
“Here, have a chip. Cures what ails you.” Sawyer aimed and tossed one to Matt. Catching it, his brother-in-law gave him a thumbs-up then riveted his attention on the game once more.
Dad snorted. “Time to face the facts. The Celtics haven’t been the same since Larry Bird retired. Their loss is the Pacers gain now.”
“Yep,” Sawyer agreed, munching on another chip. “Bird makes a good president.”
Sophia arrived at Sawyer’s side with the requested bowl of dip. “The president’s name isn’t Bird, Uncle Sawyer.” The men all laughed.
“Larry Bird used to be a great basketball player but now he’s the president of the Pacers basketball team. Ah, just what I wanted.” Sawyer reached for the bowl. “Thanks, kiddo.”
Sophia pulled it out of his reach. “Not yet. What’s the secret password?”
&nbs
p; He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “Purple butterfly.” They changed the password every week, one of those fun, bonding things shared between only the two of them.
When she pointed to her cheek, Sawyer obediently planted a quick kiss. With a grin, Sophia plopped the bowl with the salsa dip in his lap. Yeah, she’d learned some things from Allie, not all of them good.
“Careful there, little lady.” Good thing the dip was thick or he’d have it smeared all over his jeans. At least it was his oldest, most worn pair, but also his favorite for that very reason.
“Sawyer, did you remember to bring your tux?” Allie leaned against the doorway leading to the kitchen.
“Oh, right.” He snapped his fingers. “I knew I forgot something. I left it in the car. Next commercial break, I’ll run out and get it. Thanks for the reminder and for taking care of it for me.”
“Not a problem. You did me a favor at the auction, so I figure getting it dry cleaned is the least I can do.”
Two hours later, Sawyer helped Allie in the kitchen. He smiled when he heard Dad and Matt discussing the outcome of the game.
Allie submerged a casserole dish in the sudsy water. “Sounds like Daddy’s not too happy.”
Sawyer finished drying a bowl and put it away in the cabinet. He crossed his arms and lounged against the counter, waiting while she washed another pan. “Celtics by three. Last-second shot at the buzzer. Those are the killers and the ones that get under the skin.”
Allie placed a pan to dry in the drainer. “I’ll never understand men and ballgames. Competition is one thing, but to hear all the hollering in there, you’d think you had a financial investment in the game. Since you don’t gamble, I know that’s not true. I’m surprised you’re not hoarse.”
Sawyer held the pan over the drainer and shook off the excess moisture. Grabbing a fresh dishtowel from the drawer, he started to dry it. “I think the competitive nature is genetic in a lot of guys.”
“That’s certainly true in your case.” They exchanged a smile.
“I found a yellow slip of paper in the inside pocket of your tux. I thought it might be important. I put it on the desk.” Allie nodded toward the corner of the kitchen.
“Thanks.” He’d forgotten all about it. Or maybe he’d purposely pushed it out of his mind. For whatever reason, he wasn’t all that eager to read the note from Darcy. After he finished drying the pan, Sawyer opened the bottom cabinet and put it in its place. Dad hadn’t changed a thing in the house since his mother’s death, including the placement of the pots and pans even though his arthritis was bothering him.
“I’m glad things are going so well with Ava,” Allie said. “Who could have known her friend Heather would pay such a high price in the auction? That’s terrific.”
“Her mom actually gave her the money and told her to bid on someone cute. She picked me. Go figure.”
“Whatever the reason, that’s a lot of money you raised for the hospital,” Allie said. “I hope you know how grateful I am to you for doing that. I know you only did it out of loyalty for me. Especially after you met Ava, I was afraid you might back out.”
Sawyer draped his arm around Allie’s shoulder. She’d finished the last dish and turned to face him, pulling him into a hug. He’d always loved hugs from his big sister. “I’d do almost anything for you, you know that. Because the auction benefitted the kids, I sacrificed.” He laughed when she released him and flicked his arm with the dishtowel.
“When are you going to see Ava again?”
“Not sure yet. To be honest, an hour isn’t soon enough for me.”
“I’d tell you to be careful, but of all people, you know what you’re doing. You understand the value of relationships and how fragile they can be, don’t you, little brother?” Allie gave his face a gentle tweak.
“I know what I’m doing, Goose.”
Allie sighed and nodded. “My prayer is that Ava handles your heart with tender loving care.”
“Thanks, but we’ve only just started seeing one another.”
Allie’s dark eyes narrowed. “You should know by now that you can’t fool me. Look me in the eye and admit you’re in love with Ava Carlisle.”
Holding her gaze steady, Sawyer smiled. Not a problem. He didn’t hesitate. “I’m in love with Ava Carlisle.” He put two fingers over her lips. “For now, it’s our secret. I need a little time to convince Ava.”
They both turned as a baby’s cries came through the monitor on the counter. “That’s Jason.” Another cry sounded. “And Jacob.” She rolled her eyes. “They take the twin thing to a whole new level and do everything together. And I do mean everything.”
