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No one had asked him that question before. His family had touched on things about his travels, but they hadn’t wanted all the details. He hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted to talk about where he’d been until now.
“Which was your favorite country to visit, Sawyer?”
He’d spent a year traveling and then two in LA, working with his friend Nick in the startup he’d invested in. He’d grown and changed during that time, but his family never got to see the different Sawyer, because he’d come home grumpy and introverted.
“There were a few,” he said. “When I left, I wanted to see the seven ancient wonders of the world.”
“No!” Her coffee was in danger of spilling, so she placed it back on the bar. “That would have been amazing.”
“It was.” He told her about what he’d seen and the places he’d traveled to, and she was genuinely interested. It surprised Sawyer how much he enjoyed talking with Birdie. He rarely spoke to anyone for too long, but he sat there through two whiskeys, telling her stories as she prompted him with questions.
“Sawyer,” she said.
“What?”
“I’m still angry with you about the blackmail, but seeing as I got to fly for the first time and stay here, I’m going to forgive you. Plus, you told me about your adventures.”
“Okay.”
She looked him in the eye then, and for some reason, his back muscles clenched.
“My parents can’t hear about what you overheard, though, Sawyer. Or the gambling. It would destroy them.”
“Do they know you work three jobs?”
She shook her head.
“Will you tell me why you do?”
“It’s none of your business.” Her chin lifted, and she was closed off to him again.
“I understand that, but maybe I could help, because that shit I overheard can’t be something you enjoy. I’m not entirely sure the gambling floats your boat either.” He’d said the last few words in a terrible French accent to make her smile. It didn’t.
“I don’t want anyone to know what’s going on,” she said softly.
“I won’t tell anyone, Birdie. Hell, I don’t even talk to my family most days.”
That had a small smile tilting her lips.
“I’m not sure the man blackmailing me should be the one I bare my soul to.”
“If I say I’m sorry, will that help? That day in The Gnat, I was over everyone getting at me about who my plus one was, and the words came out.” He went for honesty because maybe then she’d share what was going on with her.
“Which is funny really, because you rarely care what anyone thinks about you.”
That was the truth. Sawyer had spent two years in LA worrying about what people thought of him. He’d never been outgoing, that was true, but he’d still been naïve. LA had broken him of that and a lot more.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Only if you tell me why you work three jobs,” Sawyer said.
“Because I’m not smart enough to make enough money doing one. What’s Jolena’s story?”
“Of course you’re smart enough. That’s a dumb thing to say.”
“Not compared to my brothers and sister. Now tell me about Jolena, Sawyer.”
She wasn’t serious about her siblings being smarter than her, surely?
