Chapter 52

Sawyer

I drop Pippin off at home late. After helping her settle Ezra down, I check her fridge and the pantry to make sure she has enough food. Baby Ezra is running out of diapers, so I make a mental note to get some as soon as I get my check at the end of the week.

She assures me she's alright. She's always like this after our visits to see Faye. Sad. Withdrawn. If there was a way to not love Faye, that might be easier. It's hard not to love someone who did such bad things when you know who they were before.

I'm grateful to be back home. I'm not that much different from Pippin. Asher pointed it out once. You're sad when you come back.

And then he just lets me be. I prefer it that way. It's hard to talk about Faye. Not because of where she is right now and why, but because talking about her reminds me of the vibrant, sweet, strong girl she used to be. And remembering who Faye used to be hurts.

Reece is in the kitchen when I arrive home. He's trying to make dinner, I think. A pile of mushrooms sits in a bowl on the counter. He drops the knife he's been using and rushes to me.

"Hi," I say, my arms coming around him as he launches himself into me.

He kisses me. A welcome home kiss. It's sweet and lovely, and the rightness of it settles me. I'm home. Faye is getting along. Pippin is okay. We're all okay.

"Hi," Reece breathes into our kiss. "Did you miss me?"

I chuckle against his mouth. "Yeah, I did."

"Asher's not home. He said you guys ran out of heavy cream, so he went out to get some."

"Us guys?" I run my nose along his jaw, my hands settling loosely around his waist.

He nods, not having the slightest clue how naturally it comes to him to exclude himself from things.

My eyes travel over his face. God, I missed him. "Say we ran out of heavy cream."

His breath hitches, and my chest hurts for him because he doesn't know how to be happy. So, I kiss him to give him courage. "Say it," I tell him softly.

"We ran out of heavy cream," he says, dropping his sad-boy eyes, and his words come out a little breathlessly, like he can't believe he's uttering them.

I lift his chin. "You belong here, Reece. I don't care that it's been only six months. You belong with Asher. You've always belonged with him. And you belong with me."

He nods again, a childlike movement. "I belong with you."

I press my lips to his. "Yes, you do." And then, "What are you making?"

"Creamy chicken . . . or something?"

Ash's car comes to a stop outside. I give Reece another peck on his lips and then head to the front door.

I meet him outside, as he's getting out of the car. He grabs me in his arms and kisses me hard and deep.

"How's Faye?" he asks.

"Good. Healthwise, she's okay. She said she had some low levels recently but they're okay now."

He nods. "Let's go inside. There's something we need to talk about."

I follow him. "What's wrong, Ash?"

"Come."

We enter the house. I take the grocery bag from him and set it down on the kitchen counter.

"Reece, are you doing okay there?" he asks lightly.

"I browned the chicken. I think that's what I was supposed to do," Reece says.

My concern increases tenfold as I watch Asher get into the kitchen with Reece to continue with dinner. I stand on the other side of the counter, reaching over for green and red pepper. I chop, watching Asher carefully. I manage to catch his eye several times, but he gives me nothing. Is this about Reece?

Reece hasn't caught on that something is wrong.

Asher directs Reece with the sautéing of the onions and soon, the creamy chicken is on the stove, simmering on low.

We wash our hands and Ash leans against the counter looking at us. Only then does Reece catch on that something is up.

"What's wrong?" he says. He casts his eyes between me and Ash. "Is something wrong?" A touch of desperation accompanies his tone.

Ash sighs.

"Come out with it, Ash," I say, worry gnawing at my insides.

"I was waiting for you to get back, Sawyer, because I wanted to tell you both together. I talked to Principal Watson earlier today," he says. "I've been accused of committing moral indiscretions and bringing the school into disrepute. I'm officially on suspension, pending an investigation."

"What the fuck does that mean? Moral fucking indiscretions?" My voice comes out loud and bitter. "And suspension ? What about the kids? You're a month away from the playoffs."

Asher sighs. He looks exhausted as he continues, "Section seven of the school's Code of Conduct contains a morality clause. I'll face a disciplinary hearing. I can't coach, attend games. Neither can you, Sawyer. I can't even talk to the boys."

Reece looks stricken. "You could lose your job?"

Asher nods. "There's more. The complaint got out, and there's currently a petition with ninety-eight signatures requesting for my removal. There's an actual petition and it's probably election campaigners looking for something sensational. Principal Watson says I should just deny everything. If I do, I'll be back at work next week."

