Page 18 of Sawyer
“An artistic bookworm, huh?”He’s clearly teasing, and it makes me smile.
“Something like that.”
Maybe I misjudged him.Maybe he was just stressed this week over the move and the changes to his law firm.I would imagine it would be a pretty big adjustment for him.
“Will you be home later?I might come by and pick up that paperwork.”
My smile falters, and I feel heaviness in the pit of my stomach as realization washes over me that he’s making small talk because he wants the paperwork.Of course he does.He’s a businessman.They call this networking, and I can’t believe I thought it was something more.Disappointment fills me, as does the embarrassment at even thinking a man like Sawyer might be interested in me.A single mom, who lives in the middle of nowhere, struggling to make ends meet.God, I’m so stupid.
“Yes.That’s fine.”I continue giving him a smile, one that doesn’t quite meet my eyes.Maybe I need to get out more.I’ve obviously been in my own world for far too long if I can’t decipher business talk from personal interest.I can’t even read the plays men make anymore.Not that I ever could.I’ve only ever been with one man, and he’s no longer even alive.
Before he can say anything else, some of the women from town come up and start talking, asking Sawyer questions, and he’s pulled away.The women crowd around him, some moms I know from school and other women whom I never would’ve assumed to be at the kids’ sporting fields before.They’re obviously not here to watch anyone.I take Noah’s hand and lead him away from what’s clearly a flirt fest with our newest resident.
With Kevin now on the bench, Noah and I hit the playground to burn off some of his energy.Because the new guy in town is not for a girl like me.I need to remember that.
9
Annabelle
Kevin has been on cloud nine all afternoon.Sawyer left not long after Kevin’s home run, then after the game, the team all went for a quick sundae at the diner, care of the lovely Dr.Hamilton.Seeing my son glow with his teammates was the icing on the cake to a terrific morning, one which I hope we can repeat often.
“Did you see that big pitcher, Ma?Did you see how fast he threw the ball at me?”Kevin asks for what feels like the twentieth time today.
I laugh, my grin wide.“I did.You were awesome, honey.”
The whole place looks like a tornado has gone through it as he and Noah run around, even though I cleaned it from top to bottom last night.But as I chop the vegetables and get them on to boil, checking the roast chicken in the oven, the smell of my homemade dinner wafts through the air, and I feel very blessed.
“What’s he doing here?”
I look up quickly, seeing Kevin peering out the window, and I move to follow his gaze to the now somewhat familiar shiny black truck.Sawyer.
“Sawyer mentioned coming by to grab some paperwork.Be on your best behavior.”I look between him and Noah, ensuring they remember their manners.I’m surprised he’s here, because even though he mentioned stopping by, I didn’t think he’d still come.It’s now almost six, the sun is setting, and it’s dinnertime for us.I assumed he would’ve been here earlier, and when he didn’t show, I figured he might come by tomorrow.
As his truck pulls up to the house, I wipe my hands on my kitchen towel and glance around.I should scramble to tidy up, but this is my life.This is my reality.
It doesn’t help that I’m still a mess from my yard work earlier, wearing my favorite pair of worn-in jeans and t-shirt, my hair in a messy bun, but I've seen him sitting in shit, so we’re even.Without another thought about my house or my appearance, I move to open the door.
“Hi,” I yell from the open door as he jumps out of the truck.He’s still dressed in the same attire from the game earlier, and I’d be lying if I said my breath didn’t stall in my chest watching him walking toward me.His Henley top is fitted, showcasing muscles in his arms I didn’t realize he had hiding underneath his polished suits.Like this, he could be mistaken for a nice country boy, not the uncrumpled city lawyer he is.But it’s his smile that has me grabbing the door so I don’t topple.It’s bigger than this morning.Like he’s actually glad he’s here and not frustrated about driving all this way just to pick up paperwork that I forgot to give him.
“Hope I'm not intruding?”Looking right at me, he steps onto the porch.
“No, it’s fine.Come in,” I offer, opening the door and letting him follow me inside.“Let me just find that other page of the contract for you.”
Moving to the table where I’m sure I left it, I start flipping through the small piles of paperwork and school supplies that I’m sorting this weekend.I tried to look for it earlier and couldn’t find it, so I’m not confident it’s here.At a guess, I’m assuming Noah has taken it and used it for drawing with crayons, and I’ll find it scrunched into a ball in the rubbish, but I’ll at least pretend that I’m trying.At that moment, Noah decides he wants me and runs into my leg, cuddling my thigh, leaving me a little restricted before I pick him up, put him on my hip, and continue the search.
“It was a good game today.Nice hitting, Kevin.”
My son seems to almost shy away from Sawyer’s comment before he speaks.“Thanks,” is all he offers.He’s a kid of few words when it comes to outsiders.I know it's because of his life these past few years.No time to be a kid with all the responsibilities he’s had.He was young when his father passed and hasn’t really had a male figure in his life since.
I’m about to add my own glowing thoughts on my son’s game, when I hear something boil over on the stove in the kitchen.
“Oh no!”Striding to the kitchen, I would put Noah down, but his tenancy to run around and get into things is not something I need him doing when we have company, hot food on the stove, and missing paperwork.
“Do you need a hand?”Sawyer tentatively steps closer.I’m moving quickly, trying to get things taken care of as best I can with one hand, to no avail.
“Here, can you take Noah?”Without thinking, I offer him my son.Sawyer looks like a deer in headlights but he has little time to think about it before we both get burned, so I thrust Noah into his arms and I step back to the stove, moving quickly to prevent flames and my vegetables from searing.
When the small crisis is over, I look back to where they stand, and I stall.Sawyer is holding Noah out from his body like he has some disease.
