“I’m just going to do one last sweep of the room, okay?” he asks and I nod. He sets my bag in the back of the truck before heading back into the room. I dig my phone out of my purse and consider calling Mercedes while I sit in the truck but decide to wait until we’re about to leave. Surely Gavin has found my note by now and I don’t want to risk him finding a way to track me down before I even make it out of the city. What would I even say to him if he did track me down? It’s not like I can go back to that apartment and pretend to be his fiancée with no memories. Thoughts of him finding the note and the ring on the kitchen counter this morning fill my mind and my teeth sink into my lip as I wonder how he took it. Was he angry? Did he understand why I need to do this? I’m sure that either way he is hurting but I just hope he will be able to see my logic and look at this situation from my perspective. The door to the truck opens and I jump as it jerks me out of my thoughts. Sawyer’s brow arches as he slides behind the wheel.
“You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
He studies me for a second before nodding in agreement and starting the truck. The engine rumbles to life, sending vibrations from my feet all the way to my chest and I sigh as I lean my head back against the seat as he pulls out of the parking lot. The sun is just starting to peek up over the ocean, casting hues of pink and purple across the sky as we drive down the street in our quest to consume the best pancakes in the county. Sawyer pulls the truck into the parking lot and I scan the area. There are a few cars in the lot but it’s empty for the most part which isn’t surprising since it’s barely six thirty. I press the back of my hand to my lips as I yawn and Sawyer chuckles.
“Not a morning person?” he asks as he pulls into a parking spot and I shake my head.
“Nope. Night owl. You seem…perky, though.”
He barks out a laugh that makes my heart flutter. “Perky? You know… I don’t know that anyone’s ever used that word to describe me.”
“Do they not have eyes? Or are they also unusually perky morning people?”
“Neither,” he answers, his smile falling away as he drops his gaze into his lap and shakes his head. I scowl, studying him as I lean forward and place my hand on his arm.
“You okay?”
He meets my gaze. “Yeah… It’s just… if I told you what I was thinking right now, you’d think I was crazy.”
“You might be surprised,” I mutter under my breath. I’m certain that, right now, my story is all kinds of insane and would beat whatever he is holding back but I’m not about to tell him that.
“Yeah? Wanna tell me about it over pancakes?”
I suck in a breath as I sink back into my seat. Shit. He wasn’t supposed to hear that and damn if the way he’s looking at me right now isn’t making me want to spill all my secrets. I shrug as I turn away from him and open the door.
“Maybe.”
I hop out of the truck without waiting for him and as I walk to the front, I hear his door open and close behind me. Glancing up, I watch him as he closes the distance between us and just as I’m turning to go into the diner, he grabs my elbow. His touch is so gentle but it sets me ablaze and I take a deep breath as I turn back to him.
“If you’re in some kind of trouble,” he whispers, his eyes are begging me to let him in. “You can trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I study him for a second before nodding. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
He nods and as we walk into the diner, he places his hand at the small of my back again just like he did at the hotel. It’s insane how safe one simple little gesture can make me feel or how easy it is to be around Sawyer especially when I was with Gavin for a week and never felt at home. What does it mean though?
Hell, maybe it’s nothing - one of life’s great mysteries as my mom used to say. Maybe I'm searching so hard for answers about everything in my life right now that I'm looking into this too much and overthinking everything. More than ever, I wish I could remember the last five years. If I knew who I am, or who I was, then all of this wouldn't be so hard. Or maybe it would. I don't know.
“Good mornin’, you two,” a cheery older waitress says as we stop in front of the counter. She reaches for the menus. “Anyone else joining you for breakfast?”
I shake my head.
“No, just us,” Sawyer says and she flashes us a grin. The heat of his hand seeps through my clothes and warms my skin. My body begs me to lean back into him but I manage to stop myself as she pulls two menus out of the cubby and motions for us to follow her. Sawyer’s hand moves, slipping around to my waist and he pulls me into his side. I suck in a breath and his grip tightens. She leads us to a little booth in the back corner of the diner and smiles as she sets our menus down and moves out of our way so we can sit down. The table is just big enough for the two of us and as Sawyer sits across from me and lays his arms on the top, his hand skates dangerously close to mine.
“Can I start y’all off with something to drink?”
I smile up at her. “Coffee, please. Lots of cream and lots of sugar.”
“You got it, sweetie,” she answers before turning to Sawyer.
“Coffee, black.”
She nods and slips her notepad back into the pocket of her apron. “I’ll give you two a minute to look over the menu.”
“Thank you.”
She flashes me a kind smile before walking away and I sigh as I pick up my menu and open it. There is a giant block smack in the middle of the menu talking all about their pancakes and the various toppings you can get. My stomach growls as I read over the options before deciding on something. When I close my menu and set it down on the table, I glance up and meet Sawyer’s eyes. It’s like the rest of the room melts away and it is just he and I here, lost in whatever the hell this is and even though I can’t identify what this is, it feels damn good.
“You never answered my question outside,” he murmurs and I scowl as I try to remember what he asked me outside. Oh…right. It’s not even like I could answer the question if I wanted to. I mean, sure, I think I’m safe but the trouble is I don’t know what I don’t know and my stolen memories could hold a whole treasure trove of secrets. I open my mouth to reply to him before snapping it shut and sliding my chair back.
“I need to use the restroom. If she comes back to take our order, can you get me the pancakes with bananas?”
He nods, his face the picture of frustration. “Sure.”
I stand up and grab my bag from the floor before running away from the table as fast as I can without actually looking like I’m running. Weaving through the various other diners seated around the dining room, I pull my phone out of my pocket and turn it on. As it springs to life, I slip into the bathroom and plop down on the love seat positioned in one corner of the room. It is surprisingly nice and clean in here for a diner bathroom and I suck in a breath as I dial Mercedes’ number. It rings in my ear and just when I think it’s going to go to her voice mail, I hear a click.
“Jett?” she asks, her voice full of sleep. “Are you okay?”
I nod as my knee bounces in front of me. “Yeah, I’m good… I’m just wondering how much you told the club when you asked them to help me.”