“Huh.” Sadie’s face turned thoughtful. “That’s actually not too surprising. As far as I know, Sawyer hasn’t told anyone in Eureka Springs that he lives in Mountain Cove now.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “He told me that too. It’s weird that he’s keeping it a secret.”
“Not as weird as you might think,” Sadie countered. “Since dating Gavin, I’ve realized how exhausting it can be to have people treat you differently because of wealth or fame. Sometimes all Gavin wants is to be able to go somewhere without being recognized. He can’t even go to the grocery store without getting swarmed. It’s hard to imagine unless you’ve dealt with it firsthand, but it can be a burden.”
“I guess I never really thought of it like that,” Lily confessed. “I mean, I know you guys deal with the paparazzi a lot, but you handle it so well that I never considered what a hassle it must be sometimes.”
Sadie shrugged. “It’s taken some getting used to, but being with Gavin is worth it.”
“I can see that.” Lily smiled and then paused, tipping her head in thought. “Do you really think that Sawyer is making enough money that it would affect the way people treat him?”
Sadie raised her eyebrows and nodded once. “Yeah. If he’s living here, he’s definitely making good money.”
“Doing what?” Lily mused. She’d heard he’d majored in chemistry in college, but what kind of job could have brought him that much wealth? It made her sad that she wasn’t close enough to him anymore to know.
Sadie lifted a shoulder. “I asked Gavin about that after we ran into Sawyer, but he wasn’t sure. Since this is only his vacation property, he hasn’t gotten to know his neighbors very well.” She glanced at Lily, her eyes taking on a playful challenge. “But you could always ask Sawyer yourself.”
“Oh, I plan to. We have a lunch date tomorrow, so I’ll get the scoop then.”
“What?!” Sadie let out a small squeal and grabbed Lily’s arm. “You’ve got a date with Sawyer and you’re just now telling me this?”
Mike stepped into the shed, clearing his throat. “I wanted to make sure you were able to find the life jackets,” he said, looking uncomfortable.
Lily’s face caught fire. There was no way he hadn’t heard what Sadie had said about her date with Sawyer.
“Yes, we found them.” Sadie smiled, her eyes darting to Lily and back. “Thanks for checking.”
“I can help you carry them,” Mike offered, holding his hand out to Lily for the jackets. “We’ve got the boat all ready.”
“Great.” She willed her blush to cool as she and Sadie followed him out of the shed. It was silly to be so embarrassed. It wasn’t like she and Mike were anything to each other—but talking about her date for tomorrow while on a date right now probably wasn’t the best dating etiquette.
The three of them walked in silence for a few moments until Mike spoke up. “The water’s nice and smooth right now, so it should be good skiing,” he said, looking out over the lake.
Lily’s shoulders relaxed. “That’s good. I’ll need all the help I can get, I’m sure.”
“You’ll be fine. You always pick up on things like this fast,” Sadie said. “Besides, if I can do it, anybody can,” she teased.
“That’s true,” Lily joked back.
The three of them fell into easy conversation as they made their way to the boat where Gavin waited for them. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw Sadie, reminding Lily of the way Sawyer’s eyes had ignited when he’d seen her this morning. There had been so much in that look. Even now she couldn’t pinpoint the emotion behind his expression—but just thinking about it made her stomach fluttery.
“All right, mates, let’s get this party underway,” Gavin said, starting the engine as Mike untied the boat.
Lily looked around. “Where should I sit?” she asked.
“Anywhere you like,” Sadie answered, taking the seat across from Gavin.
“How about right here, by me?” Mike patted the bench next to where he sat in the back of the boat.
“Okay.” Lily took the seat next to him, careful not to sit too close. With both of them wearing bathing suits, it would feel too intimate to have their bare shoulders touching and she didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.
He gave her a head nod. “You seem tense, but don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”
She smiled tentatively. “Thanks.”
