Page 19 of Gunner

She shrugged. “Take your pick. I got kicked out of school. I maxed out my emergency credit card. I’ve been bouncing from one friend’s place to another. I have no job. No prospects. Nothing. I’m as useless as my mom believes.”

“Beth doesn’t think that, babydoll. She loves you.”

“I wrecked my dad’s truck today, Gunner.”

“Accidents happen.”

“Not with me, they don’t. I’m a walking catastrophe according to my mom. Did she ever tell you what happened when I got my driver’s license?”

“No.”

“Mom let me take her Lexus to the mall in Providence. I was going to meet up with a bunch of my girlfriends and go shopping. Dad was so proud of me he gave me his black Amex. Told me I could get whatever I wanted. Only I never made it. I hit a parked police cruiser. A parked car, Gunner. I didn’t even have my license for one hour before I destroyed my mom’s car.”

“I’m sure it was an accident.”

Sarah sat up, resting on her elbows as she looked at me. “Two months later, I flipped the Jeep daddy got me because I didn’t want to hit a bird. A bird, Gunner. I was more worried about an animal that could fly than watching the damn road in front of me.”

I swallowed hard, trying not to laugh.

“Birds can be a nuisance.”

She narrowed her eyes. “And that’s not even the half of it.”

“Tell me.” I said, scooting down to the grass, getting more comfortable as I leaned against the log.

For the next hour, I listened as Sarah regaled me with one disaster after another from her childhood. From breaking her arm because she wanted to climb a tree like her brother, to face-planting herself in her dad’s retirement cake at his retirement ceremony. My babydoll had a lively childhood, that was for sure, but she survived it and stood tall. What happened today was just a little blip and soon she would be back on her feet.

I knew it because I had faith in her.

Sarah Brewer, the perfect combination of beauty, kindness and generosity, was destined for greatness.

I refused to believe anything otherwise.

I just needed her to believe that, too.

Somehow, I wasn’t sure how or when it happened, but I found myself lying next to her on her blanket, holding her in my arms. Everything about her felt right. Me with her under the stars. Her in my arms. Talking about everything and nothing. I never knew I could enjoy talking without sex, but as I lay there with her in my arms, I realized I was content doing just that.

I was at peace for the first time in my life.

“Gunner?” she said, rolling closer to me.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry Daddy threatened you that day. I heard what he said.”

And just like that, my peace shattered and reality came rushing back in a fury.

Chapter Six

Sarah

I felt him tense the second I mentioned my dad.

I messed up.

Damn it.

“I better be getting home,” he said, then added. “Your parents are probably worried about you.”