He stood and grabbed his coat and keys from where he’d left them, and walked out of his apartment.
In the elevator, he dialed the only person he knew would be awake right now. Sawyer needed to talk to someone about what was happening since he couldn’t talk to Ford.
“Hey man,” Nate answered.
“You up for grabbing a drink?” Sawyer hoped his friend would be available.
Nate chuckled. “Well this should be good.”
“You have no idea.” Sawyer was still a little dazed.
He and Nate had gone on one date that hadn’t gone well, then he’d hired him. After Mark, he had probably become Sawyer’s closest friend.
By the time he made it to the bar, Nate had already arrived since his apartment building was closer.
There was already a glass of whiskey with a single cube of ice on the bar waiting in front of an empty stool beside Nate. Sawyer quickly tossed half the drink back before he’d even finished sitting down.
“So why did I get called out of bed to meet at a bar if we both know the night’s not gonna end in a booty call?” He could feel Nate’s eyes on him.
Without looking up, Sawyer said, “I was just told that I’m now the proud parent to three siblings”—he laughed, but it was mirthless even to his ears—“of mine.”
There was a long and drawn-out pause. Sawyer turned to face Nate and saw his friend’s mouth was wide open.
“Holy hell.” Nate’s surprise matched how he felt.
“My thoughts exactly.” Sawyer snickered. “Turns out, my bastard of a father thought it'd be a great idea to leave me three children I’ve never met. Can you believe that?” He rotated his shoulders, but it didn’t help the tension that had taken up residence at all.
“Damn.” Nate patted him on the back. “You do need a drink.”
Sawyer snorted. “Or three.” Sawyer watched the liquid move in his glass as he swirled it around. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do. But I have to go pick them up tomorrow morning.”
“Have you told Ford? I’m sure he would come down and help if you asked.”
He shook his head. “Nope, I have no idea how. It just feels like too much to dump on a new relationship.”
“From everything you’ve told me about him, I don’t think he’s the type to bail.”
He’d told Nate all about Ford when his friend had driven him home the day he’d come back since he’d stayed at the office late and Mark already had further to travel to make it to his home in Connecticut.
“I don’t think he would, but man, we’ve not even been together for three months. How does that conversation even go?”
Nate didn’t answer immediately, which he appreciated.
“My opinion, just be honest with him, and either he’ll stay or he’ll go. But if you’re as serious about him as you say you are, then he deserves the truth.” When he met Nate’s gaze, the look on his said, ‘You know I’m right.’
“Three kids man, three. That’s a lot of truth to expect any guy to understand.” He stared in his drink, hoping the answers would come to him.
Nate grasped his shoulder, and he looked his friend’s way. “The right person… they won’t care. So I guess you have to ask yourself if Ford is that person.”
They sat there in silence as Sawyer nursed his second drink, mulling over what Nate had said to him and how much his life was about to change in the morning. He appreciated his friend staying there while he processed everything the day had just dumped on him.
Sawyer stood up and tossed the rest of his drink back. “Thank you, Nate, for coming out tonight. I should get going. Wouldn’t want to show up hungover to meet the social worker.”
“Good luck?” Nate chuckled. “Is that even the right thing to say?”
“Well, I definitely need all the luck I can get.”
5
Ford
After another week had passed, Ford felt they were back on track to pick up where Larry had left off. The first couple of days, he may have held off on getting things going, but only slightly. Ford assumed… hoped really, that Sawyer would come back to get things sorted and get the new contractor going.
Don’t lie. You thought he would rush back to you.
That clearly wasn’t the case, and even though he felt like someone told him Santa wasn’t real, Ford pushed on to get the job done. But the ‘why isn’t he back yet’ question wouldn’t stop ringing in his head.
The plan was ten days, maybe two weeks, then Sawyer would return, and they were passing that with no indication that Sawyer was even close to coming back.
You have a meeting. This is not the time to wallow in your feelings.
Drake was coming in to get everything situated for him and his crew to officially carry on with the building of the resort.
He’d called the references that Drake had submitted, and Ford was pleased to find that everyone seemed happy with Drake’s work. Even though this would be his biggest solo project, the foreman of one of the crews Drake worked on assured Ford he was in good hands. Which Drake proved further by insisting on doing a thorough inventory of what had been done already to see if they would run into any problems from what the first contractor had completed so far.
Ford hadn’t even considered that, but it had made him more certain of his choice. They’d also had an earlier meeting with the architect in charge, which had gone great. Today was just a signing-the-contract day.
He was using Sawyer’s office but left the door that separated his office from Ford’s desk area open so he could hear when anyone came in.
Maybe I should get an assistant.
Before he could dwell too much on that thought, his friend appeared in the doorway. Ford got on his feet and strode towards Owen and hugged him.
“What are you doing here?” Ford