As they left the dock, Lily scanned the properties along the lake, curious to know which one belonged to Sawyer. Thick trees hid many of the mansions from view, but she analyzed those that she could see. One house in particular, across the lake from Gavin’s place, caught her attention. It wasn’t as big as some of the other mansions she’d seen, and the log cabin design had ‘Sawyer’ written all over it. The terraced landscaping was immaculate, and she spotted the roof of a glass greenhouse behind a copse of trees. The end of the dock had a firepit surrounded by Adirondack chairs, with a pair of sleek jet skis tethered off nearby.
Overall, the property looked extremely inviting. Lily wanted to ask Gavin if her hunch was right, but she would have to wait until the date was over.
She enjoyed spending time with Sadie, Gavin, and Mike as they took turns waterskiing. The conversation flowed freely between all of them, but Lily found herself glancing back toward the property she suspected was Sawyer’s. Was that his house? And if so, was he watching them on their date? She was so preoccupied with these thoughts that she had to ask Mike to repeat whatever he’d been saying to her—twice.
When it grew too dark and they headed back to Gavin’s, Lily noticed that the firepit on the dock was lit, and two figures sat in the chairs near it. Her heart thumped, certain even from a distance that it was Sawyer—with another woman.
“Looks like Sawyer’s out enjoying the evening,” Gavin said, confirming her suspicions as he cut back on the engine to enter the no-wake zone.
“Let’s say hi,” Sadie suggested, throwing a mischievous glance at Lily.
“It looks like he’s busy.” Lily glared back at her.
“Nonsense,” Sadie argued. “Look, he’s waving at us. He clearly wants to chat.”
Lily glanced to the dock to see that he was, indeed, waving at them.
Mike leaned forward, one corner of his mouth pulling down. “I think he’s on a date and probably doesn’t want to be bothered.”
“Right,” Lily agreed, straining to get a good look at the woman with him. Was she the blonde?
Gavin followed the conversation before his eyes settled on Sadie. She gave him a coy look and something unspoken passed between them. He gave her a sly smile in return. “I reckon I’d better at least say hi. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”
Sadie nodded, looking pleased with herself. “It is, and I haven’t had a chance to thank him for coming to our signing this morning.”
“True.” Gavin steered the boat toward the dock.
Lily pursed her lips, shooting daggers at Sadie with her eyes, but her sister refused to look at her. Mike shifted on the seat beside her but didn’t say anything.
“Ahoy, Sawyer!” Gavin called, pulling close to the dock.
Sawyer stood from his chair and walked over to meet them. He looked good in his brown leather jacket, T-shirt, and jeans. His eyes danced in amusement as he glanced at Lily and then back at Gavin. “Hey there, neighbor,” he said, casually sliding his hands into his pockets. “How was the water tonight?”
“It was glass, mate,” Gavin answered. “I’m surprised you weren’t out there.”
“I had company,” Sawyer explained, motioning behind him.
The woman stood from her chair and smiled as she walked toward them. Lily’s eyes widened as soon as she recognized Sawyer’s mom. “Trisha!” she cried, hopping up from her seat and jumping the small gap between the boat and the dock to give her a hug.
“Lily.” Trisha laughed and squeezed her tight. “It’s so good to see you, sweetheart.”
“You
too. How’ve you been?” Lily asked, pulling back to look at her. She and Trisha had grown close during the years that she’d dated Sawyer and Trisha had become like a second mother to her. She’d missed her terribly after the breakup.
“I’ve been well.” Trisha smiled and took both of her hands. “And just look at you, all gorgeous and grown up. My goodness,” she shook her head and glanced at Sawyer, “I didn’t think it was possible she could get any prettier, did you?” she asked him.
Sawyer flushed and ran a hand along the back of his neck. “Uh—” he stammered.
“It’s good to see you again, Trisha,” Sadie said, saving him from having to answer. “Have you met my fiancé, Gavin? And this is his friend, Mike.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Trisha nodded at them. “Sawyer told me that his new neighbor was the legendary Gavin Stone, but it’s still amazing to meet you in person,” she admitted.
“The pleasure’s all mine,” Gavin returned, giving her a small bow.
“Goodness.” Trisha blinked and fanned her face.
