Page 121 of The Wayward Son

They both turned over the cups on the table and she filled them. “Are you here for the bottomless wings?”

Sawyer nodded. “Yes ma’am. And keep them coming.”

“I’ll get you set up.”

Jade cocked her head at him. “How do you know that’s what I want?”

“Because I know you. You like barbecue wings more than I do. The hotter the better.”

She grinned. “Okay. You’re right.”

He reached over and touched her hand briefly. “I’m not Seth. I’m not trying to control you. I just know what you like.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry. I have relationship PTSD, I guess.”

“I will refrain from assuming from here on out.”

“It’s okay. I just need to chill out a little.”

“A little?”

“A lot.”

Jade went through one and a half orders of wings, and Sawyer ate two and a half, then finished the rest of hers. After cleaning his fingers and face with a wet wipe, he leaned back in his chair.

“I think I’m finally full.”

“I hope so. They’re probably about out of chicken in the kitchen.”

“Can we take a stroll and walk some of this off?”

“Sounds good. I just need to go to the ladies’ room.” She left the table and headed for the restroom. When she came back out, she bumped into a man going into the men’s room. She stepped back and started to apologize, then recognized him as a customer she’d had earlier. He’d been drunk in the middle of the afternoon, rude, and a little aggressive when she turned down his advances.

She gave him a polite smile. “Excuse me.”

She tried to get past him, but he stood in her way. “Well, if it ‘aint the new bartender.”

“Please get out of my way.”

He didn’t move. “You think you’re too good for me, don’t you?”

She started to respond, but stopped when she saw Sawyer come up behind the man. He roughly turned the man around.

“Get out of the lady’s way.”

The man scowled. “Mind your own business.”

Sawyer pushed him up against the wall and held him there with one hand as he held the other out to Jade. “Come on. Let’s go.”

She took his hand, and they walked away from the man, who took a step after them. Sawyer looked over his shoulder.

“Are you really going to push it?”

The man took in Sawyer’s build, then turned and went into the restroom with a curse.

Sawyer looked at Jade. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” But she wasn’t. She was trembling and her heart was racing.

---