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.Because I didn t know which other way to go, I followed him.CHAPTER NINETEEN Your ice cream s melting, Sawyer said, looking down at the bowl between us.I slipped my toes deeper in the sand, wrapping my arms around my legs. I told you inside, I m not in the mood for ice cream. Something so bad ice cream can t fix it? he said, tossing a rock into the lake. Okay, let s talk. Not in the mood. Of course you re not, he said. That s why you need to.Once you get it out of your system, you ll feel better. I doubt it. Talking wouldn t change what I d seen. Let s give it a shot.I ll even get the conversation ball rolling. He slid his sunglasses on top of his head and took a deep breath. I mguessing this has something to do with Jude and Holly?Hearing their names together was ten times worse than just hearing her name. Is this the part where you sneer I told you so at me? Isnapped. Because I ll save you the trouble. I looked over at him. Yeah, you were right.You told me so.Jude s still with Holly. Thatlump in my throat returned.I was so sick of it I wanted to reach down my throat and manually remove it.Sawyer sighed, shaking his head. How did you find out? I followed the bastard to her trailer park last night.She has a baby, Sawyer, I said, grabbing a rock and hurling it into the lake. Theyhave a baby together and he didn t feel the need to mention any of this to me. My voice was breaking, about to snap, and the tears werefinally flowing. They have a cute, teething, precious little baby and he didn t tell me. Each word was its own sentence since I was doingthe sobbing while trying to talk thing. Ah, hell, Lucy. Sawyer draped his arm over me. I m sorry.This is exactly the reason I tried to tell you early on about her, beforeyou and Jude got too involved.I knew it would tear you up when you found out. I trusted him, Sawyer, I cried. I trusted him.And he lied to me.What kind of screwed up is that?He slid my wet, matted hair behind my ear. Some people just thrive off manipulating others, you know? We search for some deeper,honorable explanation, but some people are just messed up.Even as he said the words I knew should be true, some piece of me couldn t buy into them.Jude wasn t the cruel type, he d lied to mefor some deeper reason, but I couldn t invest the time necessary to uncover it.I was officially burnt out on all things Jude.I had no otherchoice but to cut him loose.And I d never wanted to take back a decision more. Well, you were right.And I was wrong.And Jude and I are finished, I said, getting a hold of myself. That s a chapter in my life Iwant to close the book on and never open again. Sounds like you need a fresh start, he said, dropping his arm now that the only effect of the hysterics was a red, puffy face. I ll take two, I said, wiping the mascara likely smeared beneath my eyes. I know this might seem sudden, but hear me out, he began, turning in the sand to face me. The Sadie Hawkins dance is nextweekend, and I ve already told three girls no because I lied and said I was already going with another girl.He was right, this was about a hundred miles per hour too fast. Sawyer, I warned, about to stand up. Wait, he said, grabbing my knee. Just hear me out on this before you say anything.I sat back down and waited. So now I m in a jam because if I don t show up, these three poor girls will know I gave them the brush off, and if I show up with someother girl, they re going to know I lied. Wait, I said, narrowing my eyes. Who exactly did you tell them you were going with?I already knew the answer. You, he said, having the decency to look ashamed. Sawyer, I groaned, rocking in the sand. My life is complicated enough without you making it more so. I know and I m sorry, but here s part two of you hearing me out. He took in a breath and squared his shoulders. I like you, Lucy.More than I should and a hell of a lot more than you like me.I ve been biding my time, waiting for you to wake up and smell the Judeheartache, and now that you have, I know at least half a dozen guys are going to be standing in line at your locker tomorrow morning. Hepaused, judging me for my reaction, but I still wasn t sure how to react. Would you do me a favor and just give me a shot? One shot, andgo to Sadie Hawkins with me.I swear I ll behave like we are nothing more than friends and maybe, if you feel the same way, we couldfigure this thing out together.Every acceptable response escaped me. For me, Lucy? Just this one thing, and if you still feel the way you do now, I promise I ll leave you alone. For the first time, Sawyer sbronzy skin didn t look so golden.He looked pale, and scared, and vulnerable. I don t want to live my life with regrets, and I know Iwould regret it every damn day of my life if we didn t at least give us a chance.My life had officially just become a daytime soap opera.Because Sawyer was a friend, and had had my back from the very beginning despite me going off on him on numerous occasions, andbecause I felt indebted to him, I said,  Fine.We ll go to Sadie s together.The color poured back into his face. We ll have a blast, I promise, he said. And I can assure you, I don t have any love children I mkeeping a secret.I leveled him with my glare. Sorry, he said,  that was in bad taste. Exceptionally.He grabbed my hand, his fingers weaving through mine. Let s give this thing a shot, Lucy.Nice and slow and see what happens. Nice.And.Slow, I reiterated because I knew Sawyer had it all on paper.He was what drove women to cat fight and to drink and toswoon.He had it all: looks, money, personality, but he didn t have one thing yet.And that was my heart. We ll walk before we run, he said, squeezing my hand. We ll walk before we run.CHAPTER TWENTYSawyer and I walked right through Sadie Hawkins [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]