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“Bright and early,” I confirm, making sure she knows I’ll be back.
Her smile grows an inch and she nods. “See you then.”
Like that, she’s gone, heading back toward her front door. Unlike yesterday, she doesn’t rush inside. Before that, she gives one last look my way and even offers up a little wave before slipping inside.
Julie
After a week of getting rides and getting even closer to Sawyer, I assumed he’d eventually wantsomethingin return. I mean, anyone would when it comes to going so far out of their way. Sawyer not only doesn’t complain, the guy insists. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t want to take no for an answer, not when it comes to my safety and well-being.
“I’m off tomorrow,” I warn him before groaning. My feet are killing me and I’m thinking it’s about time I go out and buy another pair of insoles to replace these poor run-down ones.
“Sounds like a good thing,” he comments as he glances toward me. Rather than complaining when I kick my shoes off, he chuckles. “Feet hurt?”
“They ache,” I groan as I curl my fingers around my toes, “more than you can imagine. Eleven hours on my feet really start to pile up by the time I take a day off.”
He clicks his tongue, shaking his head. “Why would you put yourself through that? It gets crazy busy in the mornings, I’ve seen the lines. You’d work through those all the way until four?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “What kind of boss would I be if I let my team take all that without me?”
Sawyer grunts, not arguing against my thinking. He’s a boss himself, he has to understand where I’m coming from.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asks instead, glancing my way once more.
Is he asking because he wants to invite me to do something with him? My face warms at the idea of spending even more time with him. Somewhere longer than the length of each of our shared drives.
“My schedule is free,” I start before noticing his brows lift. Oh, I’ve definitely misunderstood. Sawyer wasn’t asking me out on a date. No, that would be ludicrous. Silly me. My body shrinks a little bit as my brows pinch together. As if I can save myself, I clear my throat. “I do nothing on my days off.”
Now I’m going to look boring and maybe even lazy. Awesome job, Julie.
“Is that by choice?” he asks like he doesn’t notice the roll of insults I’m giving myself in my mind.
“This might surprise you, but I work with a bunch of teenagers and young adults, Sawyer. It would be a little weird if I hung out with them during my off time. Plus, I don’t have too many older friends to hang out with.” I want to close my mouth and never speak again.
Strike two. What else can I do to make him see how pitiful I am?
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine,” I admit like it’s a bad thing.
He chuckles at my side, shifting slightly. “Well, I’m thirty-five. That means I qualify, doesn’t it?”
Confused, I stare at him. “You’d want to hang out with me?” He considers me a friend even though I’ve basically used him for the last handful of days.
“Have you ever gone up on the mountain before?” he asks, leaving my question unanswered. “It’s beautiful this time of year. Lots of flowers.”
Shaking my head, his lips twitch upward. He is not offering me a date right now. This is an invitation to a friendly outing.
“Soak your feet and take some painkillers. We can go on a hike tomorrow.” There’s that authoritative tone in his voice again. Like he’s making an order and he wants me to agree.
“Sure…” Nodding my head, I realize we’re already sitting in front of my home. Time is an illusion when it comes to this man. If we’re really going to spend our day together tomorrow, that needs to change really quickly. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”
He nods and gives me a time. Rain or sunshine, he’ll be here.
I’m already looking forward to it.
* * *
“You’re going to want a few layers of this on, trust me,” Sawyer insists as he hands me a bottle of bug spray. “I’d feel terrible if the one time you come up here, you get eaten alive.”
