The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys #2)(57)

Sighing, I took the phone from him and answered, “Hi mom.”

“Oh, Lana, you’ve turned your phone back on. I’m so glad. Does this mean you’re going to come home? I’m so ready to see you.”

“No, I’m not coming home. Not yet anyway.” I met Sawyer’s gaze and wondered what I was going to do. I wasn’t sure I’d be welcomed back at Aunt Sarah’s after I’d run off like that. “I don’t really know what I’m going to do next.”

“Why are you doing this? Is it still about Sawyer? I can tell you that—”

“Mom, it isn’t about Sawyer,” I replied, reaching up and running my hand through his messy hair. “He’s perfect. I just don’t really know yet how I’m going to finish my summer.”

Sawyer frowned and his arms tightened around me like I was going to vanish into thin air.

“Wait, did you just say Sawyer was perfect? I thought you were mad at him. I mean, I agree with you he is a lovely young man. We’ve spoken a lot over the past two weeks and I think he really loves you. The boy has been so upset. He calls me all the time to see if I’ve heard from you. Even though every time you called I called him right away and told him what you said and that you were fine. Oh no. I didn’t mean to tell you that. Don’t be mad at me, honey. He was just so worried.”

I smirked up at him, “He can be pretty persuasive. I understand.”

“He’s a very good catch, Lana. Wealthy family and going to Florida for college too. I was so surprised when he told me he had gotten a scholarship there for football. That’s perfect.”

“No, Mom it isn’t. Dad isn’t going to be able to help out.” Saying that never got easier.

“Nonsense. Yes, he is going to help. The alimony he gives me every month will more than pay for it. Besides, I’m selling the house and downsizing. It’s too much house for just me.”

“Mom, no, you love the house and I don’t think you understand how much it’ll cost with books and living expenses—”

“I’m not an idiot, Lana. I checked into all of that while you’ve been gone. You’re still getting mail and I had to pay a few more fees and get the first quarter paid for. I’ve held off buying things for your dorm room until you come home to help me.”

“Lana, what’s wrong?” Sawyer sat up quickly and pulled me up in his arms.

“Is that Sawyer? Are you back in Grove?” my mother asked, as I patted Sawyer’s chest to silently calm him down. I’d teared up listening to my mother and he’d gone into panic mode.

“Yes, that’s Sawyer. He, uh, found me last night,” I replied into the phone while smiling at Sawyer who was watching me carefully with frown lines between his eyebrows.

“Found you? Where are you? How did he find you?”

“I’ve been with Jewel all along. She covered for me and honestly, I have no idea how he found me, unless...,” I paused before I finished that thought. I didn’t want to have to explain this all to my mother and she would want to know. I was pretty sure who’d ratted me out. Ethan was the only one in Grove who knew where I had gone.

“Listen Mom, I’ll call you later. I’ve got to figure some things out today but I’ll be sure to let you know. Let me talk to Sawyer, okay, and thank you, I love you.”

“I love you too, Lana.”

I disconnected and laid my phone down beside me before crawling over on top of him. “So, how’d you get my whereabouts out of Ethan? And is he still alive?”

Sawyer chuckled and shifted me so I was straddling him. “Yes, he’s still breathing. Actually, I left him completely unharmed. I ran out of there so fast once I had your location, I didn’t even say goodbye.”

“Good, now tell me how you got it out of him,” I replied, running my hands up his bare chest. I’d missed touching him.

“He just told me,” he said in a husky whisper. His attention was focused on my hands as I traced circles around his very firm pecs.

“The guilt got to him, I guess,” I murmured before leaning down to press a kiss to the bruise just over his ribs. “Did those big mean football players hurt you?” I cooed, raining a trail of kisses across his abs and back up his chest.

“Uh huh, I can show you a lot of other places they hurt me too,” he sighed, running his hands down my back to cup my butt.

“Mmmmkay, just let me finish kissing these booboos and I’ll get to the other ones next,” I cooed.

“Please, take your time,” he groaned, slipping his hands inside my panties.

“You still haven’t answered me about how you got my hideout location from Ethan,” I reminded him as I slid down his body so I could kiss just below his belly-button.

“Gaaah, baby,” he arched into me then took a ragged breath, “who’s Ethan?” he asked in a low deep voice.

I lifted my eyes to meet his fascinated gaze. “You remember Ethan. Your friend who told on me,” I reminded before I licked gently at the skin right above his boxers.

“Oh, fuuuuuck,” he moaned, tangling his hands in my hair.

I decided to let the Ethan thing go. I was having too much fun watching the guy I loved come apart in my arms. Slipping a finger into the top of his boxers, I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Any booboos down there I need to pay attention to?”