Dirty (17 page)

             
“Sawyer, what is it?”

             
He ignored her questioning voice and walked through the cheese shop and into the kitchen. “Sawyer?”

             
“Just come out to the truck so I can give you these things.”

             
She stood before him, chewing her lip, her worry lines pronounced on her forehead and between her eyes.

             
He pulled the dress, shoes, and purse from the truck.

             
Her jaw unhinged, the look on her face was confusion mingled with what he interpreted as hurt. “I don’t understand.”

             
“You must take these and return them to the store. It was a nice gesture, but we can’t accept them.”

             
“Of course you can.” She wouldn’t take them, and instead stepped back.

             
“I had it out with Jess all night, I won’t stand here and do it again with you.”

             
“Oh but please, Sawyer. You can’t take it away once it’s been given to her.”

             
“She's too young to understand a gift like this. It was very nice of you, but it’s just way too much for a girl like her. We buy our back-to-school clothes at Wal-Mart and Goodwill. I won’t have her thinking she’s something she’s not.”

             
“I don’t know what you mean, but please…we already talked about how she’d do her hair and we picked nail polish to match the dress. You can’t do this to her. To take all of it away now would devastate her.”

             
“She’s my issue, not yours. It was a mistake to let you take her shopping.” He forced the items into her hands.

             
He should have never looked into her huge blue pools because they were swimming with tears and it gutted him. She held the dress and other items in her arms, her chin trembling in frustration. “Please let her have them,” she pleaded, her face twisted in turmoil. “It’s my fault…she tried to tell me, but I insisted. I messed up this time, but I’ll do better.” The tears broke free of their dam and trailed down her face to her chin and then dropped onto the plastic covering the dress.

             
Sawyer looked away. He wanted to give her everything she wanted, but he also wanted to teach Jess and Riley their place in life. It wasn’t their place to wear six-hundred-dollar dresses. What could he ever give Jess that would ever compare to that? “If she starts fantasizing about a life where expensive dresses and shoes are part of her, she’ll be let down. I don’t want her to wish for things she’ll never acquire, constantly trying to reach an unobtainable peak. Can you understand that?”

             
She swiped at her tears. “Yes, I understand that. I don’t agree with you, but I understand you.”

             
“You don’t agree? No I don’t, but I don’t have to agree with you to know it’s wrong to take this from her now that she’s already dreamed of the night she’ll wear it. Don’t punish her for my mistake.” Her clear blue eyes blinked several times at him. “I wasn’t trying to undermine your authority…honestly I wasn’t even thinking about the cost because I’d intended to pay for the dress and shoes.”

             
He didn’t like this little platinum-haired pixie telling him how to deal with his sisters. He’d been doing just fine until she came along. Okay, that wasn’t entirely true…he’d been out of his element regarding attire for Jessica’s first school dance, but they would have managed.

             
Her body trembled as she whispered, “I just really wanted her to have this dress. Please.”

             
Her tears were his undoing. This little doll had taken his well-ordered world and ransacked it. He’d had his laundry all neatly folded into drawers and she’d come in and pulled everything out. “Okay.”

             
“Really?”

             
“Yes. Okay.”

             
She jumped into his arms, the plastic of the dress crushed between them. He pulled away so that he could take the items and place them back in the truck before they got ruined in her delight. Her eyes sparkled and her smile was genuine. He’d made her happy and her reaction made everything worth it.

             
Her hands laced around his neck and she lifted her feet from the ground as she eagerly kissed him. “Everything’s going to be perfect, I promise.”

             
“I don’t doubt it.”

             
“You should know that we already made plans to get hair, makeup, and nails done. Riley too.”

             
“Riley!”

             
“Riley’s just coming along to the spa day but she can’t be left out. We’re all going to get spruced up right along with Jess. Riley’s very excited…she also picked a color of nail polish. It’s new in the line…frosted cotton candy.”

             
“Frosted cotton candy? Sounds like food, not makeup.”

             
“Well the lip gloss I’m wearing is raspberry sorbet. So if you’re hungry”—

             
His lips took hers in a heated kiss and he did in fact taste sweetness with a hint of berry flavor. “Mmm tasty,” he mumbled against her lips.

             
“I miss you, Sawyer. Will I see you tonight?”

             
“You want to come over?”

             
She chewed her lower lip and cut her eyes to the ground. “Actually, I was hoping you’d accept my invitation to dinner.”

             
She seemed anxious and he longed to settle her nerves so he accepted, all the while wondering what he’d do with Riley and Jess. “Sure. We’re not going to that French place again are we?”

             
She winced. “No, dinner at my house. Riley and Jess too.”

             
“Won’t your folks be there?”

             
“Yes. I’d like for you all to meet.”

             
He slammed the door on the truck. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

             
A frown developed between her brows. “Why not?” Her meek voice carried little in the dense southeast Louisiana air.

             
“I’m working for your father, or have you forgotten?”

