Page 90 of One Kind Goal

“Zero.”

“Exactly. Here’s another free piece of advice: Don’t be an idiot.”

Sawyer ignored the speed limits as he raced toward Rhode Island. Toward getting to hear Nia call him Daddy again.

He’d work on not being an idiot later.

****

Morgan walked out of Trixie’s Attic with Austin and his lawyer. Austin had been ready to transfer the appropriate funds to Trixie so the antique shop was well on its way to being Morgan’s.

“Thank you so much, Austin.” She hugged her brother before they got into his car. “I plan to make Trixie’s Attic so prosperous that you’ll have your money back soon.”

Austin waved a hand. “You know I don’t care about you paying me back. I just want you to be happy, Morgan. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Claire, Brooke . . .” He paused, putting on his sunglasses and drawing in a deep breath. “For Summer. I blew it for her, but I’ll do whatever it takes for what remains of our family.”

“It’s not only on you to make sure we’re happy, Austin. We’re old enough to create our own happiness. You’ve done so much for us. It’s time you focus on you. You and Charlie.”

They got into the car with the lawyer in the back seat this time.

“I am focusing on Charlie and me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop focusing on my three little brat sisters.” Austin elbowed her then started the car.

“Jerk.” She elbowed him back.

“I should call my younger brother,” Bryant said from the back. “All this family stuff is pulling at the heartstrings.”

“Austin is the Official Big Brother Model,” Morgan said, turning to see Bryant. “I mean, he bought me a whole store.”

“One that you’re going to put your signature Morgan Rayhill flair on and bring in shoppers galore.” Austin adjusted his sunglasses where the lens was resting on his bruised cheek and his jaw tensed for a second.

“It burns me up that you and Sawyer got hurt last night,” Morgan said. “And it enrages me that Carina took Nia from Sawyer.” She looked at Bryant again. “What do you know about the legalities of child custody?”

“Not much,” Bryant said. “It’s not my area, but I can give you several names of colleagues who are absolute sharks when it comes to custody battles.”

Morgan cringed at the phrase custody battles, but that was exactly what Sawyer had on his hands with Carina. The fire in that woman’s eyes when she’d left the cottage had made clear her intentions to keep Nia away from Sawyer.

“I’d appreciate that,” she said to Bryant.

The lawyer tapped his phone. “I’ll send you contact info right now.”

Morgan faced forward again. She looked out the windows at the town whizzing by. The town that would soon be her home. That thought sent a little zing through her. Despite last night’s and this morning’s events, she was excited about what the future held for her. She was finally taking steps to do something that mattered to her. Yes, she needed Austin’s help to get started, but she truly meant to pay him back whether he wanted her to or not. She wouldn’t be in anyone’s debt anymore. She’d stand on her own two feet.

And she’d like to have Sawyer’s two feet beside her. Nia’s too. She was confident Cody and the Anchors publicity guy could use their brilliance to redirect the buzz over the online stories. What she wasn’t sure about was how Carina would react to that redirection. Would she cool off enough to see Sawyer hadn’t done anything wrong? In fact, the whole reason he’d given that jackass any attention last night was to defend her and her family. If she and Austin hadn’t been there, the entire event probably wouldn’t have happened.

Shit.

The more Morgan reviewed last night, the more she realized that if it had only been Sawyer and Nia at that game, he probably could have easily gone undetected. Who would bother a man and a small child? But their group with their Anchors shirts proudly on display had been too tempting for that asshole fan. A chance to show off in front of his buddies. A challenge. The presence of Morgan, Austin, and Charlie had put Sawyer and Nia in a position they never would have been in otherwise. The internet never would have labeled her as Nia’s mother if she hadn’t been there, right in the middle of the scuffle, holding the child.

God, she had to get back to Sawyer and help him. She owed him that for her part in creating the situation he was now in with Carina. The lawyer info from Bryant might assist, but her hands had to be in there personally. Sawyer needed to know she was on his team in all possible ways.

Austin passed the gates at Pine River Cottages Mountain Resort. “Which one was it?” he asked. “They all look the same.”

“The one with Sawyer’s black SUV in front of it,” Morgan said, looking down to her purse to fish out the cottage’s key.

“Umm . . . I don’t see any black SUVs,” Austin said.

Morgan whipped up her head, her gaze going straight to the correct cottage. Dammit. Austin was right. No black SUV. A hollow feeling crept into Morgan’s stomach.

“It’s that one.” She pointed to the one that should have had a black SUV in front of it.