I love you too. The response was right there on the tip of his tongue, but Ford couldn’t say it out loud, not with so much uncertainty surrounding them. “It’s been a little more time, but you’re shutting me out. I’ve been left here not knowing when you’re going to come back. Have you even figured that out?”
There was a pause, “No. No, babe. I haven’t.”
“You were supposed to come back a week ago and spend some time here before you left again. That was what we talked about and agreed.”
“I know I was, but—”
“If you don’t want us to be together, just say it.” Ford cut in and then held his breath. His friend Ryan always said not to ask questions you don’t want the answers to. But in this case, he was wrong. Because even though he didn’t want to ask, he needed to know.
“Ford, I don’t know much right now, and everything…” Sawyer inhaled deeply and let it out. “Everything is crazy. But I need you to know the one thing that makes sense to me is you… us.”
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“I swear I am doing everything I can to get back there, to you, as soon as I can. Ford, baby, I need you to know that I have never left a job so abruptly, and I know you’ve had to handle all the resort stuff, and it’s not fair to you. Not at all, I get that.” Sawyer let out a sigh that sounded tired. “But I know it’s in good hands because you’re there, Ford.”
It was all about the work. Everything he said was about how Ford could deal with the project on his end. Nothing was about their relationship.
Ford felt like he’d just been rammed in the chest. Sawyer just wanted him to stay sweet until the project was done. He’d been nothing more than an extended booty call with housing benefits.
How could he have been so stupid? So blind?
“Okay, right.” He cleared his throat because it suddenly felt like there was something lodged there. “I understand, uhm, Drake is trying to get my attention. I think they need me on the site.”
“I love you,” Sawyer said again.
“Me too.” He couldn’t bring himself to say it, to repeat those words.. He wished Sawyer hadn’t, especially if he didn’t mean it.
Maybe he needed to go up to New York. Sawyer couldn’t lie to his face, and it was better for him to end it now instead of pretending he had a boyfriend coming back to him.
He wanted to believe Sawyer, wanted to believe it was just that busy at work, but Sawyer had told him himself that he checked on projects every two weeks. So he was either avoiding Ford or there was someone else, and whichever one it was, it was time he found out for himself.
The next morning on the plane, Ford kept repeating, “I’m doing the right thing,” over and over, but it didn’t help the pit in his stomach.
And it wasn’t just because the small voice in his head kept telling him this was a spectacularly bad idea. No one ever found anything good sneaking up and ‘surprising’ their boyfriend.
The plane taxiing told him there was no turning back.
At least he knew he was leaving the site in good hands. Ford was confident that Drake was capable of working without being micromanaged, not like he planned on being gone long. Drake knew how to reach him, and he would probably be gone for two days max. His new contractor reassured him they had everything covered.
“You’ll probably be on a flight home tonight,” he muttered to himself.
The hardest part, though, was lying to his parents, especially his mom. She thought he and Sawyer had made plans for him to go visit since he was so busy, and also because Sawyer needed him to be in New York to sign some important papers regarding the new contractors. It seemed like a logical explanation, and it didn’t occur to her that Sawyer could have signed, scanned, and emailed them to him. Although his dad had given him the side eye, thankfully he hadn’t said anything.
The one time it would have paid for a flight to be delayed, they actually came in early—tailwinds or whatever—so he arrived in New York at one o’clock in the afternoon. He’d only brought along a carry on, so it didn’t take long to get out of the airport. There was a bit of a line to get a cab, but when it was finally his turn, Ford got in and said a prayer he didn’t end up like one of those people on an episode of Criminal Minds.
“Where to, sir?” the driver asked.
Ford rattled Sawyer’s office address—it was the only one he knew—to the cab driver. He’d looked at it almost the whole flight, so he knew it by heart. The driver nodded.
He stared out the window as the driver pulled away from the curb and headed in the direction of the address.
This definitely wasn’t how I thought I would be seeing his office for the first time.
To say he was nervous was an understatement. He didn’t have butterflies in his stomach, more like fucking birds, but showing up unannounced would do that to a guy. Still, the element of surprise was key here.
The driver pulled up at the curb, letting him out right at the front door of the building. The minute Ford got there, the urge to tell the driver to take him back to the airport was overwhelming.
But he shoved it down and handed the man cash. “Keep the change.”
Ford looked up at the building and his heart rate quickened. He considered his options as the cab pulled away. He could stick around the building until Sawyer was done with work. But fuck knew how long that would be.
I could call Sawyer to come down… He shook his head. Nope. That wouldn’t work either since it would have defeated the purpose of him coming in stealth.
Someone bumped into him on the sidewalk and that got him moving.
He walked towards the door, and it slid open automatically. There was a large desk to the side of the pristine lobby, and he walked over to it. The security guard was sitting behind the desk, eyes down, probably playing on his phone or something.
Ford cleared his throat, and he looked up. “How may I help you, sir?”
“I’m here to see Sawyer Lancaster.” He wiped his hand on his coat.
“Is he expecting you?” The man asked.
“My name is Ford, Ford Erickson, and I work for him at his Amber Falls, Colorado project.” Before he could figure out where he was going, a tall man came up behind him.
