Page 54 of Sawyer

Casey had already become a huge part of my life, even if I hadn’t officially introduced him to the pack yet. I took out my phone and texted Casey.

Sawyer: Want to grab a bite? There’s something I want to ask you.

His reply was almost instant.

Casey: Sure! Let’s go to that same dog-friendly café by the park. Want to meet there?

“What do you say, boy? Want to go to a café?” I glanced at Benny, who perked up immediately at the mention of the café.

He seemed to recognize the word, as if he knew where we were headed, and his tail wagged furiously.

That dog was always up for a good meal and a walk in the park.

By the time we reached the café, Benny was practically pulling me toward the entrance, his excitement contagious.

When we walked in, Casey was already waiting at a table by the window, a grin on his face as soon as he saw us.

Benny, of course, was over the moon, nearly jumping into Casey’s lap the moment we approached.

“He’s always so excited to see me,” Casey said with a laugh, reaching down to give Benny a head rub.

I leaned against the table, my gaze softening as I watched the two of them.

“He likes you. Can’t blame him,” I said.

Casey looked up at me and smiled, his eyes catching the sunlight filtering through the café window.

In that moment, the weight of everything—Garth, my responsibilities, the stress—seemed to ease. It was just me,Casey, and Benny, and for a brief second, the world outside didn’t matter.

We ordered some food and drinks, settling into an easy conversation.

We talked about the usual stuff: his shop, my patrols, the town. But eventually, the topic drifted back to my conversation with Cooper, and of course, Garth came up.

“So Cooper believes Garth can still change?” Casey asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

“Cooper has a big heart, but sometimes I think that makes him blind,” I muttered. “Garth promised him what happened with Aaron won’t happen again, but… I don’t believe him one bit.”

Casey’s face softened with sympathy.

“I can tell you’ve been dealing with a lot. Garth is a piece of work. You’re the only one keeping him in check,” Casey said.

I smiled a little at that. “Yeah, well, someone has to make sure he doesn’t tear the town apart,” I joked.

The waiter brought our food, and as we started eating, the weight of the conversation lifted a bit.

There was something calming about sharing a meal with Casey—something that made me feel more grounded, like maybe all the chaos outside of us wasn’t so overwhelming when I had him by my side.

As we finished our plates, I wiped my hands on a napkin and decided it was time.

Time to ask him the question that had been sitting in the back of my mind since this morning.

“So, I’ve been thinking,” I started, clearing my throat as I gathered my thoughts.

Casey looked up at me with those curious eyes, waiting for what I had to say.

“How would you feel about coming to the pack lands for a weekend lunch? It’s something Cooper suggested, and I think it’s a good idea. You’d meet everyone, see where I grew up, get a feel for the pack,” I suggested.