"Fuck." I'm fucking dumbstruck.

"Reece," Asher speaks softly. "It was your father who called the school district."

Reece stares at the floor. I want to say that I saw the text from his father the other day, but I need to give him a chance to come clean.

He does. "My father texted me a few times over the last few weeks. I called him the other day—" He looks at me. "When I went for a walk in the woods?"

I nod.

"He started telling me that I'm just like my mother. That I run away when things get tough, and that I'm a third wheel with you and Asher and I just – I just lost it. I told him I wasn't a third wheel and that you wanted me. Both of you. And I wanted you back." Reece's shoulders slump and I've never seen anyone look so defeated. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for all this trouble."

Asher pulls Reece into his arms, holding him to his chest, the back of his head cradled in Asher's hand. "You told him the truth. What your father is doing is not your fault, but I wish you'd said something before."

Reece's voice shakes. "I was so afraid to ruin everything and that's exactly what I've done."

"He can't be allowed to bully people like this. I won't let him get away with it."

"But you can't lose your job over this. He can't take your career away from you a second time."

"I won't go quietly this time, Reece. I won't walk away from you this time, and I won't let you walk away from us. I'll fight this."

"Call him," I say.

Reece's head jerks towards me.

"Call him and ask him what the fuck he's playing at."

He nods and reaches for his phone. Taps, then lays the phone back down on the counter, the loudspeaker on.

His father answers after three rings. "Reece?" The man's voice is thundering. Sharp and a little off-putting.

"Uh. Yeah." He clears his throat. "Yes. Dad. Hi."

"Oh, now you want to talk?"

Asher watches Reece, and for the first time, I get a glimpse of what Asher was talking about when he said that Reece was terrified of his father.

"I'm sorry. This is the first chance I could get to talk to you." He puts his thumb into his mouth, chewing on his nail.

"Well. I'll get right to it then. Under no circumstances will a son of mine run around the country fucking one man, let alone two. At the same fucking time."

He pauses, while each of us holds our breath.

"I told you before you left. Go and work on yourself, deal with the baby's death and whatever else, and then you come back and you work things out with Julie. You both lost a baby for God's sake, and I know you needed some time off to process the grief. But this, Reece? This is fucking insane. Don't use your daughter's death as an excuse to behave like some kind of fucking homosexual pervert."

Jesus Christ. Reece's face is red, and I don't know if it's rage or fear.

"Are you still there, Reece? You hearin' what I'm saying to you? You're just like your mother. You run the first chance you get. Can't stand your ground like a man."

Reece trembles. No. He shakes like a leaf in a storm. He can't speak. Asher grips the counter, his knuckles white and his jaw working. I want nothing more than to pummel Buddy Carter, but this is Reece's fight.

"Reece, don't fuck with me. I'm your father. The only family you have left. Get your ass home. Just get home and fucking work things out with Julie, start a family. A normal fucking family."

Asher moves, yanking the phone off the counter. I pull him back. "Woah, woah," I murmur, setting the phone back on the counter. Then, holding him against me, I whisper in his ear. "This is his fight, baby. Let him fight it. He needs to be the one to do this. Give him that."

Reece's terrified face is almost too much for me. Too much for Asher. But we have to let Reece find the courage to stand up to his father.

Holding Asher's wrist tightly, I take Reece's hand in mine, indicating that he should talk.

He nods and inhales deeply. "I can't come home," he says. "I . . . I have a job. And Julie and I are divorced, remember? She lives in California now."

"Yeah, I had someone look into what you're involved in over there. I heard about your job. Is that what I sent you to college for? To chop trees for a living? Get yourself home. If you don't, I'll make sure Asher Cameron never holds a football in his hands ever again."

I wipe my hands down my face, Reece's body trembling next to me, and Asher . . . Asher needs to calm the fuck down.

"And another thing, Reece. The other gentleman you're involved with over there? I don't know if you know this or not, but he's got a sister in Missouri serving thirteen years for assault and armed robbery. Is that the kind of people you want to be involved with?"

Reece turns to face me. My heart plummets to the ground. I offer him ten thousand apologies with my eyes. My eyes move to Asher, terrified now for withholding that information from Reece. Asher's eyes tell me it's okay, but I don't know.

"You don't know how to live on your own, Reece. Just get back home."

The call ends but the shocked silence prevails.