Sawyer realized he was scowling. Uh...you were right about it being hot. I burned the roof of my mouth, he lied.
Kenny Whittmeyers dad burned his hand when he took Kenny and me camping, Marc volunteered. We were roasting marshmallows and he said a whole bunch of bad words. I
A trumpet sound came from beneath the table, and Becca shifted in her seat, pulling a cell phone from the pocket of her shorts. She glanced at her son. You know Im only checking this because of the race, right?
He nodded, informing Sawyer, Mama has a no-phone rule at the table. But we make ex-sections cause of the race.
Exceptions, Becca corrected absently, reading a text. She frowned, but put the phone away rather than responding. Who wants the last slice of pizza?
Sawyer shook his head, letting the growing boy snag it, and reached for his glass. Whats this race you mentioned? Are you a runner? He could easily imagine her in a marathon. She seemed disciplined enough, and judging from her toned figure, she did something to keep in shape.
Not literally. Im running for mayor.
Sawyer choked on his lemonade.
You find that funny, Mr. McCall?
Hell, yes. Werent politicians supposed to kiss babies and suck up to people? Becca was far too imperious for that. She hadnt even been able to pay for a pizza without lecturing the hapless delivery boy.
She misinterpreted the smile he was fighting. Ill have you know that women are every bit as capable as
Whoa. No argument here. Ive known plenty of badass women.
So whats the big joke? She challenged, those eyes sparking again.
He doubted there was any answer that wouldnt get him in trouble. Might as well go with the truth. The idea of you courting votes is a little funny, dont you think? You seem like someone who speaks her mind, whether the opinion is popular or not.
And thats bad? Community leaders should be honest and straightforward.
In theory, sure. Feeling Marcs gaze on him reminded Sawyer that there was a seven-year-old listening to his cynicism. But dont listen to me. Im just an outsider. What do I know about the people of Cupids Bow?
Becca stood, gathering up the empty plates. About thatyou being an outsider? Would you mind finishing your lemonade on the porch and enjoying the evening breeze while I call Brody Davenport? I need to start checking your references.
No problem. He scraped his chair back. Checking up on me is the responsible thing to do.
She gave him a smile that was part apology, part amusement. Well, Id hate to accidentally rent the room to a dangerous alien robot.
That would be awesome! Marc said.
Which, she told him affectionately, is why Im the one who makes the decisions around here.
Sawyer understood not letting a second grader run the household, but alien robots aside, he was pretty sure Becca preferred to be the one making decisions no matter who was involved. Just like Charlie. But a hell of a lot prettier.
* * *
AFTER BECCA FINISHED her phone call, she tucked in Marc, who was supposed to read for thirty minutes, then go to sleep. From the excitement on his small freckled face, she suspected he wouldnt be falling asleep anytime soon. She wasnt sure yet how she felt about her new tenant, but she had to admit hed been great with her son.
She should go thank him. And let him know the room was officially his.
She stepped onto the front porch, where the heat was sticky in comparison to the air-conditioned house but not intolerable. Intolerable came in August. Sawyer glanced up from the swing with that too-appealing grin that couldve belonged to a movie star; the spectacularly vivid sunset behind him added a cinematic effect. The only thing missing was a musical score. Becca told herself she was unaffected and had always liked books more than films, anyway.
Did Brody vouch for me? he asked.
He said I should kick you to the curbthat youre a pain in the ass who likes to get his own way.
Sawyer shrugged. Well, who doesnt like to get his way?
Hard to argue that. Brody had also said Sawyer was dependable, loyal and never drank to excess or let himself get goaded into bar fights, like a few of their former rodeo friends.
Let me show you the room. Pay me cash for tonight, and you can decide in the morning how long youre staying, after youve had a chance to judge the accommodations for yourself. She almost said something about making sure the bed was comfortable, but stopped herself, recalling his comment about sheets earlier. She did not need to hear any jokes about what took place in his bed.
He unfolded himself from the swing, and she took a moment to appreciate the novelty of being with someone taller than she was. Only a handful of men here in Cupids Bow were. In elementary school, shed hated being the tallest in her classprobably the tallest in the whole school. But shed decided her height was an advantage at home. Towering over her siblings helped her secure their obedience.
