Page 67 of One Night with Number Nineteen

“Sawyer, I need more water⁠—”

That smile grows a little weary, but all he does is grab the pitcher and fill her glass.

“Thanks, baby,” Nancy says absently then turns to me. “He’s always been so good to me. Now”—she scoops up a bite of rice—“I want to hear more about your newest project, Lainey.”

I tell her a bit about the hero and heroine.

“Oh wow,” she says. “I really like how you made their internal wounds mirrors of each other.”

I blink. “I’m impressed you picked that up,” I admit. “I usually do exactly that. It’s my favorite way to torment them.” A grin and a shrug. “Makes for more conflict and a better book.”

She nods. “I love a book that tears my heart in two before it puts it back together.”

“Faye and the rest of the women say that’s Lainey’s specialty,” Sawyer supplies, and I reach over, touch his thigh this time.

He covers my hand with his for a beat.

Then we both get back to eating.

“My mom writes really good books,” Ollie chimes in, making my heart squeeze.

“Thanks, peanut,” I tell him. “I try.”

“I can’t wait to read them,” Nancy says and her tone is genuine.

“I’ll give Sawyer one next time I see him.”

“Really? Wow, thanks!”

Ollie scoops up a spoonful of rice. “My mom has a lot of books.”

I grin at him. “Some might say too many.”

“Some might be wrong,” Nancy says with a wink that’s very much like Sawyer’s.

“That’s what my mom says,” Ollie says, making us all laugh.

The meal continues in that vein, with old stories and Ollie and Sawyer making us laugh, so much so that the laughter is what I remember most.

When what I should have remembered is…

If you need to go, for any reason, just go, okay?

Nineteen

Sawyer

“Bye, sweetheart!” My mom waves from her open front door. “Thanks for a great day!”

My belly’s full of food, and even though the morning wasn’t the easiest, overall it wasn’t the worst.

No huge meltdowns. No major damage control needed to be enacted.

And Mom, Lainey, and even Ollie seemed to get on well at dinner.

Win-win-win.

So why is my stomach in knots?