Chapter14
Garrison
“So you boarded up her windows.”Sawyer shakes his head and bounces on the balls of his feet.Across from him, Weston sets up for another round.
Boxing is a favorite pastime of ours these days, though it’ll still be a while until I’m in the ring.I was cleared by Alex to go back to my normal routine—with minor limitations.Boxing being one of those.Though right now, I could seriously use the physical exertion.It’s been nearly a week since Katelyn and Thomas started staying with me, and I’m slowly losing it.She’s right there—so close but still out of reach.
“They broke.”
“And you were right there, ready to lend a hand.Tell me, where has she and her kid been staying the past few days?”Sawyer dodges when Weston charges.The two men differ in size, with Sawyer being more on the lean side and Weston carrying a bulk of muscle built by a lifetime working on a ranch.“Missed me, Cowboy,” he taunts.
Weston glares at him and takes his stance again.Hand-to-hand, he has Sawyer beat hands-down.That is if he can catch him.
“What was I supposed to do?Let her handle it?Let them sleep in a flooded apartment?The entire thing had to be emptied so the carpet could be replaced.”
“I’m sure that’s not what Mr.Manners is trying to say,” Anastasia says as she strolls toward us from the back of the gym, a tray of coffees in her hand.“Besides, taking life or relationship advice from Sawyer is a poor choice.”
The distraction is just enough that Weston manages to clock Sawyer, knocking him down to the mat with a grunt.I can’t help the laughter that bubbles out of my chest as Sawyer glares up at Weston.
“Eyes forward, Cable Guy,” Weston taunts.
“That was a cheap shot, Cowboy, and you know it.”Sawyer takes Weston’s outstretched hand and lets him pull him to his feet.
“How is Katelyn doing?”Anastasia asks as she offers me a coffee.
“Fine, I think.She and Thomas are at the batting cages.He leaves for baseball camp tomorrow.”
“Really?”Sawyer arches a brow and tugs off his gloves, then takes a cup from Anastasia’s tray.“And just where is Ms.Ellis staying while her son is away?”
And then it hits me.With Thomas away, it’ll be just the two of us in my apartment.Which, given my current promise of just maintaining a friendship with her, shouldn’t be too hard.
Except…it’s going to be impossible.
As it stands now, I had to turn down Thomas’s offer for me to go with them to the batting cages out of sheer desperation for space.Katelyn insisted on helping Kyle and me with her apartment, so I spent the last few days working in close proximity to her.
It’s been torture.
Her subtle perfume haunts me like an old memory.
“Maybe you two need a chaperone,” Sawyer offers.
I shake my head.“Katelyn has made it clear she just wants to be friends.I will respect those wishes.”
“Sure.It’s all easy sailing until she starts making those googly eyes back at you,” Sawyer replies.
“Googly eyes?”Anastasia laughs.“How old are you?”
“Old enough to know that Garrison here is playing with fire.I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“But like he said, she’s not looking back.Besides, Garrison is a good man.He will keep his distance.”Anastasia wraps an arm around me and squeezes.
“Such a good boy,” Weston quips.
I roll my eyes.“As much as I appreciate your concern, Katelyn’s privacy is perfectly safe with me.I’m just giving her a place to stay until her apartment is back in order.”
“An apartment thatyou’refixing for her.That’s awfully close to relationship rules,” Sawyer says.“Back me up, Cowboy.”
Weston shakes his head.“Not getting involved.”