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“So now that we know more about each other than anyone else, we’re even,” Sawyer said.
“I’m really sorry, Sawyer.” Her hand reached out to touch his this time. It felt good to have it there comforting him. “But I’m glad you found out before it was too late.”
He found out all right, but with that had come a whole shit ton of hell that rained down on him.
Chapter19
The silence coming from the big handsome man across from her told Birdie he was thinking about the woman who had broken his heart. The woman that Birdie now hated, and she tried never to do that.
Her parents said hate helped no one. Most had reasons for the way they felt, but that did not mean McAllisters had to join in. Looking at Sawyer, she thought maybe Jolena was the exception to that rule.
When she’d stepped out of her room and had seen him dressed in gray chinos and a white button-down shirt, looking big and vital, Birdie had thoughtwow. The man was hot any day, but cleaned up, he was something else.
“Why were you in LA? You don’t seem like the big city type?” Birdie asked.
“I had a friend there, and we did some business together.”
He was clearly uncomfortable talking about anything personal, but he’d given her some insights into the man behind the grumpy mask and now she was even more curious.
“What kind of business?”
“If I just say I don’t want to talk about it, can you live with that?” His smile was small.
“Just one more question?”
He sighed but nodded.
“Are you really intelligent but hide it well?”
“That’s insulting.” But he was still smiling.
“Sorry, it came out wrong. Let me rephrase it,” Birdie said.
“I’m intelligent enough to get by. Happy?”
Nowhere near it. She had more questions now.
“How much are your father’s medical bills?” he said as she opened her mouth.
Birdie shut it again.
“I’m going to bed now,” she said, getting off her barstool. She leaned in to kiss Sawyer’s cheek. “Thank you for telling me about Jolena.”
“Thank you for telling me about your father,” he said as she stepped back.
Birdie walked away. Turning at the door, she saw him drink the last of his whiskey.
Jolena had scarred him. He’d opened up because she’d talked to him about her dad. She still didn’t know what the woman with her name on his arm had done, but she had a feeling it was bad.
Instead of heading straight to bed, Birdie walked to the reception area and through the glass doors. A walk before she turned in would be nice. It was cooler out here, and the air felt good on her skin. Wandering down the stairs, she looked at the floodlit gardens and the silhouette of the mountains.
“What do you want, Birdie McAllister?” she asked the night sky.
Until recently, she’d have said paying off her father’s medical bills was her only priority, but now she had leaving Lyntacky and visiting some of the world in her head. Talking to Cill, Nina, and Sawyer had made her think about change. But was she brave enough to actually do something about it?
She walked for a while, letting thoughts come and go, and when she started yawning, she headed back to the lodge.
“Hot tubs are this way.”
