Stronger By Your Side (Great Love Book 2) (5 page)

I stood waiting for the bartender to notice me and got a little distracted by the dancing fire behind the bar. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and told myself to concentrate on my task. These wedges were cute, but they were killing my feet. As I put my left foot down to switch off feet, it slipped on something slick on the floor. A pineapple? My death would come from something as simple as a pineapple. Then again, my drunk mind had me feeling a little more dramatic than normal. I was sure I was going to fall on my face, but something strong and warm caught my arm.

A sharp and wild sensation pulsed from my arm up to my heart. I looked up to big, brown eyes looking down at me. I was a little taller for a girl, 5 feet 7 inches, and Charles was 6 feet 2. He’d always made me feel small enough, but this guy towered over me, even in my 3-inch heels. I looked at him, a little dumbfounded at his presence. He had to be at least 6 feet 5 inches.

I went to say something, but he beat me to it. He lowered his head a little and whispered, “You alright there, Pumpkin?” I shook my head. My heart dropped a little at the all-too-familiar nickname, especially coming from a familiar-sounding voice. I knew that voice, but where from?
Stupid alcohol
, I couldn’t think clearly.

I shook out of it and began to explain what happened. Except all that came out was, “Pineapple.” He smiled a mischievous smile that warmed me in all the right places—and seemed familiar as well. Did I know him? Damn my drunk brain.

“I’m sorry, you alright there, Pineapple?”

Huh? Pineapple? Oh, oops.
“No. No, I um . . . well . . . I slipped on . . . a . . . pineapple.”

His face twisted into a smile.
Okay, I know that smile. Who is this guy?
“Don’t you know pineapples are dangerous? You’ve got to watch out for those.”

I nodded my head, unsure of what to say to this gorgeous man who made me feel strange things. It was a little hard to make out all his features due to the dark bar and the flickering flames, but I knew that I was staring at a very handsome man. A man I couldn’t put my finger on, but that I seemed to know. My body seemed to react to him in familiar ways that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had no idea how to do this. I hadn’t flirted in almost a decade. Before I could think about it any longer, he leaned down again, his warm breath caressing my ear and sending a tingle down my spine.

“So, Pineapple . . . ” He breathed out.

I cleared my throat, willing my drunk mind to sober up. “Um, Megan,” I blurted out.
Smooth, Megan, real smooth.

He smiled again, and there went those tingles again. “Sawyer.” He spoke slowly, like the name meant something to me. He put out his hand and I shook it, unsure of what the protocol was.

“Sawyer,” I said.
Why did that name sound familiar
?
Why did this feel familiar?
Sawyer. Stupid, drunk brain, think
.

Sawyer bent down to speak again, and this time I welcomed the herd of butterflies that filled my stomach. “So, Megan, may I have this dance?” I looked up at him and then around the bar. Sarah hadn’t come this way yet. She was still in the bathroom, meaning I could still beat her back to the table. Maybe. Even if I was a couple of minutes after her, that should be fine.

One dance. I would dance one dance. Then I would go back the VIP lounge and say the bartender was clueless. That wouldn’t be a total lie, just a little white one. Our waitress was a little busy, but surely she would be faster at bringing us drinks than the bar. I nodded hesitantly, and Sawyer’s face twisted into that glorious smile again. The smile that I knew. I swear I did, but how? It was killing me. Sawyer gently grabbed my hand and then stood behind me so I could lead him onto the floor. I noticed that Sawyer was wearing a dark shirt with a big red and white logo on the back, with a matching small one on the front. I wasn’t sure what it said. I couldn’t quite see well enough, but I did think that he was dressed down in comparison to all the other guys who were wearing button-up shirts.

As I stopped and started to dance, the song
Shut Up and Dance
by Walk the Moon came on. I hadn’t heard it a lot, but I remember liking the song when I heard it on the radio on my cross-country trip. Sawyer looked down at me and smiled, and that smile was dangerous. He didn’t try and force himself on me like the other guys. Instead, he let me dance my one-foot distance as I faced him. He would slowly inch his way closer and would always stop for a second, almost asking my permission. To show him he had it, I would smile up at him. I swear I knew him. I immediately felt comfortable with him, and to be honest, I knew it was a little scary how comfortable.

