Page 39 of Lucky Strike

Oh ok, cool. Thought you were gonna ghost me, haha

Can you ghost someone you’re not even involved with?I wonder, nibbling my thumbnail.

No, just busy with Liam :)

I frown at my smiley as soon as I hit send, hoping it doesn’t seem flirty.

I get it!

Hey, we should catch up sometime.

My fingers hover over the screen as the three dots appear, telling me he’s typing more. Please don’t ask me out, Sawyer.

Would you want to go out sometime?

Well, there it is.

Maybe. I’m still getting used to my job.

Settling in.

It’s a copout of an answer, but hopefully softer than the reflexive “no” I feel like giving him. I’m not sure I have the mental energy to go out on a date.

There’s a great seafood place over on Seaport.

No pressure, just fun.

I lie back in bed, looking up at the skylight. It’s dark, but once I turn off the lights and my eyes adjust, I’ll be able to see some stars if it’s not too cloudy.

Maybe I’m overthinking things. Sometimes anxiety makes it hard to say yes, because my brain focuses on negative outcomes instead of positives. Getting out the house, doing something that doesn’t revolve around Liam, might be good for me.

Ok.

The sun shines hotly overheadas Owen buckles a very chatty Liam into his car seat.

Sloane chuckles, glancing at me. “He’s got the gift of gab, that one.” If Conlan’s slate gray eyes are storms, hers are the cool, contemplative air before the rain.

“I learn something new from him every day.” I hand her the overnight bag I packed for their trip. “I tossed in an extra swimsuit, just in case.”

“Thanks, Bria. Let Conlan know we’ll have him back Thursday.”

“Have fun!” I wave to Liam as they pull away, laughing when Brax the Brachiosaurus makes an appearance in the window. A soft breeze blows through the trees, tickling my ponytail. It’s a splendid day for the beach, and I’m glad Liam gets to spend it with his grandparents.

I’m glad for me, too, because I get a couple days to myself.

The housekeepers are doing their thing, so I put on a pair of sneakers, grab my bike, and go for a ride. It’s been a while, and I’ve gone soft over the past few weeks, but it feels great to be outside with the windand sun on my face. I’ll have to talk to Conlan about getting Liam a bike so I can teach him to ride.

Sawyer picks me up around six, and we head down to Seaport for dinner. He keeps things friendly as we chat over seared scallops and shrimp scampi, catching each other up on life since high school. “You up for drinks?” he asks afterward, holding the restaurant door open for me as we leave. “I know a great rooftop bar nearby. Best views in the city.”

“Of course, you do,” I say with a laugh. “You sound like Tristan. He was trying to get me to go to the bars last week, too.”

“Tristan’s the one who told me about this place.” He gives me an impish grin. “So, what do you say? Cocktails for dessert?”

“Sure, I could go for a cocktail.” It’s not like I have anywhere to be, and I can sleep in tomorrow if I really want to.

We walk a couple of blocks to another restaurant, stepping onto an elevator in the foyer. The doors open onto a bustling rooftop bar, backlit by Boston’s twinkling skyline. People cluster around small tables with built-in fire pits, mellow house music throbbing like a heartbeat over the chatter and laughter.

“Look at that,” Sawyer crows, spreading his arms. “It’s a stunner, right?”

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