My fingers grip the wheel, unable to shake the dread. Maybe my phone call with Asher last night has me on edge, but I’m not wrong about Hayden. He’s hiding something, and I'm going to find out what it is.
“He’s a shady fucker.”
She laughs and slips her black sunglasses over her eyes, leaning back against the headrest. “This is a huge opportunity for us. Who cares if he has ulterior motives as long as we get paid? No one is coming between me and Linc.”
“What if he’s dangerous?”
“He’s not.”
“How the hell can you possibly know that?” Penelope isn’t sheltered. She had a tough life before she moved in with us. Okay, and also after she did.
I see her shoulders lift out of the corner of my eye. “I don’t know. Somehow, I just have a feeling. He isn’t dangerous.”
“I’m supposed to trust your feeling?”
I’m being bitchy, but it doesn’t faze Penelope. It never does. She just accepts me the way I am. “Yes. You are. We’re partners.”
My throat is dry and my body zings with anxiety, but she’s right. We’re a team. And if she’s all in, then I need to be also.
“Okay.”
I drop her off and head to my house, walking inside. I’m pleasantly surprised when Baz comes running and happily hugs me around my waist.
I smile and hug him back, his head nearly coming to my chest. “You’re getting so big!”
He giggles. “Yeah.”
I laugh and then see Vivienne sitting on the couch with Sawyer. She’s sitting straight up and looks nervous, as if she’s not allowed to have Sawyer over.
I walk further into the house into the living room. “Sawyer. It’s been awhile.”
He nods, waving with a grin on his handsome face. “Good to see you, Lola.”
Vivienne is clearly tense as she sits straight up with her hands in her lap. “I wasn’t sure if you would be home and Sawyer asked us out to dinner.”
I think Vivienne and Asher would be an absolute disaster, but Sawyer and Viv? That’s almost the exact same thing. Still, I’m not going to flat-out tell her what to do. “You guys have fun.” I look over at Baz as he starts to play with his toy plane, flying it through the living room, and then back at Viv. “I could watch Baz for a couple of hours if you want to have dinner alone.”
Although I've never been trusted with a tiny human before, he’s four. Surely I can handle it.
Sawyer looks over at Vivienne, waiting for her reply before he says anything which is so not a Sawyer move. Who knows? Maybe he really does care about her. Maybe he’s grown up.
Vivienne tucks her hair behind her ear nervously. “I appreciate the offer, but . . .” I thought I was wound tight, but I swear Vivienne gives me a run for my money in that department. “It’s just been a crazy week. He’s been . . .” She looks over at her son and then back at me keeping her voice low. “He’s been acting out a little. I think he misses someone.”
I watch Sawyer visibly tense at her hinting about Asher. I wonder if Sawyer misses Ash. He has to. Those two were close before everything went down.
“No problem. Just know the offer is there.”
She smiles sweetly, and Sawyer doesn’t seem at all disappointed about having Sebastian joining them. “So pizza it is, then.” He grins and Viv laughs, laying her head on his shoulder.
“I suppose so.”
He tips his chin in my direction. “You up for pizza?”
I wave him off as politely as I can. I’ve already betrayed my little brother enough. Going to dinner with Viv and Sawyer? Not a good idea. “No thanks. I have a lot of work I need to get done, but you guys have fun.”
I start toward the kitchen, and I hear Vivienne tell the boys she’ll be back as she follows me. I go to the fridge and grab a bottle of wine, closing the door and turning toward Viv. “Want some?”
She shakes her head as she slides onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. “No, thank you.”
I grab a wine glass and pour some of the delicious red wine into it, taking a small sip. “You okay?”
She nods her head, but I see her hesitance. “I’m fine.”
My eyes drift toward the living room, but I can’t see Sawyer or Baz. I look back at Viv. “You can talk to me.”
“I know.” She takes a deep, sad breath. “There’s really nothing to talk about, though.”
I place the bottle of wine back in the fridge before joining her on the stool by her side. “So, are you and Sawyer getting serious?” Maybe it’s not polite to ask, but I’m curious. And I can’t picture Sawyer getting serious with anyone.
“I don’t know.” She gnaws on her bottom lip, looking as confused and lost as my little brother did on the video call. “I care about him. He’s a lot better of a guy than I thought.”
“You sure?” I smile coyly and take a sip of wine as she laughs.
“He’s no saint, but who is? And yes, I know he’s done some pretty shitty things.”
“To women.” I interject. I don’t want to push her away from Sawyer, but the stories I've heard about him aren’t great, and Viv is family.
“Yes. To women. He’s always been a player, but you know what, Lola?” She’s not angry, however there is a determination there. “He’s owned up to it. He regrets a lot of things, and with me, . . .” she sighs, “he’s been honest.”
As far as she knows.
I don’t say it out loud, but how do you ever really know if someone is being honest. A liar isn’t going to tell you they’re lying.
“Just be careful.”
“I will. But as of right now, there’s no commitment. We’re just taking it very slow.”
I study her, unsure of what the hell that means. “So, you’re both allowed to be with other people?”
She shrugs. “Yes.”
“And it doesn’t bother you?”
“I don’t know. Right now, I'm not in the position to ask him not to sleep with anyone else, and vice versa.”
If she’s fine with him sleeping with other women, I would say what they have is definitely not serious.
I take another drink of the red liquid. Although what the hell do I know about any of it?
She shrugs her small shoulders and laughs. “Well, at least he’s not bad to look at while I figure things out.”
“Just look?”
She blushes slightly, and I laugh with her. I shouldn’t dig too deep into her business, but I do want her to talk to me like she would any friend. I don’t want to see her hurting.
Sawyer pops his head in the kitchen, and I smile when I see Baz at his side. He’s definitely a Sawyer fan. “We’re going to revolt if we don’t get to eat soon.”
Vivienne laughs easily, and I see the freedom Sawyer allows her. With Asher, there was tension, but with Sawyer, it seems she can relax with him. “One moment.”
He nods and picks Baz up, setting him on his shoulders as they head back to the living room.
Viv’s attention is back on me. “You sure you don’t want to go?”
I nod and hold up my wine. “I’m all set.”