I felt myself letting go. My God, when did that ever happen? When did I ever truly just let loose?
Never.
I decided that I was going to take advantage of this night off from my normal self. I kind of liked this Megan, the free Megan. I had been her once, a long, long time ago. I began twirling and being silly, which felt strange to do with a total stranger. Or was he? I was still trying to figure that out. Sawyer would chuckle at me, and he even grabbed my hand and twirled me around a couple of times. I was surprised when he stepped back a little and began pretending like he was reeling in a fish. I laughed, and then recognizing what I was supposed to do, I began hopping to him like a fish out of water. This felt familiar too, like I had done it before.
Who had I done this with?
Feeling more comfortable than I probably should be with a maybe stranger, I kept hopping towards him. I let my body slowly collide into his, and his eyes warmed over in unison with his smile.

Sawyer gently set his large hands on my hips and then began swaying with me. Our eyes were locked, and holy fireworks! What was going on with me? My face was hot, my heart was pounding, my hands were shaking, my stomach was doing flips, and horses were running through my throat. I hadn’t felt anything like this since Charles, and I felt guilty, but only a little. Mostly it just felt good. It felt right. I don’t even know what song was playing at that point, because I was completely lost in Sawyer’s eyes. Eyes that I swear I knew.
Reminder not to drink, ever.

In what felt like slow motion, the world stopped around us and Sawyer’s lips lowered to mine. His warm, soft lips brushed mine and my knees felt weak. I kissed him back, and unlike the kiss I shared with Travis recently, there were tingles, zings and fireworks in spades. One hand stayed on my hip as the other gently glided through my hair. I reached around his neck and pulled myself up closer to him on my tippy toes. And then as my lips were on his, I stilled, feeling instantly sober. A sudden realization of who I was kissing and why it seemed familiar swarmed through me. The reason why this kiss, this amazing kiss, felt like it had happened before was because it had—eight years ago. It couldn’t be. He was in Georgia. I was far, far away from where I’d left him. Oh, God. It can’t be.

My heart was beating through my chest and heat rushed to my face. I slowly backed my face away from his and looked up into his big, brown eyes in shock. He was taller, by at least a few inches, and older. His baby fat was gone and his hair was shorter, but I knew him. He looked down at me with a face of concern.

“SJ?” I whispered.

He smiled wide. “I was wondering how long it would take you, Pumpkin.”

My mouth dropped open at my childhood nickname, the one he had given me—no wonder it sounded familiar. Jeez, how drunk was I? I suddenly felt very sober as I stared at him in complete awe. Sawyer James Prescott, the kid I skipped rocks with and studied with and played with until the sun went down. He was here, in my arms, kissing me, just like he had all those nights ago, right before I abandoned him. Suddenly, something grabbed my arm from Sawyers neck, and I was flying through the crowd of sweaty dancers.

I looked around to try and understand what was happening, and then looked down to see a man’s hand on my arm. My heart sped up a little, bringing back a flash of a memory that I thought I had long forgotten. I pulled the memory back, stopping it from flashing in my mind anymore, and looked up from the hand to a very pissed Travis. He was taking a deep breath and shaking his red face at me. “What the fuck, Megan!” My voice got caught in my throat. He walked to me and placed hands on both my arms, lightly shaking me. “Are you drunk? You have been gone for an hour! I couldn’t find you!” I tilted my head.
An hour? Seriously?
“You’re out there kissing some—” and then he was cut off as his body was flung slightly to the left in front of me.

I looked to my side to see SJ, or Sawyer, as he seemed to go by now. His face looked pissed and his fists were clenched. Oh, yes. SJ always did come to my rescue. This was going to be interesting. Travis stumbled to stand up and looked like he was going to lunge at Sawyer. Sawyer either didn’t notice or didn’t care, because he slowly walked towards me and then gently touched my cheek.

“Are you okay?” I nodded my head, completely confused. “Is that your husband?” I shook my head. “Boyfriend?” I shook it again. “Long lost brother?” I shook my head again, unable to speak. Sawyer nodded his head and looked over at Travis, then back at me. “Even if he was, I don’t like him treating you like that. You don’t ever deserve that. You understand that, right, Pumpkin?”

