Chapter 34
IVY
S nuggled in bed, surrounded by everything I could ever crave, I can’t help but feel loved and taken care of. On the way home from the distillery, Sawyer stopped at the grocery store and purchased every snack, treat, and candy he knew I liked or would like, pads, tampons, feminine wipes, ibuprofen, you name it, he made sure I had it. He settled me on the bed with pillows and blankets like a precious gem and then dumped the bags of groceries in front of me. He put the ice cream in the freezer and returned with bottles of water and climbed into bed, tucking me into his side, his arm wrapped around me, rubbing circles on my shoulder.
“Why don’t you eat the rye chips?” he asks after a while, interrupting Jim from imitating Dwight on the screen in front of us. I pause the tv, ’cause this is one of my favorite pranks.
“’Cause they’re gross. And Zoe loves them. It’s kinda our thing. Sometimes I’ll eat the whole bag and leave nothing but the rye chips. She obviously isn’t happy that I didn’t save her any of the other good stuff, but we get a good laugh.”
“That’s pretty awesome. Tell me more about her.”
“Ugh. She’s incredible. I miss her so much even if we talk every day. We met in California. I got a job as a barback while in college and she was waitressing. I kept screwing everything up at first and she took pity on me. We’ve been inseparable ever since. After college, I knew I wanted to be back in Washington and she was down for living in a new place. She’s originally from Maine, a little town a few hours north of Boston.”
“Ahh. That explains the Bruins hat.”
I unplug my phone from the end table and power it on to show him some photos. I hold my breath, nervously anticipating text messages from Brooks to start coming in, but they never do. I sigh in relief. Maybe he finally got the hint and moved on. I knew it would just take a bit before he got bored of the chase and found someone else to play with, the poor thing.
I open my photo album and start to scroll through pictures, showing Sawyer the last few years of my life. He smiles while he looks at all of them with rapt attention.
“I’m glad you found each other, that you’ve had someone in your corner all these years.”
I reach up and run my fingers along his gorgeous face, his stubble tickling my palm.
“Me too. I wish she were here. She came from a small town, though, and has vowed to never live in one again. She’d hate it here.”
“Small-town living isn’t for everyone. Just like city living. I know I wouldn’t thrive in one. Do you, do you think you’ll miss it?”
“No,” I say without hesitation. “It’s not for me. Honestly, it’s claustrophobic. I felt like I was dying of suffocation. And being back in Aspen Ridge? I can breathe again. It’s the only way I can explain it and it probably sounds so silly, but I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for ten years and the moment I was back in this town, suddenly my lungs started working again.”
“That doesn’t sound stupid. It’s how you feel. I understand more than you know.”
I study his face before asking him to elaborate.
“How so?”
“It’s how I feel about you.”
“You really love me, huh?” I ask.
“Always have.”
We turn back to the tv and I press play. Jim’s voice fills the room as he pretends to be Dwight in one of the most iconic pranks on television. We spend the rest of the afternoon and evening binging on The Office and eating junk food. My bleeding stopped after he cleaned me up in his office, so I’m assuming he fucked my poor vagina into oblivion. I fall asleep with Sawyer wrapped around me, my head resting on his bicep, and his other arm wrapped around my stomach. His strong hand rubs lightly across my lower abdomen and I don’t dare ask what he’s thinking about. I know we haven’t been using protection and are both okay with any outcome that may come from it, but a part of me can’t help but wonder if we’re rushing. Can this be rushed after all the time we lost?
Walking into the kitchen of Barrel House for the first time to work felt incredible. Luna met me here this morning and helped me fill out paperwork and get acquainted with the kitchen, the menu, and the rest of the staff. The menu is small and complex and rotates seasonally, sourcing local ingredients like fresh fish from the docks, and vegetables and fruits from Yakima Valley. I’m impressed and extremely excited to get to work. I spend the rest of the morning preparing some of the meals and instituting family dinner before we serve lunch. It will give me the best opportunity to get to know all of the staff on a personal and professional level. Together, we all sat at a large table and enjoyed our practice meals so that I was ready for service later. Tomorrow we will use whatever leftover ingredients we have to create something to share.
Ready to start, Luna announces the beginning of lunch service. I shake out my hands at my sides and begin.
Lunch service starts to fly by, the restaurant meeting max capacity within the first hour of opening, and we still had a line out front. I guess having the majority of the menu unavailable for the last month has brought in a ton of hungry mouths to feed. It’s a mad dash of chowders, salads, crab cakes, fish and chips, sandwiches, and oysters. As we start to clean up before prep for dinner service begins, Luna comes to the back.
“Great first service! Lots of happy families. You’ve got a visitor, though,” she sing-songs.
I pull off my apron as I walk to the dining room and immediately spot Sawyer sitting with Reid at a little table that looks entirely too small for Reid’s large body.
Sawyer stands and places his palm on my hip before leaning in and kissing me quickly on the lips.
“Hi, butterfly.”
“Hi, you.” I smile up at him.
“Ivy.” Reid nods in my direction.
“Drogo.” I nod back.
“How do you feel?” Sawyer asks.
“Like I’m on cloud nine and nothing could drag me down. I missed being in the kitchen and working. It feels so good to be back at it. And look at this place!” I say as I motion my hands around the span of the room. “I can’t believe a place like this exists in Aspen Ridge.”
I look back at both men who are smiling like loons at me.
“What?” I ask them, puzzled.
“I don’t know why the hell he’s smiling so big but you’re so damn cute when you get excited,” Sawyer says. “Quit smiling at her like that or I’ll knock your teeth out so there’s no chance of her leaving me for you.”
I smack Sawyer in the stomach. “Cut it out. I’m not leaving you for anyone.”
His face goes serious. “I’m holdin’ you to it, baby.”
Dinner service goes by with few hiccups, and I walk into Sawyer’s house around nine with achy feet and a sore lower back. I forgot how exhausting back-to-back services can be and will be happy once I get used to it again. I haven’t been running every day since I got back in town, and I need to push myself so I don’t lose it.
Sawyer meets me in the living room wearing nothing but a pair of gray joggers. My eyes roam his body from his bare feet up his legs that are hidden behind the fabric of his sweats, they hang low on his hips, and I lick my lips picturing running my tongue along that sexy V.
“Are you boys pulled aside and told all the secrets that will have women all over the world falling at your feet? It’s ridiculous how sexy you look right now.”
He laughs as he walks up to me and threads his hand through my hair, tilting my head back.
“I loved seeing you work today. You seemed so happy. That’s all I want for you.”
“It was amazing. The atmosphere there is incredible, the energy, the staff. Sawyer, I really, really loved it.”
“I’m glad, baby. Now, c’mon, your bath awaits.”
He drags me to the bathroom and slowly undresses me from my clothes that reek of olive oil, garlic, and seafood, before picking me up and setting me into the huge clawfoot tub. He sits on the floor next to me, his arm draped over the edge, fingers running through my hair. I settle down into the water and let myself relax, something I hope to get used to being able to do again.