Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Brynlee's hands tightened on the steering wheel as she pulled into her driveway, her mind still swirling with the chaos of the day. The salon, usually her sanctuary, had become a battleground of destruction and frustration.

But as she glanced toward her front porch, her heart sank. There, placed carefully on the welcome mat, was a small box.

"Damn it, Zane," she muttered under her breath. She didn't want reminders of their past, not now, not when she was already struggling to keep herself together.

Her muscles felt like lead as she forced herself out of the car. Each step toward the porch felt heavier than the last, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm her. With a deep breath, she finally reached the front door and picked up the box.

Carefully peeling back the tape, she lifted the flaps and peered inside. Nestled in the bottom, wrapped in tissue paper, was a photo frame, the picture of them smiling on a sunny day, blissfully unaware of what was to come.

The image was a stark contrast to the present reality. They had been so in love, so full of dreams for the future. But that was before Zane's infidelity shattered everything Brynlee held dear. She remembered the pain, the betrayal that cut deep into her soul, leaving scars that still hadn't fully healed.

Seeing it again was bittersweet. She’d given him the photo on their first anniversary and Zane had kept it after they split. Now it was back, along with a flood of unwanted memories.

As she held the photograph in her hands, Brynlee felt a surge of anger. She didn't want Zane's tokens of remorse. She wanted him to leave her alone, to let her move on with her life without dredging up the past.

As Brynlee stood on her porch, contemplating the framed photo in her hands, she heard the familiar rumble of a car pulling into the neighboring driveway. She glanced up and saw Sawyer stepping out of his car. Internally, she groaned. Their interactions often felt like a verbal sparring match, and he was the last person she wanted to see after the tumultuous day she’d had.

As he walked toward her, a smirk twisted his lips. “Look at you, standing out here to greet me after a long day. Lucky me.”

Brynlee rolled her eyes, forcing herself to muster a snappy comeback despite her exhaustion. “Piss off, Sawyer. I'm not in the mood for your shit today."

“Does that mean you're usually in the mood for my shit?” He shot her a cocky smile. “I knew you liked me.”

“Go away.”

“It's okay if you do.” He leaned against the post and nodded toward the box in her hands. “Oh, look. You got me a present? You shouldn't have.”

She was sorely tempted to throw the thing at his head. “The only present on your doorstep would be a flaming pile of dog shit.”

Sawyer laughed. “There she is. I was worried for a minute.”

“That would require you to think about someone other than yourself.”

"Touchy today, are we?" He peered in the box, brows furrowing when he saw the picture frame. "Who's that?

Brynlee sighed. “My ex.”

“What's it doing out here?”

“I left it behind when we split. He’s been returning my things.”

“Can't let you go, huh? Can't see why not, considering you're so sweet.”

“More like he feels bad for cheating,” she shot back, her tone sharper than she intended.

Sawyer’s smirk faded instantly, his expression growing serious. He went rigid, a muscle in his jaw twitching. “He cheated on you? Asshole.”

The usual sarcasm was absent from his voice this time, and she was momentarily taken aback by his reaction. He didn’t make a snide comment or poke fun at her. Instead, he looked genuinely affronted on her behalf.

“Yeah, well, it is what it is,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I just wish he’d stop sending me reminders of our past. I’d gladly give up everything I left behind if it meant never having to hear from him again.”

Sawyer’s eyes softened as he looked at her, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of something she couldn’t quite place. “Listen, Bryn,” he said quietly. “If you want, I can make it stop. Just say the word.”

Brynlee blinked in surprise. She was so used to his sarcastic comments and teasing that she wasn’t quite sure how to take this side of him. “Really? You’d do that?” she asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Only for you,” he replied with a wink. “Because I like you so much.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll think about it.”

He smiled. “You know where to find me if you need me. Oh, by the way...”

He cleared his throat. “I heard about what happened at the salon. I just wanted to say I was sorry.”

“Thanks.” Brynlee paused for a moment, caught off guard by his show of sympathy. "It's been kind of a rough day."

"If there's anything I can do to help," he offered, "just let me know. Seriously."

She nodded, touched by his sincerity. "I appreciate that. More than you know."

As they stood there in silence for a moment, Brynlee felt a weight lift off her shoulders. It had been emotionally draining to deal with the fallout from the salon incident, but knowing she had support made it a little easier to bear.

"Anyway," she finally said, forcing a small smile, "I should probably head inside."

"Sure," Sawyer replied, heading for his own front door. “My offer stands. Call me if you need anything.”

"I will," Brynlee offered a small smile. "Thanks again, Sawyer. I “really appreciate it.”

As he walked away, Brynlee felt a sense of relief wash over her. He had his moments.