“Mom…” he said, shielding his face.
“Take it back,” she said with a laugh, “or I’ll throw another one at you.” Sawyer put his hand down, prepared to amend his statement when a black and white pillow slammed right into his nose.
“Ma! When did you become so violent?”
She was laughing now. And tossing more pillows too. “ He’s not a meat head. Make the bed behind you, will you? There’s oatmeal on the stove if you’d like some.”
“So you’re leaving without me?”
She stopped at the doorway and spun around. “Youdowant to come?”
Sawyer pictured running through the neighborhood. The fresh breeze, uncrowded walkways, and air that smelled…like home. “I think I’ll go running today instead. And do squats. And lift those barrels in the backyard over my head and grunt like a gladiator.”
“Okay,” she said. “You going to see Betzy today?”
Anticipation revved within him. “Yep. She asked me to show up at the clubhouse naked, but I told her I didn’t think that was appropriate.”
“Ah. Right.”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Okay. Maybe we can do dinner sometime this week here at the house. You bring Betzy. I’ll bring Ted?”
Sawyer gulped. “Let me test things out today. I’ll let you know.”
Mom leaned along the doorframe and sighed. “Well, see you in a while.”
“Have a nice workout,” he said.
Sawyer wasted no time getting laced up and hitting the streets. Even in the daylight, signs of Christmas were everywhere. Holly berry wrapped around street lamps. Porches decorated with antique sleds, fake snowmen, and stuffed Santas. He wondered how Betzy might decorate her front porch. She owned a home of her own now. Did it hold candles and potted chrysanthemums for the season?
She always did have good taste.
Similar musings went through his mind as Sawyer headed to the clubhouse. He went early, met Duke there for a round of golf before lunch, and somehow made it through the entire game without telling Duke he was meeting up with his sister.
“Let’s do golf again before you take off, man,” Duke said while closing his locker door. He eyed his man-bun in the mirror. “Or we can go out for a drink. Pick up on a few chicks…”
Sawyer’s gaze shot to a group of men headed toward the other side of the locker room before settling back on Duke. “Yeah. Sounds good.”
“When you moving back here anyway? I thought this whole New York thing was supposed to be temporary.”
Sawyer tipped his head as he considered that.
“I know Betzy would be happy if you moved back. I think she’s secretly hoping that little marriage contract you guys put together holds firm.”
The laugh Sawyer managed came out forced, but that’s only because there were fireworks going off in his chest. A premature celebration at Duke’s words.
“You think so?”
Duke rolled his neck. “Totally.”
“Hmm…”
A buzzing sounded, and Duke put up a hand as he reached into his pocket. “I better get that. I’ll be in touch.”
“Sounds good.” Sawyer hadn’t wanted to get his hopes up, but it was too late for that now. What if, in some roundabout way, Betzy actually wanted to discuss that contract? He could hear it now:Remember that little arrangement we drew up twenty years back? Well, you’re twenty-eight, I’m twenty-eight, and we’re both still single…
Calm down, man.Sawyer glanced at his watch, realized he had time to swing by the gift shop if he hurried. Maybe he’d show up wearing that turtleneck after all. It’d been far too long since he’d heard the sound of Betzy’s laugh. And there was no better feeling than knowing he was the one who’d earned it.
