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She withdrew her hand and turned so she faced theinstead of hi to tell her the truth about us and the whole Marry Off Sawyer can?”

He followed Clover’son the road instead of the way his lungs had tightened or the fact that he could still feel the i “It’s probably past time, don’t you think?”

“Yeah” She nodded, but kept her face averted “So let’s go with a business eency cover story You can head back to Harbor City, and I’ll figure out how to tell the”

Gut tight, he turned into the driveway of number forty-three Caller Court while Clover’s e

He should be relieved It was an uncomplicated solution to a messy problem All he needed to do was say thank you, but that’s not what came out “I can stay, have your back when you tell them the truth”

This tih thehighlighted the gold of her hair One side of her mouth was curled up in a se it, as if she just couldn’t fake it anyht The lies had taken a toll

“I appreciate that,” she said, “but you’re not the only one who’s facing up to the realization that how you’ve been handling family up until now may not have been the best option”

Neither of theot out of the car He went around to the trunk and got her bag, leaving his own on top of the spare tire Then he followed her inside to the Lees’ warm, yellow kitchen decorated ildflowers and photos of coffee ht and headed up the stairs Sawyer placed Clover’s bag on the kitchen island while her mom started a fresh pot of coffee despite the fact that it was ten o’clock at night Clover had gone over to a framed family photo on the counter and picked it up If he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought it was the first time she’d ever seen it

Earlier today his mom had asked him what he really knew about Clover The truth was, not a lot He knehat she liked to do, how she liked her haar, and that she laughed at all the sah, as actually knowing her and what made her tick Noouldn’t She’d coet her stuff He’d cut her a check for the full as early, after all And then she’d be off to Australia and he’d go back to his life the way it was before she’d shown up at Carlyle Towers, answering an ad for a personal buffer that he’d never placed

The fact that he felt like he’d sed glass just et out of here sooner rather than later “Mrs Lee—”

“Laura, I insist We’re going to be fa decaf Do you want some?”

Clover sat down the photo and crossed over to stand by him “Mom, Sawyer has to head back to Harbor City”

“Really?” Laura said, her eyes ith surprise

“Yes” He nodded, playing his part “There’s been an eency at the office”

“Uh-huh” Laura looked fro “Well, we’ll just move family lunch up to family brunch so you can head back to the city tomorrow afternoon Even a busyoff every once in a while”