Ryan and I were strolling through Central Park, hand in hand when the phone call came. I pulled him out of a rollerblader's way and dragged him over to an empty metal park bench as my phone sat shrieking in my hand. With wide eyes, I look at Ryan and ask, "Do I answer it?"
"I don't know," Ryan replies, equally panicked. I see my mother's number flashing and I only have seconds to decide whether or not to answer it. I decide I'm not ready to face her so I let it go to voicemail. We both stare at the phone, waiting for the ping. I know there's no way she'll call and not leave a voicemail since she's been trying to get ahold of me for a few weeks now. I've shot off texts saying I was alive, but I've kept my whereabouts vague. I dart my eyes to Ryan and wonder if our perfect day is about to be ruined.
I know I have to face Momma at some point, we now have a plan to drive back to Hollis at the end of the week. I can't show up after almost a month and pretend nothing has changed. I've been avoiding her and I keep blaming the time change, but my charade is up.
Ryan and I had planned to show up in Hollis, I would speak to my momma alone and tell her that I did in fact fly to New York after Ryan was shot, we reconciled and he proposed. That's where I was going to leave it. I'd let her plan a wedding if she demanded I have one or if she was so pissed, I was already married, so I'd be totally fine if she didn't want to throw a big shin-dig.
But now, with that letter, she's going to know I am more than engaged. I don't think Austin or Margot has spilled our secret, so she may be under the impression that I am married to Sebastian. She has no idea that I have neither seen nor spoken to him in almost a month.
We hear the ping and I pull the phone up to our ears. We are in a quieter part of the park, away from traffic and tourists so we can hear her on speakerphone say, "Sawyer, I just received a very confusing letter from Horace Crump that I'd like to discuss with you. I know it's only six p.m where you're at so I'll continue to ring your phone until you answer. I have nothing better to do today darlin'." She hangs up and I sigh out, not realizing I had been holding my breath.
"So she does think you're in Waterford," Ryan finally says and I nod. I slump against the bench and look at the trees above me. I can feel Ryan looking at me and I can't imagine what's going on in his head. I didn't think I was going to have an anxiety attack until I was pulling back up my driveway.
I roll my head to look at him and reply, "Do you think I can just text her and say, be home Friday, chat then?"
"She might get on a plane and hunt you down if you don't start talking darlin'," Ryan says and I know he's right. She won't leave this alone. She's probably trying to get a hold of Austin. My eyes widen and I sit up straight while looking at Ryan, "She has Sebastian's number!"
"What?" Ryan snaps.
"I used her phone once to call him because my phone was dead and then I saved his number in her phone! She knows it's in there too!" I whine before putting my head in my hands. Ryan scoots over on the bench and pulls my hands from my face.
"We were going to have to face the music sometime."
"Yes, just that I was engaged. Not married! And I didn't have a prenup signed so she's gonna have a shit fit!" I tell him and I catch his frown. I know he doesn't want to get into the financial side of this again. He keeps avoiding it altogether.
My ringing phone snaps my gaze from him to my hand. A number I never thought would appear on my caller ID again shows up and Ryan pulls away from me. I have to know what my momma said, so I answer.
"Hello."
"Sawyer," Sebastian says coolly.
"Uh, hi Sebastian," I reply awkwardly and Ryan won't look at me.
"Yes, I was just calling because it's the middle of the night here in Singapore and your mother has called eight times now. She says she needs to speak with you. Urgently."
"I'm so sorry. She shouldn't be calling you," I say apologetically, hearing nothing but annoyance in his tone.
"No, she shouldn't. But I am more surprised that she still believes we are together in England," he says flatly.
"I know-" I start but he cuts me off, "I don't know what you have been doing since you left here, but I suggest you call your mum. I'm only calling because it sounds like she's ready to board a plane to Waterford and she should know neither you nor I would be there to meet her."
"I know Bash, I know okay? Thanks for giving me a head's up," I tell him quickly. I think he's going to hang up, but then he adds, "Sawyer, you're not in trouble are you?"
"I'm in trouble with her because I'm not where I'm supposed to be. I'm sorry she thought to call you. I'm really sorry," I tell him again and this time, he does hang up. Hearing his voice was like a punch to the heart. To hear him worry if I was okay after everything made my heart swell. He doesn't hate me after all.
Ryan finally looks back at me, but right as I open my mouth, my phone rings again. This time it's a number I am expecting.
"Hello Austin," I say flatly and Ryan doesn't look so grim over this phone call.
"Sawyer, shit has hit the fan," he says and I nod while putting my head into my hand. "Momma just called and apparently, your trust fund was set to be transferred."
"I know, I talked to Horace yesterday. I didn't think word of my marital status would travel to Hollis so quickly."
"What triggered it?" Austin asks.
"I filed my marriage certificate. Apparently, my change in marital status spread to Hollis faster than I could get there."
"Well I'm going to be honest, and not sure if Ryan is listening in, but Momma is currently under the impression that you just married the Lord of Waterford and is over the moon. She doesn't know the circumstances surrounding the rushed nuptials, but she's about to tell all of Hollis that you are officially a Lady," Austin warns and I feel like I'm going to throw up. I push myself off the bench and start walking into a grassy patch away from the benches.
Ryan follows as I say, "Do I tell her face to face or call her?"
"When you plannin' on comin' home?"
"Friday. So we'll be there sometime Monday," I answer. Austin hums and then says, "She'll have an announcement drawn up for the Herald by then. That or she'll tell everyone at church on Sunday. You better call her."
"If it weren't for the winery, I'd stay in New York. I'm damn near about to have an anxiety attack," I tell Austin and I feel Ryan come up behind me.
"Well I have a reason for Ryan to want to come back to Hollis," Austin says and I stop pacing in a circle and look at Ryan. I put Austin on speakerphone and then ask, "Why? What's in Hollis that will bring Ryan back there?" Ryan comes and stands next to me as Austin answers, "Rory Cunningham was arrested in Oxford last night. For possession and distribution." Ryan yanks the phone from my fingertips as he says, "Sebastian is currently in Singapore. Why the hell was Rory in Oxford?"
"Theo helped us bring him in. He thought he was stopping to pick up Theo, but when he landed, we were all there, ready to arrest him," Austin says and I don't know who is more shocked, me or Ryan.
"How the hell did you get Theo to turn on one of his oldest friends?" I ask, still unable to process the news.
"Apparently you aren't the only girl he's gotten rough with. Molly Hamilton told Theo that he had also attacked her while on drugs. Theo came in the next morning, ready to turn him in," Austin replies and my hand flies to my mouth. Now Theo and Molly are involved in this? Ryan leans into the phone and asks, "Is Molly pressing charges?"
I hear Austin sigh, "She doesn't want the attention. I guess it's why she's kept it quiet but then I told her she wasn't alone, and she said if Sawyer will come forward, she'd go through with it." Ryan looks at me, lowers the phone to his waist, and quietly says, "I'm no longer an agent, baby. He can't hold anything against me or you." I bite my lip while trying to keep my brain from exploding. I know Ryan wants to hit Rory with as many charges as possible because he might be able to wiggle out of a few of them.
"What are you thinking Sawyer?" Austin asks and even though I am standing in the middle of one of the most famous parks in the U.S, in one of the most magical cities in the world with my new husband, I suddenly can't wait to get back to my small town.
"I'm coming home. Austin. We'll be on the road in the morning."