Page 74 of Heartsmashed
“Yeah. You do that too. Make everything…better. More comfortable.”
I took that compliment in, held it. No one had ever said that about me before, and it meant a lot that Sawyer thought that.
“Any siblings?” he asked.
“One younger sister. Nora. She lives in Seattle with her wife and kids.”
His entire face lit up. “You’re an uncle?”
“Twice over.”
“Lucky. That’s adorable.”
“I don’t know if adorable is the word.”
“Sure it is. I can’t wait for my brothers to give me some kids to spoil. Are you the fun uncle or the sensible one who gives educational gifts?”
“Yes.”
“Oh no. That means sensible.”
“No, it means I listen to my sister when she tells me if I buy one more thing that makes noise, she’ll revoke my visits.”
Sawyer tsked. “Sensible gifts.”
“Hey, they get art supplies.”
“Boooring.”
“And a drum kit, once.”
He did a double take. “You did not.”
“Oh, I did. Nora didn’t speak to me for two days, hence the art supplies.”
He laughed at that, shaking his head. “Okay, I take it back. You’re a fun uncle.”
“Thank you.”
He was still smiling when he looked ahead again, and I couldn’t deny the way his approval sat warm in my chest. Like he’d discovered a new piece of me and liked it.
The feeling was mutual.
Duchess chose that moment, right when I was starting to relax, to try to wander, and I steered her back on the trail and murmured, “Let’s not go there.”
But for some reason, my words had the opposite effect, because she lifted her head and her entire body changed under me.
Sawyer noticed the same time I did. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Did you squeeze her? Kick her?”
“No and no.”
“Say anything?”
“I told her not to go?—”
