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Chapter Three

Sawyer did not get to see his nephews until Sunday morning. The bus traveling from the campground had blown a tire and the Scouts had to wait more than three hours for a replacement vehicle. The Scout leader called parents to inform them their sons would be dropped off sometime around midnight. Meanwhile, he had driven Rachel to the hospital for her eleven o’clock shift and by the time he got back to the house Mara had put her exhausted grandsons to bed.

He was lounging in the kitchen enjoying his second cup of coffee when the boys walked in together. They had grown at least a foot in the three years since he last saw them in person, and although they were fraternal twins, the resemblance between them was remarkable the older they became. It was Dylan who noticed him first, his eyes widening in shock as Sawyer stood up.

“Uncle Sawyer?”

“What’s up, champ?”

Colin, galvanized into action, raced across the kitchen and launched himself at his uncle. “You came back!”

Sawyer picked up the gangly boy. Dylan was slower reacting as he walked over to join his brother, and Sawyer scooped him up with his free arm, cradling them as he had done when they were younger.

“You’re both too heavy to pick up together.” Sawyer set Colin on his feet, then Dylan. “How was your overnight camping trip?”

“It was awesome, Uncle Sawyer,” Colin answered. “We made a campfire, roasted marshmallows and slept in a tent.”

“Some of the boys were scared when they thought they heard wolves, but not me and Colin,” Dylan added, his voice rising in excitement.

Sawyer smiled. “It was probably coyotes.” He stared at the two boys who were almost an exact image of their father: dark blond hair, hazel eyes and cleft chin. It was impossible for Rachel to forget her ex-husband whenever she looked at their children.

Colin glanced around the kitchen. “Where’s Grandma and Grandpa?”

“Grandma took Grandpa to the hospital so the doctor could check his heart.”

“Is there something wrong with his heart?” Dylan asked.

“He was having pains in his chest. He’ll probably be there for a few days before they say he’s okay to come home.”

The two boys exchanged a look. “Is that why you came home, Uncle Sawyer?” Colin asked. “Because Grandpa’s heart is sick?”

Sawyer paused. Either he could fabricate a lie or tell the truth, and he decided on the latter. “Yes, Colin. I came home because Grandpa’s heart is sick, and I also want to be here for you, Dylan, your mother and grandmother.”

“How long are you going to stay?” Dylan questioned.

“How long do you want me to stay?” he countered.

“Forever!” the twins chorused.

A smile found its way across Sawyer’s features as he stared at expressions of expectation on his nephews’ faces. “Nothing is forever, but I promise that I’ll stay until August when you have to go back to school.” He glanced at the clock on the microwave. “It’s too late for church, so do you want to go to Ruthie’s for brunch?”

“Yes!” the twins chorused.

“Put your shoes on and brush your hair.”

Ruthie’s was a Wickham Falls family favorite. The restaurant offered an all-you-can-eat buffet from eight to eight, seven days a week.

Sawyer placed his mug in the dishwasher and then retreated to his bedroom to slip into a pair of running shoes. He had slept soundly in the converted attic. Scooping up his keys, money clip, credit card case and cell phone off the nightstand, he headed downstairs and met Colin and Dylan as they raced down the staircase in front of him.

“I’m riding shotgun!” Colin shouted.

“Neither of you are riding shotgun,” Sawyer warned. “You’ll ride in the back and wear seat belts. Don’t give me that look, Dylan. You guys know when you ride with me you never sit up front.”

The two boys, realizing they weren’t going to get one over on their uncle, climbed into the rear seats and buckled their seat belts. Sawyer slipped behind the wheel. Staring at the rearview screen on the dash, he backed out of the driveway. He concentrated on the road and knew he couldn’t avoid the inevitable. After brunch he planned to see his father.

* * *

Jessica waited on line to get a table at Ruthie’s. She usually attended her church’s early service, but she had gotten up later than usual.

It was now one o’clock and the popular family-style restaurant was nearly filled to capacity.

“Miss Calhoun.”

Jessica glanced over her shoulder when she heard the childish voice. There weren’t too many places she could go in Wickham Falls where a student or their parents did not recognize her. She noticed Sawyer standing behind his nephews. There was something in the way he stared at her that made her slightly uncomfortable—but not in a bad way. His gaze lingered on her face before slowly moving lower and coming back to meet her eyes.

She smiled at her former students.

“Hello, Dylan.” She glanced over at his brother. “How are you, Colin?”

Colin lowered his eyes. “Good.”

Her gaze met and fused with Sawyer’s penetrating indigo-blue eyes. “Good afternoon, Sawyer.” There was a charming roughness about him she found appealing. A lean jaw and strong chin that accentuated a pair of high cheekbones made for an arresting face. She also noticed red streaks in his shoulder-length dark brown hair.

