Page 34 of One Weekend in Seattle

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Sawyer helped Gabby clear the table, but his mind was elsewhere. She didn’t know he’d partially picked up the tab Friday night. He only charged Lindsay for the food, not the alcohol. And how much he spent yesterday.

He understood better why she worried about him spending money. She had no clue who he really was. Guilt settled like a lead ball in his gut. He wanted to tell her, but feared she’d walk away. Sawyer shook his head. He wasn’t ready for that, and he wondered now if he ever would be.

She was going to walk away anyhow. Gabby had a job back in the Bay Area. She wouldn’t stay in Seattle, even if he wanted herto. Maybe her not staying was a good thing—less worry for him. But a part of him didn’t want her to go back.

Love at first sight didn’t exist, but he wanted to keep her close to him. Last night had been wonderful, and he wanted more nights like that with her. Damn it all, he didn’t know how to make this work. Another first for him. He usually knew how to solve any problem.

“You’re staring at that dish like it’s your mortal enemy,” Gabby said with laughter in her voice.

“Huh?” Sawyer dragged his gaze from the platter on the table. “I was lost in thought.” He picked up the platters and carried them into the kitchen.

“That was obvious.” Gabby began loading the dishwasher.

“You don’t need to do that.”

“I don’t mind.”

Those three little words had Sawyer taking a deep breath. It was obvious to him now he’d been dating the wrong women. Probably because those were the crowds he hung around with when he was in the tech world.

Even with the nightclub, he was still involved with the movers and shakers in Seattle. He thought maybe he’d get away from them, but they still sought him out.

Gabby would easily hold her own with Seattle’s elite, yet she was comfortable putting the dishes in the dishwasher. Women in his past would turn their noses up at such menial tasks. She enjoyed walking around Pike Place Market, exploring the underground of Seattle. Her pure appreciation of the food at the Space Needle. Her moans of pleasure last night. She wasn’t putting on an act. This was the real Gabby. How could he convince her to move to Seattle? Was it even possible? Sawyer wasn’t one to give up easily. He’d feel her out this afternoon. They needed more time to explore their relationship.

“What movie would you like to watch?” he asked once they were back in the living room.

“I love action/adventure, but also really cheesy disaster movies.” She grinned. “Wait. Where’s your TV?”

Sawyer picked up the remote, hit the button, and the TV rose from the white cabinet across the room.

“That’s clever.” She paused for a moment. “And big.”

“It’s only seventy inches.”

“Only.” Gabby giggled. “Men and their toys.”

“I haven’t shown you all my toys yet.”

“Oh?” Gabby snuggled up to him as he found an old disaster movie about earthquakes in California.

“Are you tempting me?” Sawyer slid his arm around her shoulders, enjoying the feel of her body against his. He could get used to this.

“Later. This is my favorite.”

***

Gabby kept her gaze on the TV screen when all she wanted to do was gaze up at Sawyer’s handsome face. This man kept her body humming and her mind happy. Funny how that had happened so quickly.

It hadn’t been easy for her to share her marriage failure, but Sawyer hadn’t judged her or made her feel stupid. He seemed to understand, and that made her like him even more. Heck, who was she kidding, she was already half-way in love with him.

It was too quick. People didn’t fall in love in thirty-six hours. Especially since her divorce was just finalized five days ago. Lindsay would tell her she was being silly. Her marriage had been over for three years.

What was she going to do? He lived in Seattle. She lived in the Bay Area. It’s not like she hadn’t been thinking of moving; shehad. While she loved her job, it was beginning to be a grind. With her divorce and the money she’d saved, she’d been thinking about opening her own little bakery/café.

She couldn’t do that in the Bay Area; prices alone would drive her out of business. But could she do it in Seattle? Maybe not the city proper but outside of it? She needed to do more research and figure it all out.

Opening a bakery, any business really, was a risk. Plus, she had no idea of the hoops she might need to jump through. Sawyer might be able to help her there. After all, he managed the nightclub. He’d have some idea of the requirements.

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