Marilee said, pinning them with a firm gaze. “I think the family should give back more. I’m making your father donate money, since he refuses to do anything. But I’m working at the food pantry, and I’ve signed y’all up to do some projects around town. Once a week, instead of the church social.”
Sawyer considered the last part. He didn’t really want to do community service, but then again he didn’t want to go to stuffy church functions, either.
“All the young people from church will be there,” Marilee said. “Not just boys swinging hammers, if you get my drift.”
“Marilee—” Walker started to protest.
“We’ll do it,” Sawyer said, raising a hand to cut his brother off.
Colt and Walker turned to him in surprise. He arched a brow. “Hey, it’s for a good cause, right?”
Marilee gave them a glowing grin. “Perfect! To think, your father said I couldn’t talk y’all into it. He never does give you boys enough credit.”
“Especially where there are women involved,” Walker mumbled, too quiet for her to hear.
“Well, I will leave you boys to your… lounging,” she said, casting a final pointed glance around the back porch.
“Night, Marilee,” Sawyer and Colt said.
She turned and clicked away purposefully, and no sooner was she out of their line of sight did Colt and Walker turn on Sawyer.
“Really?” Walker asked, looking annoyed.
“You’re mad that I got us out of a month of church socials?” Sawyer asked, leaning back in his seat with a smirk.
“I’m not mad,” Colt said. “I’m astonished how far you’ll go to chase a girl that won’t even speak to you.”
“I can’t believe you think you can still speak for both of us, at this age,” Walker complained.
“Look. You need to get out of the damned house, talk to some women like a normal guy your age,” Sawyer told Walker. “And Colt, this is a great way for you to quietly stalk Shelby River without looking like a tool. As far as I see it, we’re all getting something out of this.”
Walker stood, his expression going dark. He stared at Sawyer for a second, clearly on the verge of unleashing his anger, but he turned and stormed off instead.
“Nice,” Colt said, righting himself. “Great job handling that, brother.”
“It’s been years,” Sawyer said, feeling a little defensive.
“Would it kill you to be a little more sensitive?”
“There are over 3 billion women in the world. He can’t just give up and be alone forever at 28.”
“Yeah, well. If Remy died, would you be in a rush to go out and replace her?” Colt asked, standing and picking up his beer.
Sawyer glared at Colt. “Remy’s not my fiancée, first off. I’m just trying to make things right between us, figure out what the mystery is around her.”
“Yeah, sure. You’re not just sliding right back into your pattern, the life you had before you went into service. Is that what you tell yourself every night, after a hard day’s work pushing Remy’s boundaries?”
“You’ve got a hell of a big mouth, Colt,” Sawyer said, pushing to his feet. “I think I’m going to head to bed. Wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone tomorrow at community service.”
Leaving Colt with a sneer on his face, Sawyer headed for bed.
A s it turned out , Sawyer didn’t see Remy at the next day’s social. They drove out to the Hemmings’ Farm, doing hard labor felling trees to make space for a new barn. As the day turned to dusk and a bonfire started, he thought surely he’d see her then…
But no luck. In fact, Micah River was the only one who showed up out of the whole family. It wasn’t like Sawyer could go ask him where the rest of the family was.
The week stretched on, without a sighting. She wasn’t at the bar on Wednesday night, where all three brothers sat in a booth in near-silence. Walker was still on edge with Sawyer, while Colt was just plain worn out from their work on the barn, though of course he wouldn’t admit it.
And
Sawyer considered the last part. He didn’t really want to do community service, but then again he didn’t want to go to stuffy church functions, either.
“All the young people from church will be there,” Marilee said. “Not just boys swinging hammers, if you get my drift.”
“Marilee—” Walker started to protest.
“We’ll do it,” Sawyer said, raising a hand to cut his brother off.
Colt and Walker turned to him in surprise. He arched a brow. “Hey, it’s for a good cause, right?”
Marilee gave them a glowing grin. “Perfect! To think, your father said I couldn’t talk y’all into it. He never does give you boys enough credit.”
“Especially where there are women involved,” Walker mumbled, too quiet for her to hear.
“Well, I will leave you boys to your… lounging,” she said, casting a final pointed glance around the back porch.
“Night, Marilee,” Sawyer and Colt said.
She turned and clicked away purposefully, and no sooner was she out of their line of sight did Colt and Walker turn on Sawyer.
“Really?” Walker asked, looking annoyed.
“You’re mad that I got us out of a month of church socials?” Sawyer asked, leaning back in his seat with a smirk.
“I’m not mad,” Colt said. “I’m astonished how far you’ll go to chase a girl that won’t even speak to you.”
“I can’t believe you think you can still speak for both of us, at this age,” Walker complained.
“Look. You need to get out of the damned house, talk to some women like a normal guy your age,” Sawyer told Walker. “And Colt, this is a great way for you to quietly stalk Shelby River without looking like a tool. As far as I see it, we’re all getting something out of this.”
Walker stood, his expression going dark. He stared at Sawyer for a second, clearly on the verge of unleashing his anger, but he turned and stormed off instead.
“Nice,” Colt said, righting himself. “Great job handling that, brother.”
“It’s been years,” Sawyer said, feeling a little defensive.
“Would it kill you to be a little more sensitive?”
“There are over 3 billion women in the world. He can’t just give up and be alone forever at 28.”
“Yeah, well. If Remy died, would you be in a rush to go out and replace her?” Colt asked, standing and picking up his beer.
Sawyer glared at Colt. “Remy’s not my fiancée, first off. I’m just trying to make things right between us, figure out what the mystery is around her.”
“Yeah, sure. You’re not just sliding right back into your pattern, the life you had before you went into service. Is that what you tell yourself every night, after a hard day’s work pushing Remy’s boundaries?”
“You’ve got a hell of a big mouth, Colt,” Sawyer said, pushing to his feet. “I think I’m going to head to bed. Wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone tomorrow at community service.”
Leaving Colt with a sneer on his face, Sawyer headed for bed.
A s it turned out , Sawyer didn’t see Remy at the next day’s social. They drove out to the Hemmings’ Farm, doing hard labor felling trees to make space for a new barn. As the day turned to dusk and a bonfire started, he thought surely he’d see her then…
But no luck. In fact, Micah River was the only one who showed up out of the whole family. It wasn’t like Sawyer could go ask him where the rest of the family was.
The week stretched on, without a sighting. She wasn’t at the bar on Wednesday night, where all three brothers sat in a booth in near-silence. Walker was still on edge with Sawyer, while Colt was just plain worn out from their work on the barn, though of course he wouldn’t admit it.
And
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