Lily bit back a smile, meeting Sawyer’s eyes. He grinned back at her, clearly enjoying his mom’s reaction to the movie star as much as she was.
Trisha swatted Sawyer’s shoulder. “Where are our manners?” She turned to the others in the boat. “Would you like to come join us by the fire and get warmed up after your boat ride? We’ve got some fixings for s’mores.”
Lily’s gaze flicked back to Sawyer’s and he gave her a warm look. “Yes … please join us.”
She rubbed her bare arms. Once she’d dried off, she’d put on a tank top and shorts over her swimming suit, but that didn’t do much against the evening chill. And she’d be lying to herself if she pretended that the fire was the only reason she wanted to stay.
“I don’t know that we have time—” Mike piped up from the back of the boat, but Sadie cut him off.
“We’d love to! Thanks for the invitation.”
Gavin turned to Mike. “I can boat you over to the dock and drop you off if you need to get back.”
Mike looked between Sawyer and Lily, barely masking a scowl. “No, it’s fine. I can spare a few minutes.”
Lily shifted her weight, trying to feel guilty about the situation, but not quite managing it. Sadie was obviously determined to give her some time with Sawyer—and she had to admit, she was secretly grateful.
“Do you need any help tying off the boat?” Sawyer offered.
“Mike and I can manage,” Gavin said. “Go ahead and take a seat and we’ll join you in a bit.”
“Okay.” Sawyer turned to Lily and his mom. “Ladies first,” he motioned for them to go ahead and Trisha took Lily’s arm.
“It’s so lucky that I got a chance to see you. I hear you’re only in town until tomorrow?”
“Yes, unfortunately.” Lily glanced over her shoulder at Sawyer. Had he and his mom been talking about her? Was that how she knew Lily would only be in town a short while? The thought set loose a flurry of butterflies loose in her stomach.
Trisha frowned. “That’s such a shame. I wish we had some way to convince you to stay longer.”
Lily swallowed, not daring to look at Sawyer again. “I wish I could … but I have to get back to work.”
“Of course.” Trisha patted her hand before releasing it to take a seat. “I’m so impressed with the company you’ve created.” She gestured for Lily to sit in the chair next to her. “I want to hear all about it.”
Lily sat down, aware when Sawyer took the seat on her other side. She had a feeling Mike wouldn’t like it when he saw Sawyer sitting next to her … and he definitely wouldn’t like it if he knew that she was secretly glad he did.
6
Sawyer watched Lily, her perfect features aglow from the light of the fire as she talked to his mom about her company. His scheme to sit on the dock and wait for them to finish boating had worked better than he’d hoped. It felt so right to have Lily here next to him, chatting happily with his mom. It was almost hard to believe that so many years had passed.
“Well this is a cozy scene.” Mike stood with his hands on his hips and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “How nice to have a fire right by the lake.”
“It’s brilliant,” Gavin agreed as he and Sadie joined the group. “I wish I’d thought of it when I was building my place.”
“You’re welcome to use it anytime,” Sawyer offered, hiding a smirk as Mike reluctantly took the seat across from Lily.
“Thanks, mate.” Gavin helped Sadie into a seat next to Mike before he sat down as well.
“Your place is beautiful,” Sadie said, holding her hands up to the fire to warm them. “What is it that you do for work, Sawyer?”
He sensed Lily turn his way. “I do some landscape jobs from time to time,” he hedged.
Trisha rolled her eyes. “That’s just his hobby.” She lifted a hand. “What he’s too modest to tell you is that while he was in college, he discovered a safe and effective treatment for lawns and sold the patent. He’s basically retired now.”
“Retired?” Lily repeated.
There was silence around the circle for a few beats. Sawyer shifted and stared at the fire. “Yeah … pretty much. Although I stay busy investing in side projects and other things.”
“Good on ya, mate,” Gavin said, breaking the silence. “That’s amazing. No wonder your lawn always looks so perfect.”
Everyone laughed and Sawyer relaxed. “Well I’ve got the time to work on it, being retired and all.” He glanced sideways at Lily, curious to see her reaction to the news.