Why, she wondered, did she sound so breathless? Maybe it had something to do with the number of times Rachel had talked about her brother. Jessica had to admit he was good-looking, but his looks definitely weren’t enough to make her heart beat a little too quickly. Although she liked men, she had a problem trusting them.

Sawyer inclined his head, a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of his firm mouth. “Good afternoon, Jessica. Are you waiting for anyone?”

“No. Why?”

“If we sit together we’ll get seated faster than if you wait for a table for yourself.”

Jessica knew he was right. There were very few tables with seating for two. “Okay.”

She watched Sawyer walk to the front of the line to get the hostess’s attention, and then return and beckon for his nephews to move ahead of the others standing in line. Jessica went completely still when she felt Sawyer’s hand at the small of her back. Everything about him—his heat, the lingering scent of his aftershave and his touch seeped into her, bringing with it a quickening of her breathing. “Tricia has a table for us,” he said in her ear.

Holding on to Colin’s hand, Jessica steered him toward the hostess’s podium, ignoring the angry stares from those still waiting in line. Sawyer paid the prix fixe for two adults and two children. Seconds later a waiter directed them to a table in the middle of the restaurant.

She leaned close to Sawyer. “I’ll take Colin and help him select what he wants.”

“I’ll wait until you get back, then I’ll take Dylan.”

Sawyer sat at the table with Dylan, his gaze fixed on Jessica holding a plate as Colin pointed at what he wanted to eat. A pair of cropped stretch khaki slacks, foam-green blouse and black leather mules had replaced the sexy outfit she wore the night before. He found Jessica’s face mesmerizing, with or without makeup, and he forced himself not to stare at the curve of her hips in the body-hugging pants.

Dylan patted his uncle’s arm. “I’m hungry, Uncle Sawyer.”

He ruffled the boy’s hair. “As soon as Colin and Miss Calhoun come back it will be our turn to go up.”

“They’re taking too long.”

“Try and be patient, Dylan.”

“I can’t be patient when I’m hungry because my stomach is talking too loud.”

“You can tell your stomach to stop talking because they’re coming back now.”

Dylan popped up from his chair and raced over to the buffet counter. Sawyer winked at Jessica when she returned to the table with her plate and Colin’s. Sawyer helped Dylan make his selections, while he decided on chicken-fried steak with white gravy, mashed potatoes, fluffy biscuits and sweet tea. He was back in the South and the food on his tray made him feel as if he had really come home.

“I’ll go and get the drinks,” Jessica said as he set his plate on the table.

“We’ll go together. You need to let me know when you’re going to be home so I can return your picnic hamper,” he said as he filled two glasses with milk.

Jessica gave Sawyer a sidelong glance. “I don’t have to be home for you to bring it back. You can either leave it at the front door or on the patio.”

“And let coons or some other critter get into it?”

“You heard about that?”

“Yep. My mother said she has a problem with raccoons trying to get into the garbage bins. She claims she saw a few during the daylight hours, which means they’re probably rabid. Have you been bothered with them?”

“I haven’t seen any.” Jessica added a splash of cream in her coffee. “I keep Bootsy inside, and whenever I take him out I make certain to carry pepper spray.”

“You walk a cat?”

“Bootsy is a dog, not a cat.”

“Who ever heard of a dog named Bootsy? What happened to Bruno or even Bruiser?”

“He’s too small to be a Bruno or Bruiser.”

He wanted to tell Jessica he was only teasing. “I’m sorry,” he called out as she turned, heading back to their table.

“No, you’re not,” she said, not bothering to give him a backward glance.

He quickened his step. “Yes, I am. I apologize for insulting Bootsy.”

Dylan took the glass of milk from Sawyer. “Uncle Sawyer, you have to meet Bootsy. He’s a cool dog. Right, Colin?”

“Yep,” his twin agreed. “Can you please buy us a dog, Uncle Sawyer? We asked Momma but she said she doesn’t have the money.”

Jessica leaned closer to Sawyer, her shoulder touching his. “See what you’ve started?” she whispered.

He turned his head, his mouth only inches from Jessica’s. At that moment he wanted to kiss her. Not a long, lingering kiss but a mere brushing of lips. Time appeared to have stood still as he found himself caught in a maelstrom of hypnotic longing. He did not want to believe he was thinking of kissing his sister’s friend in a public place and in front of his nephews.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

“When later?” Dylan asked.

Sawyer stared at the boy. “I have to talk to your mother first. If she says yes, then we’ll contact a breeder and go look for a puppy.” He knew Rachel had the money to buy a dog, and suspected she didn’t want the responsibility of taking care of the animal once the excitement of having a pet faded for her sons.

