Sawyer (Alluring Indulgence #7)(110)
Author: Nicole Edwards

FOR THE LAST few days, Greyson had ignored Sawyer’s calls. Every last one of them. He didn’t respond to the texts, didn’t listen to his voice mails. He’d been so angry after their last conversation, he hadn’t been able to calm himself enough to face the guy.

But that didn’t mean he hadn’t done a shit ton of thinking.

Probably more than he’d ever done in his life. And that was the sole reason he’d come to see Kennedy.

“Apologize? For what?” she asked, her surprise reflected on her face.

“For being an asshole.”

“Your whole life? Or just recently?”

He realized she was teasing him. For the first time that morning, Greyson smiled. He might’ve even laughed a little.

“Thank you for that,” he said. “I really have been an asshole lately. It’s just that . . . well, it’s one of those things.”

“You’ve lost your best friend and you think I’m to blame?” Although she phrased it as a question, he didn’t think she was actually looking for an answer, although she’d pegged it perfectly.

“Somethin’ like that,” he said truthfully. “But honestly, I think you’re good for him. I also wanted to assure you that I wasn’t the one to spread the news about Mack. Or your father.”

“When Tim kidnapped me,” she said with a small smile, “he told me that he was the one. I think he tried to pin it on you though. I didn’t tell Sawyer right away, more out of fear of what he’d do to Tim than anything, but—” She took a deep breath. “Somewhere, a part of me was worried about you and Sawyer being so close. I thought your friendship with him might take him back to being the person he used to be, and I was scared of that. I should have spoken up earlier. I’m sorry.”

Greyson considered that for a moment. For some unknown reason, her answer made complete sense to him. Here she was, starting something new with Sawyer, and Greyson had been friends with the man for damn near his entire life. He could understand her fear.

“So maybe we can start over?” Greyson thrust his hand through his hair. “Sawyer’s been my only friend for so long, and I don’t want to lose him.”

“I’m not sure you’ve lost him, per se.”

“Oh, I think it’s safe to say I have. I’ve been an ass, and the last time we talked, I pinned all of this on you.”

“You were angry. It seems justifiable to me,” she said reasonably.

Greyson honestly hadn’t expected much from this conversation, but to see how rational Kennedy was didn’t help the guilt he felt. He wasn’t sure what this visit was supposed to accomplish, but the truth was, he was tired of being so pissed off.

“I wouldn’t call it justifiable. Really, I am sorry. I’m supposed to be happy for you guys, not blaming you for the falling-out.”

“Well, thank you,” Kennedy replied, getting to her feet. “I don’t want to come between the two of you.” Greyson noticed the wicked grin that accompanied the words. “And I do mean that literally.”

It took him a second to make sense of what she’d said, and he answered with a grin of his own. “Oh, trust me. Sawyer would take me out back and shoot me before he let that happen. That’s the only reason I know this is real.”

“It is real, isn’t it?” she asked softly, her smile intensifying.

“It is. And I’m happy for you both.”

Kennedy nodded and Greyson knew it was time to go. He’d said his piece and he felt better about it. Now he just needed to talk to Sawyer.

A knock sounded on the door behind him and Greyson moved out of the way, turning the knob and opening the door. He came face-to-face with . . .

“Olivia,” Kennedy stated. “This is Greyson. Greyson, my assistant Olivia.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said, trying not to sound like an idiot. There was something in her dark brown eyes that momentarily stunned him.

“You too,” she responded sweetly.

He liked the sound of her voice as well. A little more than he should.

“Okay, then.”

Kennedy’s voice interrupted his perusal of her assistant and Greyson pulled his gaze from Olivia’s and glanced over at her.

“I’ll just be goin’,” Greyson said as he backed out of the room.

“Hey, Greyson,” Kennedy called after him.

He lifted his eyebrows in question, realizing he was still walking backward, still admiring Olivia.

“Will you be at the walk tomorrow?”

Greyson’s eyes cut to Olivia’s and he wondered whether she would be there, too. Figuring it was a safe assumption that she would since she was Kennedy’s assistant, he answered, “Absolutely.”