She still looked a little stunned, her hazel eyes staring ahead at nothing. When she caught his gaze, she straightened, offering him a tentative smile. “That’s really great. But I’m not surprised. You were always so good at science in high school.”
He shrugged. “Nah. There was plenty of luck involved too. When you work with lawns as much as I did growing up, you start noticing which kinds of fertilizers the grass thrives on.” He turned to Mike, eager to get the attention off of himself. “How about you, Mike. What do you do for work?”
Mike leaned back in his seat, folding his arms across his stomach. “I’m a professional climber.”
Sawyer quirked an eyebrow. “Come again?”
“A professional rock climber,” Mike clarified, leveling him with a steady gaze. “I lead people on rock climbing expeditions and get paid to do what I love.”
Sawyer nodded, wishing Mike’s profession didn’t sound so cool. He’d secretly hoped he was an accountant or an IT guy.
“That’s how we met,” Gavin added, nodding. “Mike was my guide on an expedition, and we’ve been mates ever since.”
“Huh,” Sawyer said simply.
Mike checked his watch. “Speaking of climbing, I’ve got a local group I’m taking early tomorrow morning, so I should probably be on my way.” He looked hopefully at Lily.
“No worries,” Gavin said, standing. “I’m sure these guys want to enjoy the fire and get caught up for a bit, so I’ll give you a ride back over.”
“Thanks, sweetie.” Sadie touched his hand and gave him a warm smile. “I’d like that. It’s so pleasant sitting here. Don’t you agree, Lil?”
Sawyer turned to Lily, holding his breath as he waited for her answer. Stay … please stay.
Lily hesitated and gave Mike an apologetic shrug. “I guess I’ll stay here too. Thanks for inviting me out tonight. I had a lot of fun.”
Sawyer released the breath he’d been holding, silently triumphant.
Mike nodded and gave Lily a wry smile. “I had fun too. Hopefully we can do it again sometime. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other now that Gavin and Sadie are tying the knot.” He turned and gave Sawyer a wicked little sneer while Trisha offered congratulations to the newly engaged couple.
Sawyer gave him a steady look in return. Game on, buddy. At least Mike wouldn’t be giving Lily a good night kiss, or even an after-date hug tonight, so the j
oke was on him.
Gavin and Mike left on the boat and the conversation around the fire resumed. Lily seemed much more relaxed now that Mike was gone. She laughed at something Sawyer’s mom said, and his heart melted. He’d missed Lily’s laugh. It was a bubbly, effusive sound that was impossible not to smile at.
Sadie caught him smiling at Lily and her eyes took on a mischievous glimmer. “Sawyer, would you mind if I went to your kitchen for a glass of water?” she asked.
“Not at all. I can get one for you.” He moved to get up, but his mom stopped him.
“I’ll show her where it is. I’m a little thirsty myself.”
“Okay.” He sat back in his seat, suspecting there was an ulterior motive behind their coordinated departure.
“We’ll see you in a bit,” Sadie said as she and Trisha walked up the dock. The solar lights along the stairs leading to the house lit their path in the darkness.
“So …” Lily stretched her arms out in front of her in a shy gesture. “Here we are.”
“Here we are.” His heart beat out a staccato rhythm. There were so many things he wanted to say to her that his chest seemed to expand with the words.
“I can’t believe you haven’t told anyone about all of this. Although,” she paused, resting her temple on her fist, “it’s so like you to underplay the fact that you’re brilliant and completely loaded now.”
He snorted. “Brilliant is a stretch.” There was no point in denying the loaded part.
“I don’t think so,” she countered, searching his face. “All of those years we dated, you always let me talk about my dreams, and I never knew about yours.” She bit the corner of her lip and stared back at the fire. “I guess that made me a pretty crummy girlfriend.”
Sawyer’s stomach twisted. “Not at all. I loved hearing about your dreams. Back then I didn’t have any ambitions beyond my landscaping business, but hearing you talk made me think differently. You made me want to do something more. Something bigger. So when I had the idea for a new lawn treatment, I thought of you.”
The Billionaire's Second Chance: Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Page 4