The Story Of Us - Teri Wilson Page 0,50

you want. I can…” Sawyer held up a hand, surrendering before he’d even begun to fight for her. He had no right. Not when he was actively involved in the destruction of everything she held near and dear.

“Um, no.” She flipped the phone back over. “No.”

Sawyer studied her, but he couldn’t get a read on her expression. She’d closed up again, just like one of the books she loved so much.

“Were you ever tempted?” He nodded toward her phone as it stopped vibrating. “To go to Texas with Matt, start over someplace new?”

“A little,” she said, and her smile turned bittersweet. “But I couldn’t tell if it was because of how I felt for him or if I was just…”

“Lonely?” Sawyer guessed. He knew the feeling well.

“Reliving not going to Columbia with you way back when,” she corrected.

Sawyer sat back in his chair, genuinely surprised. He’d never realized that had been an option. “Do you wish you had?”

She arched a brow. “Do you wish you’d stayed?”

Right this second? Yes. He bit down hard on his tongue to keep himself from saying it.

“Don’t answer that.” Jamie shook her head.

“Really?”

This conversation had begun to feel like the heart-to-heart they should have had fifteen years ago. Maybe it was time to be fully honest with each other and put all their cards on the table.

“I mean, you didn’t stay and I didn’t go, and because of those decisions, we are who we are today,” she said, and in way, it was the most honest truth of all.

But it did nothing to relieve the empty feeling in the pit of Sawyer’s stomach. If anything, he felt worse, because he’d just experienced his best day in recent memory, and throughout it all, Jamie’s words from the beginning of the tour had been swirling in his mind.

Let me remind you of what you left behind.

He gave her his most tender smile. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you turned out pretty well.”

“Yeah?” She brightened, lightening the mood. “Jury’s still out on you.” Then she pulled a face and winked, so he’d know she was only kidding.

But in the end, Sawyer wasn’t so sure.

Chapter Fourteen

Sawyer spent the following day manning his caffeine cart and chatting up local shop owners. With the Fire and Ice Festival just days away, business was brisk. The booths at the town square were really taking shape, and Sawyer’s street corner was right in the center of things. In between handing out flavored lattes and hot chocolate, he helped unload boxes from nearby trucks and nailed signage in place. The hum of activity kept him busy enough to keep his thoughts from straying to Jamie Vaughn.

Mostly.

He kept sneaking glances in the direction of True Love Books, but never caught sight of her. He told himself it was just as well. They both had work to do, and since a large portion of that work involved systematically trying to undermine one another, common sense told him that they shouldn’t be spending any more time together. As lovely as yesterday had been, it hadn’t changed anything. Jamie was still planning on doing everything in her power to save True Love and keep the Waterford Business District exactly as it was, and Sawyer was still trying to persuade the shop keepers and the town council to approve Ridley’s re-design.

Still, every time he caught a glimpse of blond hair or polka dots out of the corner of his eye, he whipped his head around. They were never her, though. They were just Jamie-esque mirages—products of his own wishful thinking.

He really needed to get a handle on himself. Ridley was his client. With any luck, he’d have a permanent job there once the Waterford project was officially approved. Jamie had managed to convince him that True Love Books was more special than he’d realized, but he couldn’t do anything about saving it. His hands were tied.

So really, from now on, they’d be better off avoiding each other. Spending time together would only lead to trouble. At least that’s what he told himself until later that evening when the time for Rick’s wine tasting rolled around.

He’d only been joking when he’d told Rick he wasn’t going. Of course Sawyer would be there to try and help his friend out with Lucy. Rick most definitely needed it, so Sawyer was one of the very first guests to arrive.

Rick had set aside about half of the restaurant for the wine event. Cheese platters and fresh flowers covered just about every