Chapter 1
~Ten Years Ago
Sawyer glanced casually around the roomful of guests and noticed, without effort, that Betzy was missing. Must have snuck off to the restroom.
Music thumped loud over the chatter as he weaved toward the drink station—brown-tinted bottles of nonalcoholic fake beer, a selection of energy drinks, and an array of iced cold coffees. The sight alone, surrounded by solo cups and ice buckets, screamed parent-chaperoned graduation party. And that it was—combined with his own farewell gathering—courtesy of Sawyer’s insistent mother.
And though he was surrounded by a few dozen of his finest friends, Sawyer couldn’t shake the odd emptiness that hovered beyond the crowd. He always figured he’d be excited about trading his laid-back life on the west coast for fast-paced living in New York City, but he hadn’t known how hard it would be to say goodbye to all that he’d known.
The distinct jostle of the bathroom door gained Sawyer’s attention in a blink. A tall blonde stepped out of the doorway as it swung open.Dang, not Betzy. It was Daisy.
“Got a little something to put in those drinks?” came a voice from behind.
Sawyer looked over his shoulder to see Duke standing there. “Uh, if you ask around, I’m sure you’ll find something.” He motioned to a couple of his rowdier friends.
Duke followed his gaze to where the crowd huddled beside one of the speakers. “Thanks.”
“Hey, wait,” Sawyer blurted. Not that the kid kept track of his sister, but it was worth a try. “Do you know where Betzy ran off to?”
Duke nodded. “She’s out back. Think she’s pretty upset that you’re leaving.”
The way that he’d said it, so nonchalant and matter-of-fact, contrasted the response happening in Sawyer’s chest. Pulse pounding. Heart racing.
“Why would she be upset?”
Duke, who’d already started walking toward the group, shot him a questioning look. “Because you guys have been, like, best friends most of her life. Sheesh.”
But Sawyer couldn’t let it go so easily. “Yeah, but she’s been blowing me off all week. I wasn’t even sure she’d bother coming to this.”
Duke shook his head and shrugged. “Women.”
“Hi, Sawyer,” Daisy said, joining the small huddle. “Hi, Duke.” The blonde rested one hand on Sawyer’s shoulder, the other on Duke’s. “Which one of you handsome guys would like to walk this girl onto the dance floor?”
Sawyer gave Duke a look, one he hoped saidshe’s all yours.
Duke furrowed his brow and eyed the modest-sized room. “Uh, it’s not much of a dance floor, but I will.” Relief washed over Sawyer as Duke shot Daisy a wink and wrapped a hand around her waist. “C’mon.”
“Fine,” she said with a sigh. But before she was dragged off to the dance area, Daisy rushed in and pressed a kiss to Sawyer’s cheek. “Youowe me the next one.”
Sawyer didn’t bother replying as he stepped away, eyes already set on the door leading to the patio out back. No guy liked being toyed with by their ex-girlfriend. Period. Especially in front of his buddies. Besides, Sawyer sensed there was some sort of rivalry between Betzy and Daisy; he wanted to be clear about where his loyalty lay.
If he were being honest, something else was bothering him too. Duke’s comment about the inadequate dance area fed that monster of insecurity. A monster that appeared the moment Sawyer realized he was different from the kids at his prestigious private school.
While nearly every student lived posh lives—complete with massive estates, endless funds, and housemaids who picked up after them—Sawyer was born to a different sort of life. In fact, his motherwasthe housemaid. She’d worked for the Benton family from the time Sawyer was just two years old.
Generous as the billionaire family was, Claudia and Jonathon Benton paid for Sawyer to attend the finest private education money could buy—the very school their own children attended.
Of course, that’s not where he and Betzy became friends. That happened before they ever started school, when he lived in the staff’s quarters on the Benton Estate.
Sawyer’s hand felt numb as he gripped the knob and gave it a twist. What would he say to her?
Are you really upset that I’m leaving, like Duke said?
I’m going to miss you like crazy.
I want you to know that…that I’m doing this for you.
“Sawyer?”