I nodded again. “He’s a friend,” I blurted.

Sawyer ignored me and glared up at Travis. SJ had always worried about me; this wasn’t unexpected behavior for my long-lost best friend. Sawyer shifted his body so he was slightly blocking me from Travis and crossed his arms.

Travis walked strongly towards Sawyer. “I suggest you get out of my way and mind your business.” Sawyer stood his ground as I peered around him to see Travis glaring at him.

“You treating her like a rag doll is my business.”

Travis laughed sarcastically. “Ha. Rag doll? You’ve got to be fucking with me. I’m trying to protect her from jackasses like yourself.”

Sawyer shifted a little and looked back at me. “First off—language.” Ah yes, Sawyer always was a gentleman. He only ever swore in front of me in emergencies and by accident. Travis looked like he was going to punch him. “Second, I am many things, guy, but a donkey isn’t one of them.” Sawyer shifted slightly so he could look back at me again, and I peered over to see Travis’s glare soften then harden again.

Travis shoulder chucked Sawyer, who just stood there ready to jump as Travis walked towards me. Travis looked at me with concern in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Meg. You okay?” I nodded my head, still dumbfounded. Then his face turned from concerned to pissed again. “Good, we are leaving, now!” He grabbed my arm again and began pulling me.

I shook my head. “Wait, what? No, I don’t want to,” I said, sounding like a toddler. My eyes locked with Sawyer’s, and I couldn’t believe he’d found me. I had left him eight years ago, standing in front of my trailer, and he’d found me. When I thought all hope was lost, that I would never see him again, he found me. He stood there staring at me, searching my eyes.

Travis groaned. “Damn it, Meg, I don’t give a shit what you want. You are the biggest pain in my ass. I swear, if Charles—”

At the mention of his name, I broke the connection with Sawyer and my eyes flung to Travis, who stopped talking. “Don’t you dare!” I shouted. “Don’t you dare tell me anything about him! You ass hat!”

Travis wiped his hand down his face. “Meg, I’m sorry, okay? I took it too far. But we need to go.” I nodded my head, and just as I was about to turn to talk to Sawyer, my feet were no longer on the ground, but were dangling in the air instead. Travis had thrown me over his shoulder and was walking quickly through the crowded club.

I looked up to see Sawyer about to rush to my rescue when I mouthed, “It’s okay.” He reluctantly nodded his head and then just stared at us as we walked away. This image of him disturbed me, because it was similar to the one I had of him eight years ago. Except that time I had turned around and run. This time, I watched his disappointed face the entire time until he disappeared from my line of sight. The pain that the image shot through me was close to torture. I bounced on Travis’s shoulder, yelling at him to put me down.

I heard him mumble something along the lines of, “You fucking women drive me nuts
.
” Women, as in plural?

We got to Emerson’s jeep in the parking lot and he plopped me down. “Travis, what the hell is wrong with you? I could have walked.”

He shook his head and turned to Calvin. “Seriously, Bro, get me out of here, I’m going to lose it.” Cal nodded his head from the other side.

I slid in next to Sarah. She smiled at me. “Hey, Sex Kitten. Good for you. I came back in to help Travis look for you and saw you.” She winked.

Travis gritted out, “I thought I told you to stay.” He glared at Sarah.

She laughed. “So I follow your orders now? As if, Macho Man.” Travis grunted and looked away.

I blushed as Emerson looked back at me. I was about to say that I knew the guy before Emerson spoke. “Hey, I hope we didn’t interrupt, but Jenny called and Mariam won’t stop crying.”

I sat up. “What? Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” Then my head whipped to Travis, who was now sitting next to me and buckling my seatbelt like I was a child. “Why the hell did you not lead with that?”

He shook his head. “Sorry, I was a little distracted by you acting like a child.”

I slapped his hand off of my seat belt and finished buckling it myself. “Then stop treating me like one, you idiot.”

Sarah laughed next to me. “It’s alright, Meg. He carried me out of the bar too. It seems Travis feels the need to treat all the women around him like children.”