“My dog is a rescue from a puppy mill.” Jessica peered at Sawyer over the rim of her coffee cup. “There are too many dogs in shelters waiting for good homes. And if they’re not adopted, then they’ll be put down. I’m seriously thinking of getting another rescue as a companion for Bootsy.”

Picking up his knife and fork, Sawyer cut into his steak. When he was his nephews’ age he had begged his mother for a dog and most times Mara had had to take care of his pet when he stayed for after-school sports.

“Can I go back for seconds?”

Colin’s question broke into Sawyer’s musing. “Take your brother with you. And this time try to put something green on your plate.” The two boys bolted from the table and dodged diners carrying plates overflowing with food. “How often do you come here?” he asked Jessica.

She touched her napkin to the corners of her mouth. “No more than once or twice a month. I really prefer cooking for myself.”

“That’s because you are an incredible cook. Who taught you?”

“My grandmother was an art teacher turned caterer and I used to watch her whenever she prepared for a party. What’s incredible is that she never had any professional training. Folks would ask for her recipes, but she refused, saying they were family secrets.”

“I guess that means you’re not going to tell me what seasonings you use on your chicken.”

Jessica closed her eyes while affecting a sexy smile. “You guess right.”

Sawyer wanted to scream at Jessica not to do that. It was as if she was inviting him to kiss her. He continued to stare at her mouth. “You’re tight with Rachel, so that should act as brownie points when it comes to you thinking of us as family.”

Jessica rested her left hand on Sawyer’s right. “Nice try.”

He decided to try another approach. He didn’t want to know her family secrets as much as he wanted to know about the woman who seemingly had charmed his family. “How long have you lived here?”

“I moved to The Falls two years ago. Before that I lived in Beckley.”

“Beckley is less than a half hour’s drive from here.”

“I know,” Jessica agreed, “but I got tired of renting. There were a few houses on the market but most of them were out of my price range. Then I discovered a foreclosed property over on Porterfield Lane. I negotiated with the bank to buy it, but only if they approved a home improvement loan, and as they say, the rest is history.”

“Good for you.” Jessica did not know she had just gone up several more points with Sawyer. It was obvious she was quite the businesswoman. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also feminine and intelligent. The winning combination was something he’d found missing in some of the women he had dated. He had come back to Wickham Falls to reunite with his family, but making friends with his sister’s friend was definitely a plus. Dylan and Colin returned with dishes of lime gelatin and frozen yogurt covered with chocolate syrup and colorful sprinkles. “You said get something green,” Colin stated proudly when Sawyer stared at the shaky dessert.

“That I did,” he said under his breath, while ignoring Jessica’s smug grin. It definitely was a gotcha moment.

She pushed back her chair and he stood up at the same time. “I have to leave now. Thank you for brunch.”

“Miss Calhoun, can we come see Bootsy?”

Jessica pointed to her mouth and Colin picked up a napkin to wipe the chocolate syrup staining his. “If your uncle Sawyer wants to take you with him when he brings back the picnic hamper, then you and your brother can come and play with Bootsy.”

Dylan popped a cube of gelatin into his mouth. “Please, Uncle Sawyer.”

Sawyer shook his head. “Do I have a choice?”

“No!” Jessica and the twins said in unison.

“What day is good for you?” Sawyer asked.

“Next Saturday.”

Reaching for his cell phone, Sawyer programmed the event into his calendar. “What time?”

“Come any time after noon. And because it’s a holiday weekend, I plan to cook outdoors, weather permitting. If you don’t have anything planned, then you’re welcome to join me and a few of my friends.”

He flashed a Cheshire cat grin. “If that’s the case, then I’ll see you soon.”

She waved to her former students. “Don’t forget to read for at least thirty minutes a day.” The brothers lowered their heads, pretending interest in their dessert.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Sawyer stared at Jessica until she disappeared from his line of sight before retaking his seat. His sister, mother and nephews liked her, and after spending less than an hour with Jessica he also liked her—a lot. “Are you guys finished eating?”

Colin patted his belly over his T-shirt. “I could eat some more but I don’t want a tummy ache.”

“That means you’ve had enough. Let’s go, champs.”

“Where are we going?” Dylan asked.

“Home where you guys can hang out with a book.”

He left a tip on the table for the waitress and escorted Colin and Dylan out of the restaurant. When he’d suggested eating at Ruthie’s he had not expected to see Jessica there. Waiting until both boys were seated and belted in, he started up the Jeep and maneuvered out of the crowded parking lot. He had come back to Wickham Falls to reconnect with his family, not to fall under the spell of a woman.