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“Birdie,” he whispered. He couldn’t deal with her now. He had to deal with his mother first. Pulling on the sweats and T-shirt she’d gotten out for him, Sawyer headed out to find her.
Voices told him she wasn’t alone. He found Robyn Duke in his kitchen with J.D. His friend was seated at his breakfast bar, eating a plate full of food.
“Morning,” J.D. said. Sawyer grunted.
“Sit, your breakfast will be ready soon.”
“I don’t want food, Mom, I want coffee.”
“You’ll have both. But first drink this.” She handed him a glass with something fizzy in it.
Sawyer sniffed.
“Vitamin C is good for a hangover,” J.D. said.
He grunted again and drank it down.
“Here’s your coffee.”
“Thanks.” He gripped the mug his mother placed before him as if it was a lifeline. “What are you doing in my house?” he asked his friend.
“I’m insightful and sensed something was off with you,” J.D. said.
“You are the least insightful person I know.” Sawyer winced as he looked at the sunlight coming in through the open doors to his deck.
Birdie was leaving him.
“You never get drunk anymore. When I pulled up, your mom was looking worried.”
He switched his gaze back to his mother.
“You called him of all people?” He glared at her.
“Your brothers are sleeping.”
“Which I would be if you let me, and I’m fine. You didn’t need to bring in reinforcements, especially not him.”
J.D. just smiled and shoveled in a large mouthful of bacon. Sawyer’s bacon.
“You’re not fine, honey, and the fact you have a hangover this morning is testament to that. You haven’t done that since you came back from LA.”
“I had too much to drink for the first time in a while. It happens. Your other sons will be lying about in a similar state as we speak.”
“Which is why I didn’t call them when I found you passed out on the bed.”
“I did not pass out. I was sleeping!”
“Don’t raise your voice at your mother.” J.D. pointed his knife at Sawyer.
“You shut up.” Sawyer pointed back. “How come it’s okay for my brothers to be hungover and not me?” he said to his mother.
“I’ll take it from here, Mrs. D,” J.D. said. “They are not surly, grumpy shitheads who are running from their demons.”
His mother was nodding her agreement, clearly not worried that J.D. was swearing. If it had been Sawyer, she’d have cuffed him over the head.
“When you came back from LA, we left you alone because you didn’t want to talk about things, whatever the things that happened were, Sawyer,” his mom said. “But we knew you weren’t all right, even though you told us you were. You were grumpier and even more closed off than you’d been before you went on your travels. We left you alone until you were ready to talk. That hasn’t happened, and now it’s time.”
“Why now?” he grunted.