“Ford?” he asked.
Ford looked up and frowned. He didn’t recognize the man, but he nodded anyway. “Yeah?”
The man’s eyes widened, and his face widened in a grin. “How are you doing?”
Ford arched a brow. “I’m sorry, but do I know you?”
The man laughed. “Not really. But I feel like I know you,” he said. “Sawyer has told me so much about you.” The man looked him up and down, although not in a mean way.
“Do you know this man, Mr. Parker?” The security man looked him up and down.
“I do.” The man who still hadn’t introduced himself said.
“Good, because I was about to tell him that Mr. Lancaster was not at work today.”
Ford’s stomach dropped at his words. That was not something he considered. Then again, why would he since Sawyer made it sound like he was basically living at the office. But of course he’s not here. He’s cheating on me.
His shoulders sagged. Guess it was back to Colorado for him.
Which could be for the best, that pesky voice whispered. He could end it for real without embarrassing himself.
“I’ll just get going.” Ford was about to turn when the other man spoke up.
“I can take you to Sawyer’s place.”
Ford looked at the other man. He still didn’t know who on earth he was.
“Come with me,” he said.
Ford wasn’t going anywhere with a stranger. That was how you ended up dead in the big city. Nope. “I don’t mean to sound like a jerk,” Ford started. “But I don’t know you from Adam, so why would I go anywhere with you?”
The man laughed and shook his head. “Of course, don’t mind me. I tend to get ahead of myself. I’m Nate. I’m a good friend of
Sawyer’s, and I also work here. I can’t believe you’re here. I have heard so much about you.”
So he kept saying, but Ford was almost certain he’d never heard of Nate. “And why isn’t Sawyer at work? Is he sick?”
Nate shook his head. “Nope… nothing like that. He just needed the last few days off. He’s been off more than on, lately, but that’s to be expected. It’s a lot for him.”
So Sawyer had been lying. He wasn’t working.
“Come on. I can take you to him.”
When he didn’t budge, Nate—if that was even his name—took his wallet out, then got his license and held it out to Ford.
“You can send it to someone you trust. If anything happens, the police know my name and face.”
Ford considered his options. He doubted the security guy would hand out Sawyer’s address if he asked.
“Fine.” He took the license from Nate and got his phone out, taking a picture. He also took a picture of Nate and sent it off to Owen. His mom would board a flight if he sent the message to her. He’d told Owen if he disappeared, it would be this man’s fault.
The man raised a brow, so he flatly explained. “What? Licenses can be faked, but they can do facial recognition or whatever.”
The security guy snorted but didn’t chime in.
“Fair enough,” Nate said. “Come on then. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Ford wasn’t sure what the man meant, but he followed Nate out of the building and to the parking garage down below to his car. “You can put your luggage in the trunk.” The trunk popped open, so Ford placed his suitcase in quickly and stepped back.
“Worried I’ll stuff you in there?” Nate teased.
Ford’s grip around his phone tightened, and he held it up.
“I have 911 dialed, so all I have to do is call.”
The man put his hands up. “No need for that. You’re safe, I promise.”
Ford huffed but walked over to the passenger side, all the while cursing Sawyer out. He was fuming. If Sawyer had been at work, he wouldn’t be getting in the car with a stranger.
He was probably screwing someone else right now and this Nate didn’t seem to care that Ford was going to find him out. He seemed a tad gleeful in fact.
“I’m sure Sawyer was excited to hear you were coming to town.” Why did he sound like he knew Sawyer wasn’t expecting Ford?
“He doesn’t know.” Ford admitted. He glanced in Nate’s direction to see the man’s lips twitching, his eyes lighting up.
“Amazing! So, this is a surprise? That’s sort of sweet.” His chuckling said something else entirely.
As Nate pulled out of his spot, all Ford could think was that it sure was going to be a surprise when he knocked on Sawyer’s door and caught him in the act of doing whoever he was doing.
He ground his teeth and held himself straight. Nate was laughing at him, and he would not let the man see him squirm. Nope, he would save all his anger for Sawyer. He was about to meet angry Ford, and he wouldn’t know what hit him.
8
Sawyer
Sawyer stood outside his sister’s door and said a prayer for patience. It had become part of his daily routine.
He knocked on Savanna’s bedroom door again. “I have been patient, Savanna, but you need to come out and eat.” This time she had locked him out of her room.
I really should have gotten rid of that lock.
It was going on two weeks since the transition to his apartment, and things weren’t going any smoother with Savanna. His sister seemed to be testing his patience, and he swore she was pushing just to see how far she could go.
He knocked again, just shy of pounding. “Savanna!”
Fuck, he definitely wasn’t cut out for this. Like, babies were fine, but being handed a surly, grieving teenager… fuck.
“Leave. Me. Alone.”
Sawyer heard the emphasis on each word like she thought he was too stupid and needed her to speak slowly.
If you kill her, they’ll lock you up, he reminded himself, just like he had every day this week.
He groaned and considered banging on the door one last time, but it was pointless. If she wanted to be stubborn, then he would leave her to it. She wasn’t starving since he knew she snuck out to eat. The plates he left her were usually gone by morning.
