Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,14

me. He shared what he loved with me and it turned out that I loved it too. But he’s told me more times than I can count that if I didn’t want the company, he’d support my decision.”

“Must be nice,” he said softly. “There’s only ever been one path for me.”

“Yeah?” I glanced up. “What path would that be?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Straight-As. Football. Somerset. Serving my country. A house on a corner street with a wife and three kids just like my dad. It didn’t occur to me that I could choose another path. He certainly never made it seem like I had a choice.”

“Rough,” I muttered. “If all of that isn’t what you want, then what is?”

Sawyer’s gaze was focused somewhere over my head. He spoke to the wall rather than me. “I was always good with computers too. Working for a start-up and making things happen with my own hands. That’s what I want. And the wife and kids doesn’t sound so bad if that wife is Teagan.”

Sawyer shook himself, eyes landing on me. “But it is what it is. We take the cards we’re dealt in life.”

“I’ve never liked that saying.” I finally looked up from the laptop. “Makes it sound like we don’t have control over our destiny. Teagan appears to like you just fine and there are many ways to serve your country. That start-up could be your way. It’s only giving up when you give in.”

He cracked a smile. “You don’t say much, but when you do, you say it all.” Sawyer clapped my shoulder. “It’ll never be that simple for me, and yet you’re right, giving in is giving up.”

“Help Cyd adjust the crane,” I said, cutting our feel-good moment short. “I think I’ve found the issue with the code. It should work now.”

Sawyer rapped the desk and took off, bending over the robot with Cydney and Davis. The room collectively held their breath as I joined them and put my fix to work. We stared at the robot like parents waiting for their kid’s first step. I hit enter and—

“Whoo!”

The crane rose on oiled gears, turning this way and that. I fought a smile as Cydney socked my shoulder and Sawyer threw his arm around them.

“Hot damn,” Cydney cried. “We might actually get our summer back.”

“We’re not finished yet,” I warned. “We have to test it in the obstacle course and make sure it’s not top-heavy.”

“We can do that tomorrow,” Sawyer said. “We’ve been at this for hours and finally made progress. Now let’s make progress on filling our stomachs. Manzoni’s, anyone?” He got a yes from the whole team. “What do you say, Maverick? Lunch on me.”

We have been at this since ten and Cydney finished my stash of protein bars yesterday.

“All right. Manzoni’s it is, but it’s on me. You guys have been great coming in on your time off. You can clean out the menu if you want.”

“Oh, I want,” said Cydney, bumping my shoulder. “I’m eating all the breadsticks they have in the place.”

We packed it up, put away our tools, laptops, and soon-to-be winning robot, and I locked our club room. Somerset had the facilities to give the robotics team their own space and budget. That wouldn’t change as long as we continued to bring in the gold.

Which we will.

Our group split apart in the lobby, each of us heading to our parking lots. Sawyer and I ended up going in the same direction, crossing the quad for the lot nearest the east entrance. He might have struck up a conversation if my phone didn’t ring five minutes in.

“Hey, baby, where are you? I’m on my way to pick Adam up from his playdate, and then I was planning to come home and have my way with you.”

“I’m fully on board with that plan. I’m taking the team to Manzoni’s, but I should be home in a couple of hours.”

“Manzoni’s? Ooh, I love their breadsticks,” said Val. “Mind if we crash the party?”

“Course not. You’re closer, so you might get there before me. If you do, grab a table for ten.”

“Will do. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Valentina joining us?” Sawyer asked as I hung up.

“Yes.”

“It’ll be cool to talk to her. Get to know her better. Teagan says she’s a great president, and she was elected as a sophomore, so she has to be something.”

“She is that.” I pulled ahead, waving over my shoulder.

Manzoni’s was on the other side of town. A good half an hour drive