Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Sawyer’s dark eyes rolled and he headed for the cabin, the snow starting to fall in earnest. Wyatt grabbed two sacks of groceries, including the ingredients for the beef stew he was making. Sawyer also ate like crap before Wyatt came around. Well, Wyatt had, too, but he was on a self-improvement journey, and he’d been told by Doc Burke a healthy diet was important, and bar food wasn’t something a man should live on.
“They’re pains in my ass if they get stuck up on this mountain for the next four days. You were here during an easy winter,” Sawyer explained as Bella started barking at the door as though letting them know they’d stupidly left her behind and what the hell? “Sometimes these storms can last for days, and we’ll be digging out longer. It’s better down in the valley. They’ll be able to get around using snowmobiles, but up here on the mountain it’s dangerous. If the drifts are as bad as I suspect they’ll be, we’ll have to stay put until they can clear the road, and that will likely be into next week.”
He’d survived last winter, though he’d mostly only gone from the bar to the cabin and back. It had been months before he’d actually gone into town with Sawyer. Months later before he’d ventured down himself.
And seen the most beautiful woman in the world.
She was the new schoolteacher and very important, one of the bartenders at Trio had explained as though trying to warn him away. He didn’t need to be warned away then. He hadn’t been ready, but now he rather thought he was. He’d read a lot and figured out what he wanted.
Her.
And Sawyer. A real Bliss relationship.
The only problem was Sawyer was still Sawyer, and Sabrina Leal had no idea either of them existed.
But he was worthy of love and affection. Worthy of getting what he needed.
The other place he frequented was the Bliss Mental Wellness Center. Having Alexei Markov in his head was way nicer than his brother’s voice. His brother told him he was a fucking moron who deserved nothing. Alexei sometimes told him he was good boy who had been twisted by elemental criminals. In a thick Russian accent.
He loved it here.
Sawyer didn’t know it, but Wyatt was never going to leave. One of the things he’d learned was he had to work for the future he wanted. In his younger years, “work” meant beating the shit out of whoever his brother asked him to or getting his own ass kicked. But he wanted more now.
He hoped no one ever found out what he’d done. His last act before demanding out. His final crime against his family.
“You should be happy you have all the other businesses.” Wyatt wasn’t going to dive into the past. Not when the future was so happily in front of him. Once the storm passed. “Are the others going to be okay without having the bar open? Doesn’t Lark have a mom in assisted living? I know Gil’s wife has a job, but they probably need the money.”
He was going to get the man to admit what Wyatt had already learned. Sawyer couldn’t begin to accept the truth about himself unless he was willing to admit it out loud. That was the first step. He would admit he had a heart, and they could start opening it up.
“They’ll be fine,” was all he said as he opened the door and Bella pounced. “Damn it, Bella, down. You know your name should have been Damn It.”
Wyatt had saved the poor dog from the indignity. After a month of living with the dog with no name, he’d started calling her Bella because he’d read it was a popular name for girl dogs. All the dogs in the MC compound he’d lived in had been named things like Bitch and Satan and Butthole. Bella had a more classic ring to it. “Come on, Bella. Let the mean dad in.”
“I am not her dad. I’m the guy she imprinted on, and now I can’t get rid of her,” Sawyer groused.
Sure, he was. All complacent pet owners regularly made their dog’s food themselves because the pet they didn’t really want had a touchy belly. The man was in denial. Still, he couldn’t say it out loud. He needed Sawyer to figure this out on his own. So he played dumb. “Sidney’s got a kid. She doesn’t have anyone. How are they going to be okay losing almost a week’s paycheck?”
Sawyer groaned and put the water down. “Because I’ll fucking pay them anyway. Let it go, man.”
He would. For now. He headed back out for the case of beer they’d bought. The wind had picked up, and the snow was thick now. It was stunningly beautiful here. All of Colorado was, but here they were right on the continental divide, and this high up everything felt fresh and clean and new. Like he felt.