5. Vivienne
5
VIVIENNE
“ S o, has he been nice?”
I look at Lola across from me at the table. She’s been trying this new “not butting in” thing, but I actually prefer her slightly overbearing presence. It’s more her. “He hasn’t been anything.”
I don’t think she believes me, but it’s true. I haven’t seen him since he left for his date last night.
“Let me know if he’s being a douche, okay? I mean it.”
I nod my head and hear the doorbell ring. “That’s Sawyer.”
I stand up from the table as Lola drinks her coffee, looking down at her phone. “How does he feel about Ash being here?”
I shrug my shoulders as I start for the front door. “He hasn’t said anything.”
We haven’t really talked since he left here either. But going off his male dominance display yesterday, I’d say he’s not thrilled.
I make it to the front door and open the door for him, smiling as he pulls me into a warm embrace. “Hey.”
“Hi, Sawyer.”
He releases me, and I see his eyes automatically darting around the room, looking for Asher. “I don’t think he’s here. Or he’s not awake yet.”
His brown eyes meet mine. “Has he behaved?”
I laugh and close the door behind him. “Yes. It’s been fine. He went out on a date last night, and I don’t think he’s come home yet.”
“Good.” His smile is back, and he’s returned to the playful Sawyer I know. “Where’s Baz?”
“He’s playing in his room. We already ate breakfast. Let’s go get him.”
He happily follows me to Baz’s room. He’s playing with his toy airplanes and stops, running over to Sawyer instantly. I smile, watching them together. Sawyer and Baz had an instant connection, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn’t one of the things that attracted me to Sawyer.
He always seemed like a conceited prick in high school—and he was—but to see this softer side of him has been really nice.
“You ready to go to the zoo, buddy?”
“Yeah!” Baz is definitely excited, and I grab a tote bag with essentials before we head out.
After I get Baz into his seat, I close the door as a convertible pulls up and Asher hops out. The blond behind the wheel eyes me with curiosity before giving Asher a flirty wave and driving off.
I see Sawyer visibly tense as Asher strolls toward us, his neck bruised and purple from, I’m assuming, the blond chick’s mouth.
“Classy look.”
I shoot Sawyer an annoyed look, but Asher just smirks. “I could say the same.” He nods in my direction and then snickers as he walks toward the house. “You lovebirds have fun.”
Sawyer climbs behind the wheel, and I follow suit, falling into the passenger seat and closing the door. “Why do you taunt him?”
“Really? Me?”
I turn to look at him, keeping my voice quiet. “Yes, you. I hate what happened between you two. Don’t you miss him?”
Sawyer starts the car and backs out of the drive. “Of course, I do. He was my best friend, Viv.”
My stomach aches, knowing it was all for nothing and forever ruined. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do that.” He peers over at me for a brief second while his car stops at a stop sign. “I made my choice, and I would do it again. I just wish I would have talked to him first. I owed him that.”
“You did though.” I look in the back seat, seeing Baz happily playing with his tablet and not paying attention to us. I turn back to Sawyer to see his focus has returned to the road as he drives. “He told us both how much he didn’t want me. He can’t have it both ways, Sawyer. He can’t not want me and then not want me with anyone else.”
He sighs heavily as he navigates the streets. “I know.” I notice his tight grip on the steering wheel. “He was always more than capable of it only being a physical thing. But I had no idea he’d fallen for you. I tried to see if he had.”
I scoff at that and look out the windshield. “He didn’t fall for me, Sawyer. He’s just a child who doesn’t want someone else playing with his toys.”
“I’m not so sure, Viv. Not after his reaction.”
“I’m sure now more than ever.”
And I am. Asher made it very clear to me that he didn’t want a relationship. That he was afraid we would turn into his parents, and he was probably right. But I’m only human. I was in love with him, and it hurt when he rejected me.
And even though we said we could go back to a friendship, we never really did. He avoided me more and more. I was lonely, and I found Sawyer. Sawyer, who may be an asshole, but he owns it. He may be afraid of commitment, but he owned up to that also.
We weren’t sure what we were. All we knew was that we liked each other and that he was good with Baz. He wanted to be there when Asher couldn’t be. And I care about Sawyer. I can feel he cares about me even if it isn’t love.
“Well, one thing’s for sure . . .” I look at his handsome profile as he speaks with a grin on his perfect lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I smile and lean back in my seat.
That statement offers the comfort I desperately needed.