Travis shifted in his seat. “You didn’t see me carrying out Emerson. Oh yeah, that’s right, because she walked out on her own, like an adult.” Emerson and Cal giggled quietly as they shared a look.

I shook my head and we began our drive home. The girls talked again, and although Cal chimed in here and there, Travis sat silent with his arms crossed. When we finally got to my apartment, Travis hopped out silently.

“Thanks for tonight, hope Mari is okay,” I said as I leaned in the doorway.

Emerson smiled. “I’m sure she is fine. Night, love you, girl.”

I smiled. “Love you too, Em.” And I did. I truly loved her. She was becoming like a sister I never had, one earned through hard times. It was so nice to have true friends, ones I could depend on.

Speaking of friends I could count on, I was a little thrown off when Travis didn’t get back into the jeep but closed the door instead. I glared at him as Emerson rolled down her window.

“You guys get back to Mari, I’m going to find my way home,” Travis said to them. I heard Sarah snort in the back seat, and Travis shot her a glare through the window.

Emerson looked hesitantly at Cal, who nodded. “Umm, okay.”

I shook my head at him and then smiled at them again. “Thanks, guys, I had a great time.”

Sarah shouted from the back, “Yeah, you did! You go, girl!”

I laughed as I began walking up the stairs, and when the car pulled away, Travis began following. “Where do you think you’re going?” I asked as I glared at him.

He snorted “You know where I’m going.”

I shook my head and unlocked my door. “Fine. Come in, but you’re sleeping on the floor.”

He looked at me, deadpan. “No, I’m not.”

I closed the door behind me and glared at him. “I don’t get you, Travis. You made it clear that you did not have feelings for me, but you want to snuggle in my bed? Because I know that’s all we will do. The last time we did more, you practically ran out of the room. We don’t even have feelings for each other, Travis! It has almost been three years since Charles died.” My throat clenched at the words. “I need to start moving on, and if not with you, then why do you care?”

I wanted to mention that the guy I had been kissing was my childhood best friend who I had always loved. Or the fact that I knew Sarah had feelings for him. I bit my tongue, deciding now was not the time for either confession. I sighed, my mind sticking to the thought of Sawyer. What was he doing here? Had he tracked me down? After all these years? After I told him not to? Would I see him again? I couldn’t decide if I was mad or happy to see him. Seeing him brought up old feelings that I had been trying to suppress since the day I left him. I shook my head and concentrated on glaring at Travis.

Travis threw his hands in the air and started pacing. “I don’t know, Meg. You’re right. I don’t have feelings for you like that. I don’t know if I’m capable of it, but I know that I feel very protective of you, and when I saw you kissing—” He swallowed, and I stopped to take in his hurt expression. “I didn’t like it, okay?”

I nodded and then sighed. “But I’m not yours, Travis.”

His eyes met mine as he replied, “I know.” He swallowed hard. “But you’re not . . . not mine . . . ” He paused. “Yet.” His eyes were heavy as he looked up at me. “I’m just confused. I need a little time.”

I sighed, then my voice grew quiet. “Yeah, okay. But Travis, I don’t have feelings for you either. It’s not going to happen, you know that, right?”

He huffed, then shrugged. I gave him a confused look as he walked to me and then gently tucked me under his chin. “I know, I know. It’s just . . . God, I just miss Charlie so much, and I don’t know what to do. He wanted . . . ”

My eyes looked up at him and my heart stopped. “He wanted?” I asked, but it felt more like I choked on the words.

Travis swallowed hard and didn’t take his eyes off of mine. His voice was low. “You aren’t the only one who Cal brought a letter to that night.”

My heart began speeding up. He was referring to the night before Charles’s burial. Calvin had brought me a letter from Charles, a letter that I had tucked safely in my nightstand, a letter in which the words haunted me:
Please, promise me you’ll love again. You’re too good at it not to.
I cleared my throat and my eyes shot up to his. “What . . . Travis . . . What did Charles want?”

Travis slowly backed away from me. He turned around and ran his hands through his hair. My voice was weak and raspy with anxiety. “Travis?!” He swung around and locked his heavy eyes with mine. I swallowed and felt like my heart was going to explode.

Travis sighed. “For us to be a family.”