As she lay there, her blankets shoved to the foot of the bed, Kennedy stared at the ceiling, thinking back to the day of graduation, the last time she’d seen Sawyer before she’d left for college less than a week later.
“Congratulations, Kennedy.”
The voice sounded from behind her, but Kennedy didn’t turn around. She’d learned her lesson over the last few weeks. Anytime someone called her name, it was to do something that would embarrass her and usually had her sprawling on the floor to pick up anything she’d been holding. For whatever reason, her classmates had amped up their game for the last bit of school and she’d been the target of their practical jokes. She wasn’t interested in being the butt of any more jokes.
“Did you hear me?”
“I heard you,” she replied, still not turning around as she searched the area for her father. The ceremony was officially over and they’d agreed to meet outside near the flagpoles, which was where she was standing.
“Too good to turn around and look at me?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” she retorted, getting more and more anxious as she stood there.
Why Sawyer Walker was bothering her, she would never know. Why he couldn’t just move on, leave well enough alone, was beyond her. But he’d always been the kind of guy who needed the last say. Too bad she was going to ruin his day.
“Hey, Sawyer!”
Kennedy recognized Greyson’s deep voice and was grateful that Sawyer’s friend had gotten his attention. At least now she didn’t have to talk to him.
“Congrats, man. We’re officially done.”
Technically, they still had a week left, but Kennedy didn’t bother to tell Greyson that. It would’ve required her to talk to him, which she definitely wasn’t doing.
“It’s great, huh?” Sawyer asked, his voice sounding as though he’d moved away. Kennedy felt a small measure of relief.
“What’s the plan now? You comin’ to the party tonight?” Greyson asked Sawyer.
Kennedy didn’t hear his response, but that was because she spotted her father in the crowd and was moving away from them, thankful for small miracles.
“Hey, Kennedy!”
Lord, please let them just leave me alone, Kennedy thought.
“You wanna come to a party tonight?”
Greyson was the one who asked the question. He sounded sincere, which was the only reason she turned around. When she did, she noticed not only was he standing with Sawyer, but with a group of at least five other football players and a couple of the cheerleaders.
“Too bad,” one of the girls called out. “You’re not invited.”
Kennedy felt her face heat, with both embarrassment and anger. When the group erupted into laughter, she spun on her heel and headed in the opposite direction, willing herself not to cry. It wasn’t like she wanted to go to their damn party anyway.
As Kennedy stared up at the ceiling, she wanted to berate herself for giving in to Sawyer tonight. For as long as she could remember, the frequent reminder of the vow she’d made to herself had gotten her through each day. She was going to show all of the people who’d tormented her in high school.
She couldn’t very well do that if she gave in to Sawyer again. Hell, he might even be playing a prank on her now.
God, the thought of him doing something so heinous made her stomach churn.
Surely he wouldn’t have been pursuing her for this long. Not if he intended to do something cruel. That was high school. He had to have grown up by now. Right?
So why couldn’t she get him out of her head? Why couldn’t she just hang on to that hatred, to the mistrust she’d felt for him and his friends, for so long? It would be so much easier than battling these weird feelings he’d stirred inside her.
Unfortunately, for the last few years, there hadn’t been a single day that went by when she didn’t think about Sawyer, didn’t wonder what he was doing—although she tried desperately not to think about who he was doing—and until today, she thought she’d done a pretty damn good job of convincing him that she didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
Considering how pliant she’d been in his arms when he had brushed his mouth against hers, she doubted he believed her anymore.
Worse . . . she didn’t even believe herself.
And therein lay the problem.
chapter FIVE
Sawyer was slouched in a chair, asleep with his head resting against the wall behind him, when Gage and Travis came into the waiting room to announce that they were officially fathers. Lorrie, who’d gone down to the birthing room a few minutes before, was right behind them, her eyes wide, her smile even wider.