The Story Of Us - Teri Wilson Page 0,37

brow.

Karen rested a hand on her chest. “My son. Jamie and Matt dated.”

Sawyer frowned. Okay, maybe he did care. Not that Jamie cared that he cared, because she absolutely didn’t. That would be a huge mistake. People didn’t go around worrying about what their sworn enemies felt toward them. It just wasn’t smart.

Still, she felt the need to clarify. “A long…”

“Last year,” Karen corrected.

“…time ago,” Jamie finished.

Karen really needed to accept that Jamie and Matt were over. He’d moved to Texas, and he wasn’t coming back. Jamie was staying right here in Waterford, so there wasn’t anything left to discuss.

Sawyer studied her through curious eyes. “A year’s not that long ago.”

Help me, she mouthed when Karen wasn’t looking. If he insisted on being an observer of this uncomfortable exchange, the least he could do was make himself useful.

He took the hint, thank goodness, and made a big show of casting an apologetic glance at Karen while gesturing toward his watch. “And since we’re on the subject of time, I think Jamie and I have a lunch reservation right…now.”

“Yes! We do. Right now.” Jamie nodded as Sawyer wrapped an arm around her and started guiding her away. As an impromptu fake lunch date, he was remarkably convincing. “It was so good to see you though. So sorry. Goodbye.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sawyer called with a backward wave.

And off they went with Jamie tucked beside him, close enough to see the faint scruff of a manly shadow along his jawline and to feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek when he exhaled. A rebellious little shiver worked its way up and down Jamie’s spine, and she reminded herself that they’d walked this way a million times before. It was really no big deal—especially now, when they were just pretending to be together.

But her knees grew weak all the same.

Sawyer wasn’t entirely sure of the plan, other than to simply get Jamie away from Matt’s mother. Somehow, though, the plan seemed to involve wrapping his arm around Jamie, which had just sort of happened without him giving it any serious thought whatsoever. He’d acted purely on instinct, and once he’d done it, there was no going back.

Not that he regretted sliding his hand around her delicate waist and holding her close, because he definitely didn’t. It felt good to be this close to her again. It felt right. He and Jamie weren’t meant to be adversaries. They were meant to be something else entirely.

Something more.

Or maybe he’d simply been spending too much time thinking about the past. Waterford was like a mirror and being back had forced him to look at his life and face some uncomfortable truths. He’d missed his hometown—and that’s what Waterford was, despite Jamie’s mockery toward the idea of him as a “hometown boy.” He’d left a piece of his heart in Waterford when he’d gone away, and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it until he’d come home.

And now, walking along the banks of the duck pond in the community park behind the town square with his girl by his side, he never wanted to leave again.

She’s not your girl. She hasn’t been for a very long time.

He let her go, then shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from putting his arm around her again. Or worse, trying to hold her hand.

“So.” He struggled for something to say, finally indulging his curiosity about Karen Van Horn and her son, Matt, who must be the dentist he’d heard about from Rick. “I take it she’s not your biggest fan?”

Three ducks glided past them across the smooth blue surface of the lake, quacking as they went. Sawyer wished he could toss them some cracked corn or oats, like he and Jamie had done on almost every one of their lunch breaks during senior year.

“Actually, it’s the opposite.” Jamie let out a nervous-sounding laugh. “Yeah, if she had her way, Matt and I would be together.”

Don’t say it.

Do. Not. Say. It.

He cleared his throat and looked out over the water to avoid meeting her gaze. “What are the chances of that?”

Ugh, he’d said it.

“Considering he’s in Texas and I’m here, I’m going to go with none.” She smiled at him, then glanced over her shoulder, back toward the town square. “I think we’re safe now.”

Their eyes met, and they both laughed, co-conspirators in the effort to evade Matt’s mother. A looseness unspooled inside Sawyer, and he felt relaxed, free. Not because they’d managed to escape,