Ungrateful brat! Was it wrong to think that about a child?
Whatever, Sawyer was only human, and she was riding his last nerve with her attitude.
When he went back to the kitchen, he bit back a groan. Why was this child naked again? Gavin was sitting on the counter now, and instead of the t-shirt and jeans he had on a couple of minutes ago, he was stripped down to his underwear.
“Gav… please put your clothes back on.” It had been happening more and more. He’d searched online. Gavin was too old to be doing this, so he figured it was what Madison had warned him about, and this was his brother’s way of acting out.
Gavin shook his head. “No. I like it like this.”
“You can’t eat while sitting on the kitchen counter wearing nothing but your underwear. What would happen if the social worker decided to pay us a visit? Huh?”
Gavin shook his head, his eyebrows knitted. “I like it this way.” He folded his arms and stared Sawyer down.
Sawyer closed his eyes and called on the patron saints of parents or guardians, if there was even one. He wasn’t Catholic, but right now, it seemed appropriate.
He loved the kids, but they were pushing all his buttons today. Sawyer opened his eyes and plastered on a smile.
“Fine! You can eat in your underwear.” Probably help keep Gavin’s clothes clean since the kid seemed to be an enthusiastic eater anyhow. “But then you’re going to get dressed once you’re done. Got it?”
Gavin nodded, a smile on his face. Of course he was smiling, the mini terror.
Sawyer took a step towards the counter where the wholewheat pasta and Bolognese with meatballs was waiting to be dished out.
At that same moment, Callum made a noise—well, more like a grunt. He turned towards the little guy just in time for a bowl of yogurt to be thrown his way, and, of course, it landed right in the middle of his shirt.
Sawyer looked down. He didn’t know why he was surprised. When he looked up at the toddler, his brother shot him a toothy grin.
“Glad someone is having a good time, kid.”
Sawyer’s respect for stay-at-home parents quadrupled.
God, he needed to get a nanny… get the kids in school… but Sawyer knew why he hadn’t. And it wasn’t because of the excuse that they needed to settle in or finding the right fit that he’d given the social worker. He wasn’t sure how to bring up moving them all to Amber Falls to Ford since he didn’t even know they existed. Or if their relationship still did. Gosh, his mind had been too scrambled, still absorbing what had become of his life.
A knock sounded at the front door, and he frowned. The concierge hadn’t called up to let him know anyone was here.
He shot a look towards Callum, who had food all over himself, the highchair, and the surrounding floor, and then Gavin, who was happily bouncing his feet against the island while still wearing nothing but his underwear.
“Perfect!” he mumbled. It would be just his luck having the social worker show up right now.
Sawyer glanced down at his shirt, seeing the yogurt running down toward his pants, and groaned. Well at least it’s not the Bolognese. Another knock got him moving towards the door after telling Gavin to stay put. He was on his iPad, so he figured that should keep him occupied.
Sawyer peeked through the peephole and sighed with relief when he saw Nate on the other side. He flung it open. “I hope you brought booze because Daddy needs it.”
Sawyer snorted at calling himself ‘daddy.’ He sure as fuck didn’t feel like one. The live-in nanny was more like it.
“What the fuck?”
Sawyer’s head swiveled to the right at the sound of that voice. He blinked
, but nope, he wasn’t seeing things. Ford was standing there. Ford was standing outside his apartment. How hadn’t he seen him?
Ford turned to Nate, who so far was just standing there with his hands behind his back and trying to hold back a laugh.
“You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?” Sawyer could see Ford vibrating with agitation as he fumed, tears leaking from his eyes. “You brought me here to rub it in my face. Asshole.”
Sawyer was at a loss as to what to do, and then Ford turned his wrath on him. God, he’d never seen Ford so pissed off before, and if they made it through this, he never wanted to again.
“And you! You’ve been stringing me along this whole time just so I would take care of the resort. Your side piece while you play ‘daddy’ here in New York.”
Sawyer had to get control of this situation before it spiraled any further and the neighbors started to come out. “Ford, baby, you don’t understan—”
“Don’t you ‘baby’ me.” Ford pulled his phone out. “I’m going back to—”
At that moment, there was the sound of a dish and silverware clattering to the floor from inside the apartment, followed by Callum crying.
“You have kids?”
Sawyer just stood there, mouth gaping and staring at Ford.
“You have kids.” This time it wasn’t a question, and the look in Ford’s eyes cut him.
“Ford, please, I can explain,” Sawyer started.
“Unbelievable. Are you kidding me? There’s nothing to explain.”
Sawyer saw that Ford was ready to bolt, so he reached out to grab him.
“No, wait! Let me explain!” He was too late. Ford turned and ran from him. He glared daggers at Nate. “You could have given me a heads up he was here with you.”
His friend shrugged. “I told you to tell him. This is what happens when you don’t listen to your friends”
Now was not the time to curse his friend out. “Stay with the kids!”
He darted past Nate, but Ford got to the elevator before him and he just stood there watching as the doors closed. Fuck! He shouldn’t have kept it from him. He should have told him. Now, it could be too late.
Forever With His Boss Page 7