Free Traditional Change by Alta Hensley

him and started messing with the ink bottles on his workstation. Amos' hands shook, dark circles plagued his face, and his eyes were still bloodshot—from a hard night of partying, no doubt.
    Sawyer slapped his brother's hand. "Leave my shit alone."
    "Jesus, man. Someone on the rag today, or what?"
    He loved his brother more than anything, and after their mother had died, Amos was the only family he had, unless you counted their deadbeat dad. But the man could work his last nerve. His brother fought his addictions on a daily basis and struggled with life in general. Amos did everything to the extreme, regardless of the law or the safety of it. With a heart of gold and a spirit unmatched by anyone, Amos exuded living life to the fullest.
    "I have a lot of things on my mind."
    "Yeah, well whoever she is, she must be a hot one."
    Sawyer smirked. His brother knew him well. "That she is."
    "Good in bed?"
    "I don't know."
    "You haven't fucked her yet, and she already has you all dreamy eyed? Jesus Christ!"
    Sawyer winced at the crude sentence. He didn't like Rebecca being thought of or talked about like she was just some bar fly. "It's not like that. She's one of those good girls."
    Amos chuckled. "Yeah, well, those 'good girls' are the dirtiest in bed. They like to be fucked hard in the filthiest of ways."
    Sawyer kicked the chair Amos was sitting in, feeling his temper building. "Shut up. Don't talk like that." Why was he feeling such a sudden need to protect her?
    "Fuck! I was kidding." Amos paused and studied his brother. "I was just kidding around. Sorry, man."
    Sawyer shrugged and turned his attention to cleaning up his station. "Why are you here, anyway? I don't have you scheduled for a tattoo."
    Amos cleared his throat. "I was hoping I could borrow enough to cover my rent. I'm a little short this month." Amos was always short covering one bill or the other. "I'll pay you back with my next paycheck." Which also wasn't true. Amos had a way of conveniently forgetting his debts.
    "How much do you need?" Sawyer didn't even look up. Being asked for money by his brother was nothing new or shocking. It was as normal as taking a piss.
    "Three hundred. Four, if you have it."
    Without saying anything, Sawyer walked over to a safe in the corner of the room. He quickly opened the combination and counted out a bunch of twenties and a few hundred dollar bills. He pulled out five hundred and rolled it up. He then walked to his brother and handed him the money without saying a single word. He didn't want to encourage Amos, but he also didn't want to make him feel bad or less of a man. He knew Amos would do it for him in a heartbeat.
    "Thanks, man." His brother pocketed the money without even counting it. "So, this chick. When do I get to meet her?"
    "We aren't dating or anything."
    "Why the hell not? If she has a hold of your heart like this, then why haven't you made her yours? That's not like you at all."
    Sawyer stopped and stared at his brother, taking in his question. Why hadn't he? He wasn't one to play games or fuck around. If he wanted something or someone, he made it happen. He didn't overthink things or make it more complicated than it had to be. Not normally. So why was he acting like a drama-filled teenage boy avoiding doing anything about his feelings? Why was he not doing anything about it? He wanted Rebecca. He did.
    "You're right," he said, nodding somewhat as he stared off into space. "It's time I get off my ass and make her mine."
     
    * * * * *
     
    What the hell was she doing up here? How could she have possibly thought that climbing this tree and sitting here for hours was a good idea? Search your soul, they say. Find internal peace, they say . Yeah well… her soul was hungry, and there was no peace to be found as she munched on a handful of raisins and pine nuts.
    "Have you lost your mind? What are you doing up in that tree… bare-ass naked?"
    Sawyer?
    Rebecca tensed, not even daring to look down for fear that the