Shed foolishly taken it as a good sign that she and her ex-husband had been the same height; shed joked to a friend that there was no better way to start a life together than seeing eye to eye. Nice symbolism, lousy results. Pushing aside memories of her failed marriage, she opened the door.
After Sawyers reaction to her pink furniture, she was hyperaware of her feminine decorating touches as she led him to the back of the house. The hallway was lined with pictures of her and Marc in scallop-edged and filigree frames. A curved glass vase of yellow roses sat on the kitchen counter. The delicately patterned stair runner that went up to the second floor looked like lace from a distance.
Although Sawyer would never see it, her own bedroom was a frilly, silky haven complete with scented candles and ornamental pillows too small to have any practical purpose. Becca prided herself on being sensible and getting things done; she wielded coupons with genius, killed bugs and occasional rodents and could single-handedly fix a lot of the plumbing problems that came with home ownership. But after growing up in a grungy trailer with three brothersand later, two sisters who wore their brothers hand-me-downsshe couldnt resist surrounding herself with soft, girlie indulgences.
The staircase felt uncharacteristically cramped with Sawyer on the steps behind her, as if he was closer than decency permitted. She suddenly wished she was wearing a loose T-shirt that hung down past her butt instead of a tucked-in polo shirt. Dont be ridiculous. Theres nothing wrong with your butt, and you dont care about his opinion of it, anyway. Although...turnabout being fair play, it would make them even if he noticed her body. Shed certainly ogled his earlier today.
The master bedroom, guest room and Marcs room are all on this floor, she said, as they reached the landing. The attic is one more flight up.
The extra trip involved a narrow spiral staircase with an iron railing.
A quarter of the way up, Sawyer huffed out an exaggerated breath. Good thing Im in shape. But just in case, do you know CPR?
Of course she did. Shed taken half a dozen first-aid and emergency preparedness classes when shed been pregnant. But she said nothing, refusing to encourage any jokes about her mouth on Sawyerswhich didnt stop the forbidden image from flashing through her mind. The man might be cocky and unapologetically brash, but hed demonstrated moments of thoughtfulness this evening, too. The right combination of confidence and attentiveness could make for a devastating kiss. Her toes curled inside her sneakers.
Get a grip, Rebecca.
She had no business thinking about kissing her tenant. Or anyone else, until the centennial celebration was over. She was the chairwoman of the centennial committee, and a flawless series of public events would help her win this election. Stick to the plan.
While she was at it, she needed to stick to an impersonal, informative tourmore letting him know where the clean towels were, less imagining where his hands would be if he were kissing her. Coming up from the outside will be a lot easier than this. The house was built into a little bit of a hill, so the staircase is short. Not to mention, using the private entrance will be less disruptive to me and Marc if you keep late hours.
Would he be staying out late? He was a good-looking single man in a town with two bars and a popular dance hall. Opportunities abounded. Her stomach clenched. What if he wasnt alone when he came back to his room at night?
She bit the inside of her lip, conflicted. She didnt really have the right to insist he be celibate while he was in Cupids Bow...but she was responsible for the impressionable child sleeping one floor below.
The attic door wasnt a standard size; they both needed to duck slightly to go through it. Inside the room, the ceiling was comprised of crazy, irregular angles, but nothing that Sawyer would bang his head on.
Cozy, he said, looking around. I meant that in a good way, promise.
To their left was a queen-size bed covered in a quilt shed won in an auction at the Cupids Bow Watermelon Festival; to the right was a small sitting area with two antique chairs, a bookshelf and a modest-sized, flat-screen TV. He would also have his own microwave and mini fridge. The windows were tiny, reminiscent of the portholes on a ship. When shed had Zeke install the back door, shed also asked him to include sidelights for a little more sunshine.
See? No pink, she told him. The general decorating theme up here was furniture I didnt need anywhere else in the house but shed tried to tie everything together with navy and cream. Bathrooms around the corner. Everything you need should be in the linen closet, but let me know if I overlooked anything.
He poked his head through the doorway and laughed. I havent seen a tub like that since Grannys house.
