A few minutes later, I hear a knock at the door. I don't want to go downstairs and chance running into Ryan or my mother, so I linger at my bedroom door- hoping someone will answer it. Gus decides to ring the doorbell and seconds later, I see Ryan looking around the foyer as he walks to the door. Gus waves to him through the window and Ryan pulls the door open.

"Hey Gus," Ryan says flatly and Gus waves to him. They both stare at each other for a minute and Gus decides to tell Ryan why he is coming around this late.

"Sawyer invited me. She needed help gettin' out of her dress I guess." Ryan immediately spins around to face my bedroom door and he sees me standing in the small opening. He finds my swollen eyes and his jaw clenches. He looks back to Gus and steps out of his way, heading back towards the kitchen. Gus looks up to me and slowly ascends up the stairs.

When we are both back inside my room, he quietly shuts my door and asks, "What's wrong my sweets? Why you been cryin'?"

"I had a spat with Austin. He's just being that overbearing brother we all know and love," I say sarcastically. I spin around and lead us to my large floor-length mirror. He stands behind me and I point to the zipper, "It's stuck. I'd ask my mother to help me but I don't need to be reprimanded right now." His fumbling fingers find the zipper pull and I watch as he inspects the fabric. His gaze remains on my dress when he asks, "For what? What did you do now?" I inhale, the best I can with the tight corset still sucking me in and reply, "Both Austin and my mother now know about my...activities with Ryan. Neither were pleased when they found out."

Gus nods, "Not really surprised there." I frown to Gus but he is still fiddling with my zipper. I watch his sweet face become pinched as he struggles with the fabric. Suddenly, he tugs downwards and I feel the outer dress come loose and I let out an excited gasp. I'm wearing spandex shorts under my dress so I am not embarrassed when I step out of the heavy fabric. I turn back to Gus and point to the ribbons tied down the back of the corset. I see him blush as he grabs the silky fabric but he doesn't say anything.

After fumbling with the ribbons for a moment, Gus finally says, "Oh, I figured you'd enjoy this. I watched Whitney throw a big 'ol hissy fit when you won Hollis Belle tonight. She was hollerin' about what you did to her and that you shouldn't be allowed to win such titles anymore." I let out a loud laugh and Gus looks to me in agreement.

"I'm amused that she'd say such things because then she'd have to admit to why I punched her in the first place. I'm sure she omitted that part when she was hootin' and hollerin'." Gus nods and I shake my head at her audacity, "I hate her Gus. I really truly do. I want to take her down so bad that I can't see straight." He gets further up my corset and I can feel my rib cage expanding out.

"I know you do Sawyer," he says softly. "But I can tell the woman is already miserable. Jackson hardly looked at her all night. Granted, she did look like a big, swollen yellow chicken. Maybe he couldn't look at her or he'd laugh." We both giggle and I finally feel the corset come free. I clutch the fabric against my chest and Gus's cheeks fill with color again as I spin around. I've never felt so liberated and I duck into my closet to find pajamas. I quickly pull on a pair of thin cotton shorts and a matching tank top and wander out of my closet. Gus is standing near my door and when I come out, I tell him, "I thought I had something to stop the wedding. I thought I might catch a break but it turned out to be nothing." He sees my smile fade and crosses the distance between us in a few steps. He gives me a hug and when he pulls back, he says, "Sawyer, I think you are lookin' for a distraction from reality. You know stoppin' that weddin' was a long shot and you knew going after Ryan was trouble. I think you're kinda bored, I get it. You don't really know what to do with yourself now. But I think you need to stop worryin' so much about Jackson and Whitney. Because even if you stop that weddin', you know you won't stop their marriage. Jackson will do what mama and papa Hemming say and he knows he is going to have to marry her." The pesky tears find their way back down my face and Gus uses his big thumb to wipe them clean. He pulls me in for a hug and as my head rests on his chest I say, "Ya know Gus. Sometimes you can be really smart." He pulls me back as he says, "Sometimes? Girl, I'm the smartest person you know." He makes me laugh and we start back toward the door. He gives me a small peck on the forehead.

"Thank you, Gus. For coming."

"You know I am always just down the road." He gives me a small smile and I close the door behind him. I'm leaning against the door with my shoulder when I hear voices in the hall.

"Is she okay?" I hear Ryan ask and Gus responds, "She will be. But make her cry again and it will be the last thing you ever do."