41. Sawyer

CHAPTER 41

SAWYER

"I feel like I'm imposing on a sacred tradition, are you sure it's okay that I'm here?" I glance out the window of my truck, taking in the surroundings of Leah's parent's home.

"Sawyer Clark, are you nervous ?" she teases.

"I can confidently say I have only ever been nervous about things that concern you," I tell her, earning one of those heart stopping smiles of hers.

"How does this concern me? It's just dinner with my parents. Unless you end up punching one of them in the face or mentioning anything about our sex life, I'll still like you when it's all said and done."

And now I'm picturing her naked. Fantastic. Let me just walk into her parents' home with a hard-on for their daughter. That would be swell.

I sigh and lean my head back on the driver seat. "The last time I saw your parents was at Thanksgiving. Not my best moment, if you recall."

"Sawyer, that was months ago. They've probably long forgotten about it." Leah grabs my hand reassuringly, but I roll my head to look at her.

"Really?"

"I mean, probably not, my mom has a scary good memory. But come on, it's going to be fine." Her laughter fills the cab of my truck, easing a bit of the nerves I have.

"Okay. If you say it'll be fine, it'll be fine. But I did tell Tank where I am tonight in case I don't come out alive."

"The two of you as friends does not shock me." She leans back in her seat observing me.

"Oh yeah? How come?"

"I can't explain it. It just…makes sense."

"Whatever you say, Dove. Now let's go before they get suspicious." She rolls her eyes as I hop out to open her door for her.

So far no one has reprimanded me for my tone at Thanksgiving, and I'm still alive so I'd say things are going well. Loretta asked me about hockey and my travels, Allen only chiming in when he questioned my stats. I get the feeling he isn't my biggest fan, but he's been polite. I'm all but eased of my nerves when he clears his throat and grabs his jacket.

"Let's go for a drive, Son."

This is where I die…

"Hey, that's our thing," Leah pouts, getting the warmest smile from her dad in return.

"Don't you worry, Sweetpea. You know I'm always just a call away and the truck is ready to go." As I walk out of the den I shoot Leah a worried look, but she simply shrugs and encourages me to go. If she's not worried about my safety, then I guess I won't be either.

When we step into the garage, I see a blue and white ‘86 Chevy Silverado in pristine condition.

"Hop in." I do as I'm told, and we sit silently as he makes his way down the road.

"Nice truck. You had it long?" I ask, trying to break some of the tension in the air.

"Got it the year Leah was born. My old truck was a mess, and I needed a safe way to get my baby girl around." I nod and see him glance at me out of the corner of his eye.

"She's a beauty." I'm referring to the truck, but he takes the opportunity to change the course of conversation.

"She is. Listen, Sawyer…" His southern drawl makes me smile. "That girl is my entire world—outside of her mama, of course—and I watched her fall in love with you, then I watched her get her heart broken by you."

"Sir, I?—"

"I don't need all the details. What's happened between you two, is just that—between you two." I nod my head and listen. "I saw tonight how much she cares for you. I've never seen that girl light up the way she does when she's with you. Even as kids when the two of you were just friends, but even more so now. The light coming from her smile tonight is damn near blinding." He looks over again to ensure I'm keeping up—I am.

"Don't you let that girl lose her light again. If you're in this, you better be so far in that you can't even see the way out anymore. Don't you let my little girl's heart get broken or so help me, I will hunt you down and ruin your life."

"I understand sir. I'm not walking away again." He nods his approval. "And with your blessing, I'd like to marry your daughter someday, sir." He stills in his seat, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Your daughter makes me happier than I've ever been in my life. I never want to be without her again, I told her that the only way that would happen is if she demands it." This makes him smirk, then he wipes at his eyes and clears his throat, cluing me in to his emotions on the matter.

"I'm afraid there's never been anyone I thought was better suited for my daughter than you, Sawyer. You have my blessing, for whenever you make good on it." We come to a stop back in their drive and I notice the way I'm sweating an embarrassing amount.

Just as I'm about to open the door, his hand falls to mine. When I meet his eye, I see the sincerity beneath his aged stare.

"I mean it. You take care of her."

"Yes, sir." With one final nod he pats my hand, and we return to the house with Leah and Loretta, and when she looks up from the TV and smiles at me, I see my forever.

"Everything okay?" Leah stands and walks over to me, and it takes everything in me not to pull her in and let my lips land on hers in a way that is not suitable for her parents' kitchen.

"Everything is great, Dove. I promise." Her shoulders relax and her smile softens even more, and I begin counting down the minutes until I can take her home.

Fuck tomorrow for being Monday.