Sweet Love (The Sweet Series Book 1) (8 page)

*

We’re sitting in Sawyer’s parents’ living room with a cup of hot cocoa, playin’ a board game. Girls against boys, and although there have been moments when I want to punch Sawyer, we’re having a blast. Even Sam has been laughin’ and looking happier than I’ve seen her since we got here.

I spoke with her after lunch, trying to see what I could get from her about this new guy Grant, but she didn’t give me much. Just said that things were good, but she was lacking that glow. The one people get when they’re in a start of a beautiful relationship. Heck, I still get that with Sawyer from time to time and I’ve been with him for years. Even when he drives me crazy, I want to kiss his face.

The sound of my cell phone ringing cuts through the air. Reaching over, I grab it from the floor where it sits next to me and look at the caller ID. My stomach drops. I don’t recognize the number but it’s from Charleston, and I have a pretty good idea who it could be.

“Cupcake, you gonna answer that?” Sawyer asks, watching me as I just stare at the screen.

I smile, though it’s a pathetic one. I can feel my lips trembling. “Yeah. Excuse me for a moment, I think it’s Mac.” I get up from my spot on the floor and walk into the kitchen. “Hello?” I answer quietly.

I expect it to be Barbara, or even Lucy possibly, but it turns out to not be either of them. Surprisingly, it’s Dr. Schaefer.

“Dr. Schaefer, hi.”

“I hope I’m not bothering you right now?”

“No. It’s fine. What can I do for you?”

“I’m calling because the test results have come back.”

“Already?” I say, shock clear in my voice. “I thought you said a week?”

“I was hoping no more than a week, but considering the urgency of the situation the lab made it top priority. I just received them five minutes ago.”

My heart pounds like a drum, cold fear clawing at my chest. Things fall silent, my throat too clogged with fear to ask the question I should be askin’.

“It came back a positive match, Grace. If you’re willing, you are a candidate who can possibly help save Lucy’s life.”

Even though it was the outcome I hoped for, it still hits me like a ton of bricks. “When?” I clear my throat when I hear how rough it sounds. “When do you need me? I’m out of town at the moment until Sunday.”

“That’s okay. I would have you come in Monday, if you’re willing. There are still a couple more things we need to discuss. I can go over the procedure and answer any questions you or your family may have. I will not share these results with the family…unless you want me to?”

“No. Please don’t. I’d like to be the one to tell them. I need time to absorb this and I still need to speak with my husband.”

Oh god, just the thought has my hand shaking violently and tears building behind my eyes.

“Very well, I understand. I’ll see you Monday then?”

I swallow thickly, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. “Yes. I’ll see you Monday.”

Sawyer

I
heard her wake up and get out of bed a while ago. I thought about stopping her and forcing her to tell me what the fuck is wrong, but I let her go. Ever since that phone call she got earlier something has changed. She’s back to looking shattered and I don’t fucking like it.

I’ve had enough. Whatever the hell is going on, she’s going to tell me so I can fix it. Getting out of bed I throw on a pair of jeans and go in search of her, thinking I’ll find her in the kitchen, but the house remains dark. I notice the front door cracked open and the porch light on. With determined strides I swing it open, and what I see through the screen door stops me cold. My wife—my Cupcake—sitting on the top step, her body folded in half as she sobs in her knees. The sight of her looking so broken rips my fucking guts out.

I push open the door and sit behind her on the stairs, my legs caging her in and arms wrapping around her delicate body. Leaning down, I press a kiss to her bare shoulder, feeling her body shake with misery.

“Talk to me, baby. Tell me what the hell is going on so I can fix it. It’s killing me to see you like this.”

She mumbles something through her sobs but I can’t make out what she said.

“What?”

“You’re gonna hate me.”

“There’s nothing in the world that could make me hate you, Grace.” It’s the damn truth. Angry—yes, destroy me—yes, but I could never hate her. However, I’m feeling pretty fucking nervous now about whatever is bothering her.

She finally lifts her head and turns to me, staring up at me with the most heartbreaking expression I’ve ever seen from her. It brings me back to a time when I first met her and reminds me of the sad, lonely girl she once was. Something I vowed she would never feel again, yet here we sit.

“Tell me you love me and that you will never stop,” she whispers.

I grab her face, my jaw locking down in frustration that I even have to say this to her. “I love you, Grace. Nothing will ever fucking change that.” She begins crying harder and every tear that spills destroys another part of my soul. I kiss her wet lips before dropping my forehead on hers. “Tell me what the hell is going on. You’re scaring me.”

Her eyes open, locking with mine. “I got tested to see if I’m a match.”

Every part of my body freezes as I stare back at her. She doesn’t elaborate on what tests but she doesn’t need to. Betrayal ignites through my veins hot and fast “When?”

“On Wednesday afternoon,” she whispers.

“Jesus, Grace!” I jump to my feet and start pacing furiously. “How the fuck could you keep this from me?”

“I’m sorry, so sorry for not telling you, but you were so angry. You wouldn’t even talk about it and I knew you would try to stop me from going.”

“Exactly! So what does that tell you?”

“It told me I was on my own. That I didn’t have you by my side!”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“No, it’s not,” she screams back, rising to her feet. “I hated keeping this from you but you left me no choice.” She pauses, trying to compose herself. “Please understand. I had to do it or I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

I stare back at her, feeling enraged. At her…at myself. I hate that she kept this from me but hate even more that I made her do it. Made her feel like she couldn’t come to me.

