Forever Right Now

Olivia smiled at me over her biscuit, and kicked her foot with spastic baby joy. I smiled back and straightened.

“Olivia said she would love some casserole.”

Sawyer looked at me with a strange expression on his face. I gave the sleeve of his hoodie a tug.

“Come on. Looks like fish is this way.”

Sawyer hesitated. “I’m not going to get out of this, am I?”

I cocked my head, frowning. “Why would you want to?”

He was still frowning, but he pushed the stroller after me. “I’m just not used to people doing things for me. Elena does enough already. I feel like a charity case.”

“You’re not a charity case,” I said. “One dinner isn’t going to kill you.”

“I know, but I’m juggling a hundred balls in the air and if someone reaches in and grabs one, it’s going to throw me off.” He covered his mouth with the back of his hand as a jaw-cracking yawn came over him. “Shit, I don’t know why I just said that. I don’t even know you.”

“That’s the benefit to talking,” I said. “Getting to know someone. A revolutionary concept, I know.”

He rolled his eyes and yawned again.

“You really do burn the midnight oil, don’t you?” I said. “Elena told me you’re studying law.”

“Oh yeah?” he said. We’d arrived at the meat section. He picked up a package of rib eye steak, then tossed it back with a sigh. “What else did she tell you?”

I selected some fresh tuna and put it in my basket. “That you have a heart of gold but you’re stressed out all the time.”

His head came up, alarmed. “What? Why…why did she say that?”

“Maybe she thinks it’s true. The second part looks like it, for sure. As for the first?” I shrugged, then gave him a dry smile. “The jury is still out.”

“Ha ha,” he said dully. He glanced at me, then looked away. “Are you always this blunt?”

“I wish I could say honesty is the best policy, but it’s more of a lack-of-filter situation.”

“I noticed.”

“Says the guy who began our acquaintance with Who are you?” I said, with a laugh.

Sawyer stopped and stared at me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out. My pulse thumped a little harder while under his sharp, dark-eyed scrutiny. I cleared my throat, and cocked an eyebrow.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” I said with a nervous laugh.

Sawyer’s eyes widened in surprise and he shook his head. “Sorry, I…I’m just really tired.”

He moved ahead of me and I watched a pretty young woman check out Sawyer, then Olivia, then Sawyer and Olivia together. I could practically see the hearts in her eyes. Sawyer was oblivious.

“So you’re in law school,” I said, catching up to him.

“Yeah,” he said. “At UC Hastings.”

“Oh, is that a good school?” I asked, then froze. “Wait. It just hit me. You’re going to be a lawyer?”

“Yeah?”

“Sawyer the Lawyer?”

He groaned. “Please don’t call me that.”