And where did Granny live? Brody talked about how long hed known you, but didnt mention where youre from.
Most of my family is west of here, toward the Hill Country. We have a... My father and brother run a spread in Kerr County.
Are you close to them?
He rocked back on his heels, thumbs in his belt loops. Lets just say, I thought it would be better to strike out on my own.
I can relate to that, she said softly, more to herself than him. Her earliest memories were of her trucker father kissing her goodbye and telling her to take care of Mama and the baby while he was gone. Her younger brother Everett hadnt even been a year old when their mother got pregnant with the twins. That had been a complicated pregnancy, with a lot of doctor-mandated bed rest, and Odette Baker had never really been the same afterward. By the time Becca was ten and the first of her sisters was born, she was actively fantasizing about the day she could move away.
Youre not from Cupids Bow? Sawyer asked. With you running for mayor and talking like you know everybody in town, I figured you were born here.
Nope. I grew up a little over an hour away. Cupids Bow was separated from her hometown by eighty minutes...and a world of experience. Back home, all shed ever wanted was to escape. From the minute Colin had brought her to Cupids Bow, all shed wanted was to belong. She loved it here. She loved the people and the open spaces. She loved that she could see an unending blue horizon unimpeded by skyscrapers, and brilliant stars not strangled by city lights or air pollution. Cupids Bow is the perfect size for me. The populations under four thousand, so it has small-town charm, but its not so small that the only businesses are eponymous.
He raised an eyebrow. E-pony-what-now?
Self-named. In the town I grew up in, there was one restaurantEds Diner. Never mind that it sucked. And the only place to get your hair cut was Shirls. Owned and operated by
Let me guessShirl?
She nodded. Theres healthy market competition here in Cupids Bow, but we havent been overrun by generic franchises. Its the perfect balance.
And you want to become mayor so you can maintain that balance?
Well, that...and I like telling people what to do.
He laughed. I feel sorry for the poor slob running against you.
That would be the incumbent, she said, her mood darkening as she remembered Sierras text from earlier. Last election, Mayor Lamar Truitt had run unopposed. Displeased that Becca had the nerve to challenge him, he was constantly looking for chances at passive-aggressive sabotage. Which reminds me, I have some phone calls to make. I should let you settle in. She reached in her pocket for the key to the attic entrance, but hesitated. Ill have breakfast on the table at 6:00 a.m. I know thats early, but I have to get Marc to school.
Actually, Ill already be gone by then. Brody and I plan to get in some sunrise fishing before heading to look at livestock. Hes thinking about expanding his herd.
She wasnt so much interested in his plans tomorrow as she was in making a necessary point. While youre here, Mr. McCall
Sawyer. He gave her a chiding smile. I insist.
While youre here, its best if you come down to breakfast alone.
His smile faded to a perplexed expression. I just told you, I wont be here for breakfast.
I dont mean tomorrow, I mean in general. It would be better if you dont bring any...guests to breakfast.
Comprehension lit those gold-green eyes. After a moment, he smiled. I see. Rest assured, I will only show up at the breakfast table as a party of one.
Relieved to have that settled, she wished him a good night and turned toward the door.
She was on the staircase when he called from behind her, No need to bring guests down for food, anyway. I can just keep the fridge stocked and serve breakfast in bed.
Chapter Four
It was still dark outside when Brody called to say he was turning onto Beccas street, but, judging by the enthusiastic dawn chorus of birds outside Sawyers room, sunrise was coming. He went down the flight of stairs behind the house and had just reached the bottom when a pair of headlights shone across the driveway. He swung open the passenger door of Brodys pickup, greeted by the welcome smell of coffee.
You survived the night, Brody observed.
Sawyer climbed into the cab. Sorry to disappoint youI know you want my truck if Becca decides to spike my food with hemlock. Give her time. I dont generally drive people to homicidal rages until theyve known me at least twelve hours. I hear you were completely unhelpful as a character reference, by the way.
You wanted me to lie to her? Cupids Bow is my home. Brody sipped from a travel mug, handing a second one to Sawyer. After you get on her nerves and she runs you out of townor buries you in the city parkI still have to face her.