Page 67 of Savagely Scarred

Sage wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. “I knew you would.”

We follow his mom into the kitchen. The oak cabinets and green countertops remind me of my grandma’s country house. Except… for the empty bottles of liquor perched along the top of the cabinets.

“Are you deaf?” Kara says to John, stepping up to his side in front of the stove.

He reaches up and taps the hearing aid in his left ear. “Yes.”

“Gobshite,” she mumbles. “The kids are here.”

His eyes widen and he spins around to face us on the other side of the island. John grins as he throws the kitchen towel over his shoulder. He looks like he should be on the cover of a golf magazine with his blue polo shirt and khaki shorts. But after meeting Kara, I’m sure she would have given him hell if he didn’t dress nice.

John rounds the corner and hugs Sage, patting him on the back. “Good to see you, son.”

“Hey, Dad.” He lets go and steps back, allowing John room to get to me.

“And you must be Olivia,” he says and wraps his arms around me. “Heard so much about you.”

“Good things I hope.” I smile up at him when I let go.

He leans in toward my ear and lowers his voice. “My favorite is when you slung him over your shoulder.”

I laugh and look at Sage who is the one rolling his eyes this time.

“I’m never going to live that down am I?” He crosses his arms over his chest.

“Nope!” I reply popping the P.

“Well, c’mon! I made dogs and kraut for lunch.” John ushers me to the breakfast nook.

My cheeks hurt from laughing so much. They shared old stories of when Sage was younger. They told the story of how they met. John was a firefighter that responded to the fire that killed his father. He was so heartbroken for Sage and his mother, that he would check in on them every few months afterwards. After a few years of keeping in touch, it blossomed into something more.

My stomach is full and so is my heart. I’ve missed moments like this. Gathered around a table as a family. His parents are wonderful and still so in love after all these years. It’s in the way they look at each other. The subtle touches. The teasing. My parents were the same when they were alive. The best kind of love is when you get to be with your best friend. There’s nothing stronger. And I hope that Sage and I continue to have that same kind of relationship until we’re old and grey.

After lunch, Sage disappears with his mother upstairs and John takes me outback through the sliding glass doors. He steps out onto the stone inlaid patio carrying our glasses of lemonade. My eyes drift around the luxurious space that doesn’t fit with the cozy vibes of the house.

The backyard is enclosed with a tall wooden fence that’s painted black. Lanterns are sprinkled in among the rocks and lush foliage that surround the inground pool. The waterfall at the deep end is illuminated with a purple light shining beneath the surface of the clear water.

“Wow,” I mutter in awe. John sits down in the shade under the huge canopy umbrella over the glass table. I sit down next to him, not taking my eyes off the beautiful landscaping.

John slides my lemonade over to me. “Yeah, when Sage found out the doctor recommended water therapy for me, he hired a few companies to come out and do this.” He gestures towards the pool.

Just when I thought I couldn’t love him anymore.

“Now, I guess we’ll wait to fill it with grandchildren.”

I clear my throat and change the subject.

“What happened?” I probe, taking a sip of my drink.

“Hip injury.” He pats the left one. “A beam fell on me and pinned me to the floor. Took four other guys to get it off. Walked with a limp for years. I retired after that. Kara didn’t need to worry about both men in her life risking their lives every day.” He gives me a soft smile.

“And the hearing aide?” I ask curiously, staring at his perfect hairline without a single grey hair.

“Another perk of the job.” The ice clinks in his glass when he swirls it. “Between you and me,” he lowers his voice, “I sometimes turn it down just to tune out his mother.” He grins wickedly.

I chuckle. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Tell me one of yours.”