Chapter 45: Sawyer

The whole town must be here. Just like we thought, one call for help set the wheels in motion and everyone knew what was happening tomorrow. Bryn looked overwhelmed the second people started to arrive, so I sent her home to rest. At seats, the pregnancy is still quiet or this could have quickly turned into a scandal. This town is old school and an out-of-wedlock pregnancy would cause a lot of gossip. Bryn doesn’t deserve to be seen as a slut by these people, and I can’t promise not to kick someone’s ass if they suggested it.

Our family still needs to live in this town, so making sure no one finds out about the pregnancy is important.

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise Sawyer. You haven’t been home in a while and now you come back to marry Little Bryn.” Miss June Tucker says.

She basically runs this town and isn’t afraid to make sure everyone knows.

“Is it really a surprise? Bryn and I were friends for a long time.” I tell her and she gives me a fake laugh.

“Oh yes, I remember.” She says knowingly. “That girl had heart eyes for you since your family drove into town.”

That’s something I’ve been hearing a lot lately.

“The feeling was mutual.” I tell her and I start walking toward Zach.

He’s arguing with someone and I have to be ready to step in if needed. June follows alongside me to continue our conversation.

“Really? You were known as a bit of a ladies' man back in the day.” She reminds me.

“Maybe I was, but it’s always been Bryn I was meant to end up with. It’s nice seeing you, June, but I have to go help Zach with something.” I give her a smile and walk away before she can finish her jabs at my past.

She wasn’t a fan of mine for a few reasons, but a big one was that I got drunk at one of her events and started a fight. In her eyes, I was a delinquent, and Bryn is too good for me. I don’t pretend that I was a chorus boy, but I’ve changed. At least since Bryn has been back in my life. She’s good for me, and I need her.

I reach Zach in time to hear him laughing with the guy he had just been fighting with. When I join them, I realize who he was talking to. Jimmy. He sees me and the smile on his face falls instantly.

“Sawyer. I guess congratulations are in order.” He says in a curt tone.

He hates that Bryn and I are together, that much is clear. You would think he would have let go of his thing for her by now since he’s married with his own baby on the way, but clearly he is still carrying a torch for her.

“Jimmy! Good to see you.” I slap him on the shoulder a little harder than necessary.

“You too. So, how did you convince Bryn to marry you?” He asks with an asshole smirk.

I would like to knock that smirk off his face, but I bit back my anger and smile through it.

“Didn’t take much convincing. She knew we were meant to be.” I tell him.

His smirk threatens to change into a scowl but he fights it back. I can see his jaw tightening though and I can see Zach watching us nervously. He probably thinks this is going to escalate but I am not going to start shit when the whole town is here. Him messing with my brother is one thing, but I can handle him any way I choose.

That’s the thing about the trouble maker brother. People expect me to mess up and I live to please. Well, that was before. Now I’m about to marry my best friend and have a kid with her. My days of fighting and getting into bad shit are over. I need to be better for the two of them, and that means being on my best behavior and get a good contract for a pro team. Like hell am I going to be some deadbeat dad and husband…like mine was.

I’m going to be better than he ever was as a father. My kid is going to have a father who cares about it and is always there in their life. Bryn deserved that much after how I treated her, and I owe it to her to make up for all the time I hurt her.

“Wow, this is intense.” Her voice behind me makes me smile.

Jimmy’s eyes lift to look at her and I narrow my eyes on him when I see a spark in his eyes that I don’t like. This asshole has a hard on for my girl still and I don’t like it.

“B, nice to see you again,” Jimmy says as he walks around me to reach her.

She smiles at him but moves closer to me. I put my arm around her and pull her into my side as much as possible.

“Good to see you again so soon, Jayjay. Thanks for helping out with everything.” She says.

Jimmy’s smile doesn’t look so happy when she walked over to me instead of hugging him like she had before.

“It’s no problem. The whole town wants to help and celebrate with you guys. Sawyer settling down is big news around town, and with you, of all people. Some would say you’re too good for him, but maybe some of that goodness will rub off on him.” Jimmy chuckles like his words are meant to be playful, but when I look down at Bryn, she isn’t laughing or smiling anymore.

“We all have a past we’re not proud of, but it isn’t fair to be held by our mistakes.” She says.

Jimmy waves her off. “Of course not. The past is the past.”

Bryn wraps her arm around my waist and squeezes me as if to comfort me, but I don’t need it. Not that I will object to any part of her touching any part of me. I’ll never give up that, but I don’t give a shit what this guy says. He’s a nobody in a small town that no one knows exists, while I’m a known face who is about to marry the most beautiful woman in the world. Not that his wife is a slouch, but she’s nothing compared to Bryn, and his wife is a ball-buster. She’s had him by the balls from the moment they started dating. If I had to guess, she twisted his arm to get him to marry her. Possibly got pregnant on purpose so he would, because as I said, this town doesn’t like premarital pregnancies.

Their beliefs run deep and spill over from the old times. It’s all about tradition in this town.

“It’s been fun seeing you again, Jimmy, but I should get Bryn something to eat. You know how brides can be before the wedding.” I pat him on the shoulder and turn Bryn in the direction of her house.

When we’re a couple feet away, she breaks the silence. “What did he say now?” She asks.

“Nothing. Just the same passive aggressive shit as always.”

She stops walking, and I drop my arm to turn to look at her. “Sawyer, if anyone is making you feel out of place, then we can cancel all of this and go to city hall when we get back to school.”

I close the distance between us and cup her face before leaning in and kissing the hell out of her. When I release her, she has to suck in a breath and she lets out the cutest sigh I’ve ever heard. Like that kiss just turned her into a puddle. Her eyes flutter open and lock with mine, making my heart ache just a little. She’s too good for me. I should give her up and let her marry someone else, but the thought of that makes me want to break shit. She’s mine and like hell am I going to let some other dickhead raise my kid.

So I’ll be keeping her. Forever.

The only way I would let her go is if she asked me to, and even then I would put up a hell of a fight.

“Babe, there is nothing these assholes could do to stop me from marrying you tomorrow.” I kiss her on the forehead and put my arm back around her shoulder. “Now let’s get some food. I’m starving.”

She laughs and shakes her head. I know she’s worried about me and this place, but like I said, I don’t care one shit about any of these people. The only place that made this feel like home was her, and she’ll be with me from now on no matter where I go. I hate to say it, but she means even more to me than my family. I’d kill for Zach and mom, but Bryn is my family now.

She’s all I care about.