“How can you tell them apart just by their cries?” Sawyer followed Allie down the hallway to the back bedroom. Growing up, it was Mom’s sewing room but now served as a nursery for the visiting grandbabies she’d never known. Mom sure was on his mind a lot today. Being in the house brought back so many memories. He wished she could have met Ava. Wished Ava could have known Mom.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s the way God made mothers, I guess. I just…know.” Allie pulled one of her sons from the crib—Sawyer thought it was Jason but it was difficult to tell since they were identical—and handed him to Sawyer. “I pumped earlier if you want to take Jason out to the family room with you. The bottle’s in the fridge. You know what to do.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Sawyer?” Allie said as he turned to go. “I don’t think it matters how long you’ve known Ava, especially in your case. You’ve both lost significant others and I think that makes you more in tune with your emotions or whatever. I’m thankful you’ve found each other, honey.”
“Me too, Goose. Ava’s beautiful, intelligent, and she gets my weird sense of humor.” He chuckled. “She can be as silly as me and never hesitates to put me in my place if it’s warranted.”
“Then hold her tight and never let her go.”
Chapter 15
~~♥~~
Three Months Later ~ Mid-May
“Dance with me, Sawyer.” Hopping up from the sofa, Ava tugged on his hand.
He groaned. “Slave driver. I knew it. You’re going to make me work off that delicious dinner, aren’t you? I’ll be working off that cheesecake for the next week, but it was totally worth it.” Placing his empty coffee mug on the end table, Sawyer allowed her to pull him to his feet.
“Admit it.” Ava settled into the curve of his arms with an ease that thrilled him. “You didn’t hate the asparagus.”
“I forced down every bite. Happy birthday, Ballerina.” He dropped a light kiss on her lips and then guided her toward the picture window. “I was going to take you to a fancy dinner with candlelight, dancing, the works. But instead? My beautiful girlfriend insists on cooking and serving me dinner. You’re making it too easy on me, sweetheart.” The lingering aromas of the meatloaf and mashed potatoes she’d prepared using his mother’s favorite recipe lingered, making him smile. The woman was as sneaky as she was gorgeous by sneaking the asparagus inside his heaping serving of mashed potatoes.
“Seeing you eat the asparagus was the best gift you could have given me.”
He chuckled. “You tricked me, but we won’t go there. For Christmas, I should tell you how much I loathe beets.”
She giggled softly and gave him the look that charmed the sense right out of his head. The ring box tucked in his suit jacket draped over the sofa called out to him, but he’d wait a little while longer. He wanted to dance with Ava first, hold her close, say the things he wanted before he asked her to marry him.
After twirling her beneath his arm, Sawyer wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Facing the window, standing behind her, they swayed together to the soft sounds of their favorite jazz CD. As much as he loved the physical closeness of sitting on the sofa, it was better for them to be in a vertical position. Dancing with Ava like this could also prove to be a temptation, an intimacy he welcomed, but he’d exercise self-control. Same as he always d
id. The need to make her his wife as soon as she agreed to marry him was increasingly on his mind. Tomorrow wouldn’t be too soon for him.
Ava turned in his arms and linked her fingers on the back of his neck. With gentle pressure, she pulled down his head and lifted her gaze to his. “The better to see you.” Her tone was soft and inviting, and she played with the curls on the nape of his neck. Surprising how she’d told him she loved those curls and even the stray strands of silver showing up at his temples and on top. They seemed to be multiplying faster than he’d like. Ava liked dancing in private this way although he’d danced with her a couple of times in public to prove he wasn’t a complete klutz. All the athletics he’d participated in through the years had given him some semblance of coordination.
She lifted her chin, inviting his kiss. Sawyer loved her all the more for her increasingly open displays of affection. Kissing Ava was his favorite activity in life. Hopefully soon, he could add more activities to that list.
He dipped his head to hide his smile. Easy, Sawyer. Focus on the Lord and not your physical desires.
Without fail, every morning, he thanked the Lord for bringing them together. Every evening, he praised God for the opportunity of falling in love with her more fully.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered. The soft whirring sound from the ceiling fan blew a strand of her long dark hair across her cheek. “The girl of my heart.” He tucked the loose strand of her hair behind her ear and planted a kiss there, inhaling the scent of her light perfume.
“I want to be beautiful for you Sawyer,” she whispered back. “The man of my heart.”
This was what life was about, sharing the quiet times, being with one another. Wanting to make each other happy. Wanting to love and be loved. Wanting to be held in someone’s arms as well as in their heart. Speaking words of love without words. Loving one another in the subtle ways even more than in the grand gestures.
Ava made it easy to drown in her the beauty of her eyes, the sound of her voice, and the lilt of her laughter. Each time they’d gone out—to see a movie, to attend the orchestra and the ballet, to dinner—she’d settled more fully into his soul. They’d reached the point in their relationship where they anticipated one another’s needs. Called one another or sent emails to say hello and share a moment of their day. They’d only had a couple of minor arguments, nothing significant. Ava wasn’t one to anger easily and unleash hurtful words in the heat of the moment. He was more prone to rash statements and behavior, but she could calm him with a glance, a single word, a touch of her hand over his.
