Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

G rady

The coffee in my hand is cold, untouched, as I pace the length of my cabin, the floorboards creaking under my boots. Bear watches me from his spot near the fire, his eyes following my every move like he knows something big is brewing. He’s not wrong.

Sarah is in the other room, quiet and withdrawn. The fire in her eyes, the light I’ve come to crave, has dimmed over the last few days. And it’s all because of those damn lies her ex-boss has been spreading around town. It’s obvious she’s trying to get my girl fired from her new teaching position. I don’t just want to fix this—I need to fix this. For her. For us.

I grab my coat and hat, pausing to rub Bear’s head on my way out. “You keep an eye on her, boy,” I mutter, and he thumps his tail once in response.

The Devil’s Brew is buzzing with the usual late-morning crowd when I step inside. Ridge and Slate are at the bar, Fox and Liam at a table near the window. I make a beeline for them, my jaw tight, fists clenched.

Ridge spots me first, raising a brow as I approach. “You look like you’re ready to take someone’s head off.”

“Maybe I am,” I growl, dropping into the empty chair at their table. “We’ve got a problem, and I need your help.”

Fox leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. “This about Sarah?”

I nod, my jaw tightening further. “That asshole of an ex-boss of hers has been spreading lies about her. The kind that stick if we don’t shut her up. I want to clear Sarah’s name, but I can’t do it alone.”

Slate smirks, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “So the grumpy lumberjack finally admits he needs help. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Cut the crap, Slate,” Ridge interjects, his tone serious. “What do you need us to do, Grady?”

I lay it out for them—everything Sarah told me, everything I’ve pieced together from the gossip flying around town. Her ex-boss claims she stole from the school, but Sarah’s too damn good for that. I know it, and they need to know it too.

“First thing we need to do is get our hands on any records we can find from that school,” I say. “There’s gotta be something that proves she’s lying.”

Fox leans forward, his sharp gaze locking on mine. “You’re talking about going up against a an entire school district. You ready for that?”

I meet his gaze head-on. “For her? Always.”

“There’s a meeting with the school board tonight–you could go talk to them,” Zane offers.

“Perfect.” I shoot out of the chair without another word.

The school board meeting is packed later that afternoon, the room buzzing with tension. I stand near the front, my gaze scanning the crowd. Sarah doesn’t know I’m here, and if I have it my way, she never will. I take a deep breath, steeling myself to speak to these stiffs in ties and pencil skirts. This is for my girl. Plain and simple.

The meeting begins, the usual updates and discussions dragging on until finally, I raise my hand. “I’ve got something to say.”

All eyes turn to me as I step forward. My voice is steady, firm, as I lay out the truth. I detail what I know about Sarah’s past and speak to her character, the patterns of corruption that I found from Sarah’s last school–including a news article that paints Sarah’s last boss in a bad light when she was just the treasurer for the district, before she was promoted to superintendent. Every word is a nail in the coffin of those damn rumors, and by the time I finish, the room is dead silent.

“Sarah Gerard didn’t deserve the lies that were spread about her. She’s one of the kindest, most honest people I’ve ever met, and it’s time this town cut the gossip and saw her for who she really is.”

Applause breaks out, the sound a roaring wave that fills the room.

Thirty minutes later I’m back at the cabin, the fire crackles in the hearth, casting a warm glow across the room and Sarah sits on the couch grading papers, Bear’s head resting in her lap as she strokes his fur absently.

“I heard what you did,” she says softly, her eyes fixed on the fire, “thank you. You didn’t have to go out of your way for me–for my job.”

I sit down beside her, my hand resting on her knee. “Yes, I did. You’re mine, Sarah. And no one messes with what’s mine. How did you find out?”

“Emma, Slate’s wife, called me–she volunteers in the library and we’ve gotten to know each other. She’s sweet. I’m thankful for her friendship, people haven’t exactly been welcoming to the new teacher with the bad record.” Her breath hitches, her eyes meeting mine. There’s something raw and vulnerable in her gaze, something that makes my chest ache.

“They won’t say shit now–I made sure of that. I put the nail in the coffin for good. I’d do anything for you, Sarah.”

“You mean that?” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I slide my hand up her thigh, my grip firm but gentle. “Every damn word.”

The air between us crackles with tension, the kind that makes my pulse pound and my thoughts scatter. Her lips part, her breath coming in shallow gasps as I lean in closer.

“Grady…” she murmurs, her voice trembling.

I capture her lips with mine, the kiss fierce and claiming, a silent vow that she’ll never have to face her battles alone again. Her hands tangle in my flannel shirt, pulling me closer as the fire in the hearth pales in comparison to the one burning between us.

When we finally break apart, our breaths mingling in the space between us, I rest my forehead against hers. “You’re not just mine, Sarah,” I murmur, my voice low and rough. “You’re everything. To me and this old guy,” I smile, gesturing to Bear.

Tears slip down her cheeks, but this time, they’re tears of relief, of happiness. “I love you, Grady,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”

I press a kiss to her forehead, her nose, her lips, each one a silent promise. “I love you too, sunshine. And I’m never letting you go.”