             
“My father is retired. He’s only been to the worksite once since they broke ground, so that’s not a good excuse.” She clasped his hands in hers and firmly pressed down. “Please, Sawyer. I like you a lot and I really love the girls, and I want to introduce you to my mom and dad.”

             
She was sincere and there were those damned sparkles in her blue eyes. “You only like me a lot, but you love my sisters.”

             
She chewed her lower lip again and shot her eyes down to the ground. That wouldn’t do so he placed his index finger beneath her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. “What’s wrong?”

             
“I didn’t want to say it, but I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

             
The floor of his mouth fell as Courtney placed her palm to his chest. “Don’t say anything. Just bring the girls to my house at seven o’clock. Number one, David Way.”

             
She turned and sashayed away, her heels clicking on the concrete.

***

             
“Mom, I need those jeans with the cuff. Have you seen them anywhere?”

             
Courtney huffed. She wanted everything to be perfect for dinner with her beau and his darling sisters. Dad was grilling steaks and Courtney had the potatoes baking in the oven. Other than that they’d have a simple salad, rolls, tea, and box brownies. Easy peasy.

             
She put on her white T-shirt with the little pocket and then continued to search for her jeans with the cuff. She dug through the floor of her closet. “Oh, there’s my blue scarf!” She put the scarf around her neck and tied it simply.

             
“Are these the ones?” Mom held up a pair of jeans with her index finger in one of the loops.

             
“Yes!” Courtney stood snatching the jeans and stepping into them. “Mom!”

             
“Yes, dear?”

             
“You can’t wear that. I said casual dress.”

             
“This is casual.”

             
“Silk is not casual! And linen pants with cream heels? Change!”

             
Mom clicked her tongue. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you worked up like this over a man before.”

             
She clasped her mother’s upper arms in a tight grip. Leaning into her face she said, “He’s the one, Mom.”

             
Wide, ice blue eyes seared Courtney. “Honey, that’s wonderful. How do you know? You haven’t known him long. Well I guess when you know, you just know. I can’t believe it. You’re so beautiful. My daughter…in love.” Mom sighed.

             
“Jesus, Mom. Breathe!” Courtney pointed with her index finger in her mother’s direction. “And get this all out of your system now because there can be zero weirdness tonight.”

             
“I should think not. I’ll be very welcoming. I can’t wait to meet the man who has stolen your heart.”

             
Courtney groaned. Maybe this wasn’t such a grand idea after all. “Mom, be cool.”

             
“I will. Let me just go change.”

             
Courtney shook her head as she watched her mother’s retreating back. She’d informed her parents regarding Sawyer’s situation. Like Courtney, they thought him to be a man of great character. It was amazing really—what he’d managed on his own for so long. She hoped with every cell she had that he’d let her help. And not just let her, but that he’d want her to help him. It was her dream that together the four of them could coexist, enjoying one another on a daily basis. She sighed at her fantasy that seemed too far away—impossible.

             
Spying the new Mac laptop in its spiffy white box she pinched her lips together, aiding her worrisome frown. After their conversation in the delivery alley this morning, she knew the computer would not be well received.

***

             
Once the Murphys arrived, Courtney completed the introductions and Mom got the girls busy making brownies in the kitchen.

             
Sawyer and Dad shared a beer at the seating area near the kitchen. Courtney pretended to be busy with brownie making but she was really eavesdropping on their conversation.

             
“The restaurant’s coming along. I laid at least a half mile of sewer pipe today.”

             
Sawyer’s voice shook as he spoke and Courtney’s hands squeezed hard around the glass container of pecans she was holding. He was nervous and she longed to ease his discomfort.

             
“Gotta go easy with the work talk or the wife will get me. Know what I mean?”

             
“Yes, sir.”

             
“Call me Britton. Courtney tells me you hunt boar.”

             
“Yes, sir…uh Britton…I occasionally will hunt.” Courtney chanced a glance at the two men and saw Sawyer sitting up straight as a board, his hands together in his lap while Dad was leisurely conversing with his legs stretched in front of him and crossed at the ankles.”

             
“Had a few out back last week.” Dad pointed out the set of windows that ran the length of the back of the house. “They started rooting in a patch of hydrangeas and I went out to shoo them away and one of the damn things charged at me.”

             
“They can get aggressive when they’re anxious.”

             
“I’d like to get them out of those backwoods. Put me on your schedule if you’ve got the time.”

             
“Yes, I can definitely make time for that. I set humane traps. Little devils are quite clever, but I’ve devised a trap system that utilizes leverage and places their weight against them.”

             
As she listened to the men get deep into a discussion she smiled and her heart filled with joy. She could tell her father was impressed with Sawyer’s intricate trapping system. Her father and lover continued to bond in the corner of the kitchen as they discussed all things hunting.

             
After the beer had been drained Dad stood. “Time to put the steaks on!” Dad said as he grabbed the tongs from the drawer.

             
“Courtney, can I talk to you for a second?” Sawyer grabbed Jessica’s messenger bag.