Chapter 4 #2
“I am. West told me that he had hired you. I thought I would give you a call and welcome you to Hawthorne. I hear you’re arriving today.”
“How do you know that?” she asked sharply. Paisley had learned long ago to guard every detail about her private life, which is why she posted so rarely on social media.
The voice on the other end of the line chuckled. “You aren’t from a small town, are you?”
“No. I grew up in San Antonio. Why?”
“You’re moving to a small town. Hawthorne is full of good people, but news flies fast here. Everybody will be in your business. Know your business. That’s the good and bad of living in a small town.”
“Like you know I’m arriving today?”
“Exactly. I heard it from West, from my sister Darby—whom you met the other day—then from Jen. And my aunt Meg also mentioned it.”
He paused, and neither of them said anything for a moment.
Finally, Sawyer spoke again. “I grew up in Hawthorne and then took a job in Dallas. And you know what? I missed that small town vibe more than I ever imagined. I missed walking down the street and most people knowing my name. I came back a year and a half ago, and I haven’t regretted that decision.
My sister and her husband are here. My three cousins live here, too, with their spouses.
My aunt and uncle. I’m doing good work, helping others. ”
Curious, she asked, “What do you do for a living?”
“I’m an attorney. I have an office on the town square. I rent it from Isaiah Smith, who retired when I came to town. I took over his law practice and have added a few of my own clients to it.”
She didn’t quite know what to make of this call, so she remained quiet.
“I know you have to think this is the weirdest conversation with someone you’ve never met.
I’m a basketball player. A former basketball player.
I played college ball at UNT in Denton. I guess hearing you were coming to town, I simply wanted to welcome you.
Let you know that another basketball player was around.
Of course, I don’t have the claim to fame you do.
An injury ended my career in my senior year.
I wasn’t talented enough to make it to pros anyway, but I loved the game with a fierce passion. ”
“I’m sorry to hear about your injury, Sawyer. That it ended your playing days. It’s rough when that happens because you are stuck with the fact that you didn’t know that would be your last game. A lot of ‘what ifs’ linger.”
“I made my peace with it a long time ago. I never miss going to any of the games at the high school. Guys or girls. There’s a purity about high school basketball that isn’t present in college or the pros.
The innocence of the players. Watching them blossom before your eyes.
Seeing what they’re capable of unfolding over a season.
Watching them when they can find their sweet spot on the court.
It really is a thing of beauty. I look forward to seeing you make your mark with the Lady Hawks.
They are in sore need of good coaching. They need to come together as a team and play like one, without individuals trying to grab their own glory.
But you’ll find all that out once you meet your players. ”
“I appreciate you touching base with me, Sawyer,” Paisley said, not wanting their conversation to end but feeling it was wrapping up.
He seemed like a nice guy. Friendly. And with him being West’s cousin, she instinctively trusted him, which was something foreign to her.
Paisley wasn’t one to trust anyone, much less a stranger, but something in his voice calmed her.
It definitely made her want to meet him.
“Well, I’ll let you go,” he said. “You’ve got my number in your phone now. I hope you’ll use it sometime. I’d be happy to show you around Hawthorne. Answer any questions you might have. Maybe we can even grab a bite to eat sometime.”
Paisley heard herself say, “I’d like that, Sawyer.”
That surprised the hell out of her.
She never wanted to be around others once she left the basketball court. Being a loner was in her nature. She’d never even had a single date. Her life had been focused completely on basketball.
“If that’s the case, would you care to grab a bite tonight? We could have dinner, and then I could drive you around town. Show you the sights.”
Bluntly, she asked, “Are you asking me on a date?”
A low chuckle came from him. “Actually, I think I am. I don’t really date, Paisley.
Haven’t for years. But I figured you were new in town.
That we at least have basketball in common.
No pressure, though. I’m not really looking for romantic involvement, but maybe you could use a friend once you get here. ”
“Then I’ll say yes to dinner with a new friend,” she responded, again surprising herself because this was so out of character for her. She didn’t socialize. Period.
“Great. I know you’ve already had food from Pizza Palace, so we need to introduce you to somewhere else.
Normally, I’d suggest Dizzy’s Diner. It’s the best food in town, but Dizzy only opens for breakfast and lunch.
There’s a good sports bar, though. Burgers.
Wings. Nachos. And lots of TVs to watch in case we run out of things to talk about. ”
Her gut told her that wouldn’t be the case.
“Okay, Sawyer. What time are we going to have this friendly dinner?”
“How about I pick you up at six? That’s probably too early for someone like you, but people in Hawthorne have a tendency to eat early and hit the sack early.”
“No, six is fine. I’m usually up between four and four-thirty to work out, so I go to bed pretty early myself.”
Again, that low, intriguing chuckle sounded, and goose bumps sprang up along her arms again.
“Then you’re going to fit right into Hawthorne, Paisley Roberts. Okay, then. I’ll see you at six. Sonny’s Sports Bar is super casual—everyone will be in shorts and T-shirts. You’ll look out of place if you wear anything else.”
Relief swept through her. Her wardrobe was severely limited. Knowing she could dress casually tonight was a huge plus.
“I’m renting a room from Jen Adelstein,” she volunteered. “I can text you the address.”
For some reason, her words caused him to laugh aloud.
“I already know that, Paisley. I’m certain at least half of Hawthorne knows that, as well. I’ll see you at six. Bye.”
“Bye,” she said, tapping the button on her steering wheel again.
Paisley wasn’t quite certain what to make of the call from Sawyer Montgomery, much less his invitation to have dinner together this evening.
She decided not to question it, though. It seemed things were done a little differently in a small town, and she would have to become accustomed to that.
She had known that she would be scrutinized by the community from what Blanche and West had indicated.
The town’s residents were heavily invested in the high school’s sports programs, so she understood she would be under a microscope with her play calling and the record of her team.
It seemed, though, that she herself would be a hot topic of discussion, which caused her to wonder about being seen tonight in Sawyer’s company.
Would people think they were dating?
Paisley had never lived her life worried about what others thought of her, though. She wasn’t about to start now. She would go to dinner and hopefully make a new friend. The fact that Sawyer was a guy shouldn’t make any difference.
And yet something told Paisley that this might be the start of something very new.