I ignore the first knock on my apartment door later that night. But then it happens again, and I hear a familiar voice calling out.
“Open up, Sawyer. We see your truck outside.”
Fucking brothers.I drag my ass off the couch, beer in hand, and take my sweet time going to open the door.
“Can I help you?” I ask facetiously, and Jude just arches his brow at me.
“What’s got you all pissy?”
I move to let them in, belatedly taking in the bags of food and drink, along with the box of poker chips. “I don’t need an intervention, you’re wasting your time.”
I’ve got my back to them, but I’m pretty sure it’s Max who chuckles. “Sure. We’ll go with that.”
Hunter moves to stand beside me, a beer now in his hand, too. He inclines it toward mine. “We heard you got your promotion, congratulations!”
“How come Beckett was the one to text us and not you?” Max asks.
I sit back down on the couch and take a drink. “I dunno, I figured you guys were working.”
“Since when does that stop you? You’re pouting like a little kid, Sawyer.” Jude’s hand cuffs the back of my head and I glare at him.
Rationally, I know he’s right. I was disappointed earlier when I couldn’t celebrate my promotion with anyone. Especially not the one person I really wanted to be with, and that disappointment multiplied when my brother and my parents were also unavailable. It drove home the fact that everyone in my life…has someone.
And I’m left with no one.
Beckett’s been silent this whole time, setting up the poker chips, even though history shows we rarely actually play a game on these nights. “We’re proud of you, Sawyer. I never doubted for a second you’d get the promotion, but I know it was hell waiting this long.”
I finally relax into the couch. “Yeah, well, thanks. It feels good to have it confirmed, you know?”
“Are we here to talk about his promotion or…” Hunter whispers loudly to Max.
I roll my eyes. “If you’re here to talk about Tori, save your breath.”
“Oh, so you’ve pulled your head out of your ass and realized you, Mr. Never Gonna Do A Relationship, are, in fact,ina relationship?” Jude asks mildly, eyeing me over his bottle of beer.
My mouth opens to refute his statement, but nothing comes out.
“Woah.” Max leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “Wait, Sawyer. What’s going on in your head?”
It takes me a minute to figure out what to say. “I might be starting to realize that being with someone romantically isn’t the end of the world.” Hunter and Beckett high-five, and Max just settles back with a knowing smirk.
“So, it’s more than just friends between you?”
I nod. There’s no point in hiding it. “We met back in February when I was on the mainland for the calendar gala.”
“By ‘met’ you mean you hooked up.” Jude’s blunt assessment hits hard.
“Yes. Because that’s what I do. Or did,” I start, feeling my face heat up. I’m not used to being in the hot seat. “Then she moved here, and we decided to just, I dunno. Keep having fun.”
“Then fun turned to feelings?” Beckett adds, and the last bit of defensive tension I was holding melts away.
“Yeah.”
The guys are all silent for a moment. I know I said it was annoying having insightful, in touch with their feelings brothers, but right now, I’m grateful for their woke asses. Because it’s one thing to admit I have feelings for Tori.
It’s a whole other thing to try and figure out what to do.
Lifting my head, I look at each of them in turn. “I don’t know how to do this. How to be with someone for more than just sex.”