“I met her.”

My eyes snap to hers at the whispered confession.

“I didn’t intend to. I just went to see if I could even be an option for her, and if I were, then we would talk about it. But then Barbara, her mother, asked if I wanted to meet her, so I did. She’s so beautiful, Sawyer,” she chokes out, her breath hitching. “She’s everything I could hope to have in a sister. She’s kind, witty, and smart, but most of all she’s selfless. Out of everyone who has been begging me to do this, she’s the only one who told me not to.” A series of sobs erupt from her once more, cracking my fucking heart in half. “A seventeen-year-old girl is dying and right now I’m her only hope for survival.”

“And what about me? What about our family? Huh, Grace?” I grind out through the pain in my chest. “What about our kids? We aren’t talking about giving this girl a fucking sweater; this is a goddamn organ! An organ that my wife needs! Have you thought once about that?”

“Of course I have. That’s all I’ve thought about, damn it. As I looked down at Lucy in that hospital bed, and watched Barbara break in fear of losing her daughter, all I was able to think about were my babies. What if this were Hope? Or Parker? If there was only one person that could potentially save their life, what would you do?”

The thought hits me like a powerful blow to the chest, squeezing my heart so painfully I want to rip it out of my goddamn chest.

“I’ll tell you what I would do,” she whispers. “I’d do everything humanly possible to save their life. I would beg, plead, scream, cry…I would die for them, just like I know you would.” Her breath hitches as she struggles to speak. “I may not have known them long, but Lucy and Piper are my sisters. My father may be a bastard but they aren’t, and I’ll never be able to live with myself if she dies and I did nothing to help her.” She drops to the ground in agony, her broken cries filling the air and completely destroying me.

Feeling nothing but the pain slicing through me, I go to her and scoop her up in my arms. “Shhh. I have you.”

She wraps her arms tightly around me and buries her face in my neck as I walk us inside, back to bed. I pull her in as close as two people can get, enfolding my body around hers, hoping to stop her from breaking any further.

“I need you, Sawyer,” she cries. “I need you by my side for this. I can’t do it without you.”

“You have me. You always have me.” As I choke out the promise, holding her in the quiet dark, my throat burns like a motherfucker. I feel something leak from the corner of my eye as I think about the possibility of losing the woman I live and breathe for.

The only one who has ever mattered to me.

Grace

I
stare back at Catherine and John, two people who I have grown to love as if they were my own parents, and hate the concern I see in their eyes as we tell them about my sister and the decision I have made. But not as much as the hidden pain that has been on Sawyer’s face since waking up. Somethin’ I wish I could take away but know I can’t. He’s been solemn and quiet but is trying to be understandin’ for my sake. I can tell it’s killing him and his pain only adds to my own. He’s the last person on earth I ever wanted to hurt.

“We’ll come and help you with the kids,” Catherine says, grabbing my hand.

“Thank you.”

“You sure about this?” John asks me. “It’s a life-changing decision and you don’t owe anybody anything, sweetheart.”

“I know. But I’ve thought long and hard about this. I need to or I’ll never be able to live with myself.” I swallow past the permanent lump that has formed in my throat since last night and hold back my emotions as best I can, wanting to be strong for myself and for the people around me.

Sawyer stands. “I’m going to go out back and check on Sam and the kids.”

“Want me to come?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. Stay here and finish your coffee. I’ll send them in when I find them.” After a brief kiss to my forehead, he walks out the patio door without looking back.

I glance at Catherine when she gently squeezes my hand. “Give him some time. He’s just worried right now.”

“I never wanted to hurt him,” I whisper.

“Of course you didn’t. You have a big heart, and you have to do what you need to. This is your body and your choice. We will be with you every step of the way and I know my son will be, too. He’ll take care of you and we will take care of him,” she promises.

“Thank you, your support means everythin’ to me.”

“We’re always here for you, honey. Everything will work out. You’ll see.”

I hope so, because otherwise the repercussion of what
could
happen will destroy my family, and that’s what terrifies me most of all.

*

Sawyer

I find the kids and Sam playing in a giant pile of leaves next to the big fishpond that they’ve clearly made themselves.

“Hey, Auntie, eat this,” Parker says, trying to shove a bunch of leaves in Sam’s mouth but of course has no success.

Their laughter and bright smiles bring the first measure of relief to the tightness that’s been restricting my chest since last night.

“Daddy!” Hope squeals, jumping to her feet and running to me at full speed.

I scoop her up in my arms, bringing her beautiful smile she inherited from her mother at eye level. “Hey, Shortcake. How’d you sleep?”

“Good. We had another great night with Auntie and ate lots of candy,” she says, rubbing her tummy.

I smirk. “That’s good, baby.”

“Where’s Mama?”

The question has my smile vanishing and the tightness in my chest gripping again like a tight vise. “She’s in the kitchen with Grandma and Grandpa. She wants her morning hug.”

Parker gets up from the pile of leaves. “Come on, Hope. I’ll race ya.”

I put Hope down to her feet, but before they can take off I pull Parker in for a hug. “Mornin’, kid.”

“Morning, Dad.” He squeezes me back.