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“Now focus. We need to win.”
He could do that. Birdie was free, Ryder was right. And now they needed to win the game.
Scores were tied in the seventh, and the Lavenders were in. Sawyer stood watching Jed, coaching him as he walked up to the plate.
“Slow and easy, Jed.”
“Right. Got it.”
It was rare he got it, but no one could doubt the guy’s enthusiasm. A chant for the Lavenders started, and he looked at the women covered in body paint and found two more had joined them. Birdie and Nina. He was heading their way in seconds.
“What the hell are you doing?” He glared at Birdie. She had her shirt off and was wearing a sports bra like Sydney Jane and Betsy. Nina was in her cherry red lace one.
“Hi, Sawyer,” Sydney Jane purred.
“Put your clothes back on, Birdie.”
She glared at him, well tried to. Her eyes weren’t cooperating.
“Go away, I’m having fun.” She did a little shimmy. “I’m debt free!”
He looked at Nina. “Take her home.”
“Why? She’s happy.”
“Don’t be a great big fun spoiler, Sawyer Duke,” Birdie said, jabbing him in the chest.
“She’s not drunk, she’s just high on life,” Nina said.
“This is not her. Take her home and sober her up.” Sawyer didn’t make scenes, but he was making one now. People were looking, and he didn’t give a shit.
“Maybe it is me,” Birdie said. “Maybe I want to be like this. Enjoy my life and not be Little Miss Sunshine, the good girl of Lyntacky.”
“You are though, Tweety,” Betsy said. “Always have been. But good on you for breaking out today.”
“I don’t think you’d ever be a bad girl.” Nina looked at Birdie. “But I think you could be a goodish bad girl.”
“Give me that.” Sawyer snatched the travel mug from Birdie’s hands as she went to take a sip. Nina held a matching one. Sawyer sniffed the contents. “Jesus, is that straight bourbon?”
Birdie tried to snatch it back, so he lifted it out of her reach. Nina gave her the mug she was holding.
“Go away, Sawyer. She’s having fun, and if there’s nothing between you and Birdie, like you both say there isn’t, then why are you so worried about what she gets up to?”
“What she said,” Birdie added.
He knew they were both right, but he didn’t like it. Or the acid swirling in his gut. He straightened her ball cap and then leaned into her space. “Make good fucking choices.” He then stalked back to the game, ignoring the questioning looks from his family.
They won, and Sawyer should be really happy about that, because any day he got one over Beau Keller and his siblings was a good one. He wasn’t. He’d focused when he had to, but when he wasn’t, his eyes were on Birdie, who was dancing around on the sideline like a newborn calf.
“Come on,” Dan said to him after the congratulations and handshakes had finished. “Let’s go before those Lemon shitheads eat all the food.”
He looked for Birdie, but she’d gone. Where to, he had no idea. But he wanted to know she was safe.
“Move it, Ya Ya,” Brody said. “I need food.”
He climbed into his pickup, and Dan and Brody joined him. The after-party was always at Circle Left. Nancy made them hotdogs and pizza. They drank beer and talked about the game. Right then, it held zero appeal.
They crawled out behind the other cars onto Main Street. People wearing Lavender Leaders shirts waved, and those wearing Lemon Levelers raised their middle finger.
