“Rachel can come too, if you’d like,” she added.
Betzy gave Camila a grin, grateful to finally have a sister at last. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d love that.” She glanced down at her phone to see if Sawyer had texted anything more. He hadn’t, which left his latest words like black dots against the white screen.Women. Always so complicated.
But she had to disagree. Sawyer Kingsley—hewas the complicated one. No matter how many times Betzy had hoped something might happen between them, she’d met with one too many disappointments in that regard.
He was, in a way, untouchable. Sadly, she would likely never kiss those lips again. Unless, Betzy mused wryly, she wanted to kiss the pages of that magazine.
Chapter 3
Sawyer rolled his shoulders back as he headed toward the elevator. As it was in the bustling city, the sights, sounds, and excitement were enough to distract a man for days. Too bad Sawyer had become immune.
His mind always found a way to think about Betzy. And right now, he was hyper focused on her latest text.
The elevator dinged, the doors glided open, and Sawyer joined the crowd as they stepped inside. He moved to the back wall, tugged his phone from his pocket, and gave it another glance.I can admit that all sorts of men are sexy. It doesn’t mean they’re my type.
A stream of irritated curses blared through his head as he shoved the device back into his pocket. How much clearer could she be? Why didn’t she just come out and say it?Sure, you’ve done well for yourself, and you’re not bad to look at, but that doesn’t make you marriage material.
Who cared about a stupid magazine article that claimed he was eligible in some way? That statement couldn’t be farther from the truth. Heck, everything he’d done—the success he’d worked so hard to gain—all of it was for her.
No, he might be single. But that didn’t mean he was available. Not really.
His phone gave out a quick buzz.Please be from Betzy.One look at the text itself said that maybe it was. It asked one simple question, one he’d been waiting for Betzy to ask. But the name attached wasn’t hers.
Daisy:Hey, bachelor. Are you coming home for the holidays?
He couldn’t help but cringe. Though it hadn’t been a necessary part of her job, Daisy Shay had made a point to come out to NY when Sawyer met up with the photographer and the reporter too.
Daisy insisted he join her for a drink after the interview. When he’d declined the first two times, stating his schedule wouldn’t allow it, she said she’d simply reschedule her flight and stay a while longer. That woman always was persistent, he’d give her that.
Persistent enough to lean into him at the bar and steal a kiss. He shook his head at the recollection. Sure, Daisy was attractive, always had been. But she couldn’t hold a candle to Betzy in his eyes.
Sawyer tucked the phone back into his pocket. He wasn’t so sure he would fly home now. Maybe he’d fly Mom out to New York again. Only he knew she didn’t want that. Mom preferred the moderate temps of California any day of the week. Plus, she didn’t want to leave Mario behind, him getting up there in years and all. The mere thought of their scruffy Beagle made Sawyer long to give him a rubdown and play with those big, floppy ears.
Home. California really was home. So why was Sawyer waiting so long to get back to it?
Once he stepped out of the cramped elevator, he ran a hand along the back of his neck, hoping to press out the knots forming there. Perhaps he should skip the club tonight and call for a massage instead. Ryan would understand. Heck, he was probably already buying drinks for some chick who’d caught his eye. If Sawyer didn’t show, Ryan could skip the inevitable step of apologizing for taking off with so-and-so. Or worse, the part where he begged Sawyer to go home with so-and-so’s friend. Awkward, since he declined every time.
He simply wasn’t in the mood. And here he’d thought that his trip back home this Christmas would be the one. Either he’d been reading the flirtation in her texts wrong, or his mom was slacking on the details of Betzy’s dating life. She was his main source, after all.
“Doesn’t mean I’m you’re type, huh?” he grumbled under his breath. Perhaps he really had done all of this for nothing. Sure, he’d gained a whole lot—hit the million-dollar mark just six months after working beside Ryan as a real estate investor. The man knew what he was doing, after all. And heck, maybe his uncle knew more what he was doing in the women department than Sawyer had given him credit for. Perhaps he’d been holding on to nothing but a fool’s dream.
With that thought in mind, Sawyer headed to the club after all.
* * *
Betzy tuned in on the warmth of the crackling fire at her feet, centered between Camila and Rachel once again. She hadn’t pictured James as the type to buy a massive beanbag, but ever since Camila stepped into his life, he continued to surprise her. One thing could be said about the informal furniture piece—it was perfect for lounging out on a quiet night in.
“So he takes off after you graduate,” Camila said, retelling parts of—as Rachel called it—the Sawyer and Betzy saga.
“Right,” Betzy said with a nod.
“But not before laying an earth-shattering kiss on you first,” she added.
Betzy nodded. “Mm hmm.”
“A kiss that ruined her for every other male on the planet, we might add,” Rachel chimed while twisting taffy around her finger. “This eggnog taffy is going to be the death of me, by the way.” She wiggled the taffy ring off her finger and popped it into her mouth with a moan.
Camila giggled. “Glad you like it.”
