Star Crossed Hurricane by Wendy Knight Page B

“Great, Beck. That was swell of you.”
    Beckett sat on the bed next to him. “I’m sorry. I really am.” He forced a laugh. “It took her knocking my head off to come to my senses.”
    “Go to hell, Beckett.”
    Beckett sighed, falling back on the bed. “What do you want me to say, Sawyer? This is our thing. I get mad and lose my mind, and you keep your cool and we work things out. It’s just what we do.”
    Sawyer jerked up, on his feet, yelling. “What we do just cost me the only girl I have ever been in love with. For you. I gave her up for you! And you’re a crappy friend!”
    Beckett’s jaw dropped as he sat up. “You’re in love with her?”
    “Hell yes I’m in love with her. She–she has my soul wrapped around her little finger. I–I don’t even want to breathe if she’s not in the room. How’s that for love?” He laughed harshly. “I didn’t even know I was missing anything until I met her and realized she was my whole damn world. And I couldn’t have her. Know why? Because of you. I stayed away from her for you, and I felt like my heart and soul were burning and I did it for you. And you don’t even deserve her!”
    There was a sharp gasp. Coach Andrus, his coach, Harrison, Laura and Kelly all stood in the hall, staring in.
    Savannah stood in the doorway.
    Her eyes were huge, her face unreadable. “Sawyer?” she whispered.
    He closed his eyes. He couldn’t refuse her again. He couldn’t tell her no, couldn’t see that pain in her eyes again. He couldn’t hurt her.
    But he had to.
    He opened his eyes, found her, and could read in her eyes that she already knew his answer. She was here, for him. Giving him one last chance, and now she knew the truth — that he’d loved her from day one, and he’d been fighting to keep his heart away from her, even when she’d offered hers over and over.
    “Sawyer,” Beckett said quietly. Sawyer didn’t look at him, hated him, loved him, all rolled into something that felt like it might be killing him from the inside. “She’s the only girl either of us have ever loved.” Beckett gave one short, sad laugh.
    Sawyer made up his mind.
    Savannah.
    Beck was still talking. “Go get her, Sawyer. I’ll be okay.”
    Sawyer was already on his way across the room. He caught her, swept her up against him. “I love you. I’m so sorry.” His hands cradled her face, brushing away the tears soaking her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Buttercup. I thought–I thought I was doing the right thing. But–but–but it wasn’t the right thing. It was hurting you, and that’s the last thing on earth I ever wanted to do. Please forgive me.”
    She sobbed, just once, and buried her face in his chest. He pulled her into him, surrounded her, trying to tell her with his embrace, his racing heart and shaking hands, everything he couldn’t tell her in words.
    And she knew. Because Savannah owned his heart, and she knew.
    “Now that that’s over, hospital. Both of you. Now,” Coach Harrison said, crossing his arms over his chest.
    Savannah laughed, a watery, exhausted, terrified laugh, and backed away. He pulled her into him again, wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not letting you go this time.”
    “Holy creak,” Laura said. “You’re both going to the hospital. BOTH. Come on, already.”
     
    ****
     
    S AVANNAH LAID her head against Sawyer’s shoulder. He wrapped her good hand in his, tracing up and down her fingers while they rode silently to the hospital. It took hours, because of the road damage, the houses and fences torn from their posts, cars turned on their side. The news said it was the worst storm they’d had in 103 years.
    And she’d survived it.
    It felt like a dream, a nightmare, a fantasy. But this, this was real. It felt more real than anything she’d ever done.
    He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers gently. “Holding hands is my promise that you don’t have to face the world alone,” he murmured.
    She smiled up at him.