I shift my gaze from her to Sawyer, noting the way he’s staring at her.
“Nothing,” he replies.“I think I need to get back to the shop.Do you still want me to take your car in?”he asks Linda.
“Only if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.Happy to do it, Momma Knox.”He stands and deposits his plate into the sink, then takes the keys to his truck out of his pocket and sets them on the small kitchen island before pocketing hers.“Just bring my truck by after your errands tomorrow, and I’ll have your car ready to be picked up.”
“You are wonderful.Thank you, honey.I don’t know what I did to deserve such wonderful young men taking care of me.”
“Least we can do for family,” he replies, with a sideways glare at Jack, who is completely unbothered by the clear territory claim.
He even steps forward and rests a hand on Anastasia’s shoulder.“Mrs.Knox, I was actually going to ask if you’d be up for grabbing lunch tomorrow, so I can take you wherever you need to go if you’d like.Then I can drop you by Sawyer’s shop before I head to the airport.”
The room falls completely silent, and my gaze levels on Sawyer.He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to calm himself before opening his eyes again and plastering an uninterested expression on his face.
“Lunch would be good.”She smiles, but I notice that it’s not quite one of joy.Interesting.“I just need to run to the bank tomorrow.”
“Happy to help.”Jack grins, completely unaware that there’s a man standing only a few yards from him who has the skillsanddesire to make him disappear without a trace.“I can pick you up about eleven tomorrow for lunch?Then we can head to the bank after that?”
“That sounds great,” she replies, clearly taken aback by his offer.I wonder if she’s thinking what the rest of us are.
That a one-on-one with Anastasia’s only living parent might mean this relationship is moving alotfaster than anyone is prepared for.
“Fantastic.Should we get going?”he asks Anastasia.“I have a call in about thirty minutes, but that will give me time to drop you off and get back to my hotel.”
“Sure.I?—”
“I can take you home, Anastasia,” Sawyer offers.“If you want to hang around.”
“No, that’s okay.I’m actually pretty wiped.”She stands and kisses her mother on the cheek before taking Jack’s offered hand.“Love you, Momma.”
“Love you, too, sweetie.See you tomorrow, Jack.”
“See you, Mrs.Knox.Good to see you guys,” he adds to the four of us.
“You, too,” I reply.Weston and Ryker say nothing but offer him nods, while Sawyer looks about ready to snap him in half.
The moment they’re gone, Linda smacks Sawyer’s arm.“You donotget to do that to her, Sawyer Maddox.”
“Ow.Do what?”he asks, rubbing his arm.
“You know what.”She glares at him pointedly.
“Seriously, Cable Guy,” Weston adds, using the code name we have for Sawyer, “you had your chance to tell her how you felt, and you chickened out.”
“I have no idea what any of you are talking about.”
Linda simply shakes her head and smiles.“You wasted time, honey.”
“He’s not good for her.Do none of you see that?”Sawyer asks.
“He has a good job,” Weston says.Which is only to torture Sawyer since he doesn’t care too much for Jack and Anastasia’s relationship either.Though his lack of support is for an entirely different reason than Sawyer’s.
He just doesn’t trust anyone.Not after his sister was murdered.
“Yeah, well, it’s going to go sideways, and I’ll be the first one to say I told you so,” Sawyer replies.
“Maybe then you won’t sit on your hands too long,” Ryker offers as he stands, gathering his plate and the one holding the extra roast in the center.He carries it into the kitchen and gets to work washing the dishes.