33. Sawyer
Sawyer
By the time Friday rolled around, the week had sanded my edges down to a dull blur, the kind that came from long hours and too many small frustrations stacking on top of each other.
But today felt different. Anticipation thrummed under my skin, bright and buzzing. I had been counting the days since Addison said yes to coming to Nina’s birthday, and now it was finally here.
Benji was already there with his earbuds in, working a grinder across a railing bracket with the kind of focus that made conversation impossible until the sparks died down.
For most of the morning we worked in that familiar rhythm: machines humming, music playing quietly from the battered shop speaker, the metallic clang of tools echoing through the open bay door.
We didn’t talk much until midmorning.
When we finally took lunch, we perched on the metal shop steps with burritos and bottled Cokes, letting ourselves breathe for a minute in the early Late September warmth that was still holding on.
I stretched my legs out in front of me and rolled my shoulders, feeling the tension from the week loosen a little.
Benji cracked open his soda and glanced sideways at me.
“So…” he said casually, dragging the word out while he leaned back on his elbows. “My sisters meeting the chaos crew tonight?”
I smirked and wiped my hands on a napkin before taking another bite of my burrito.
“She is,” I said. “Nina’s birthday.”
Benji nodded slowly as he chewed.
“She knows what she’s walking into?” he asked.
“More or less,” I replied as I swallowed and shrugged. “I told her it’s drinks, Topgolf, and then Blake’s. Chill. Fun. Some light trauma bonding.”
Benji laughed under his breath and shook his head.
“Good luck,” he said. “Nina’s a handful.”
“She can handle it,” I said simply. “She’s been a little more relaxed lately. I think she needs this.”
Benji studied me for a moment, his expression shifting slightly. “She didn’t tell you about dinner with our parents, did she?”
I blinked and looked over at him. “No…?”
Benji lifted a hand quickly. “Not a big deal,” he said. “But Mom pulled a move. Tried to set her up with some guy. Son of a friend. Lawyer. Whatever.”
I went still for a second, something uncomfortable tightening beneath my ribs. “She didn’t say anything.”
“She shut it down,” Benji replied quickly. “Hard. Told her she wasn’t broken and didn’t need matchmaking.”
Some of the tension in my shoulders eased at that.
Benji narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re not mad are you?”
I shrugged and took another sip of my Coke.
“Nah,” I said. “She’s still figuring stuff out. I’m not gonna freak out every time her mom tries to play heteronormative bingo.”
Benji barked out a laugh. “You’re being very emotionally mature,” he said.
“I hate it,” I deadpanned.
Benji grinned and nudged my boot with his.
“You like her,” he said.
“Yeah,” I admitted, my voice softer now. “I really do.”
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. We wrapped up a couple of jobs, cleaned our stations, and closed the shop a little earlier than usual. By the time I rode home, the sky had softened into that golden stretch of early evening.
I showered and changed, pulling on my favorite black jeans, the ones worn in just right, and a forest green tee that hugged my chest beneath my broken-in leather jacket.
I kept my hair down, slightly tousled from the shower, and laced up my boots with practiced ease.
Tonight was going to be good.
The ride through the city felt easy. The engine hummed beneath me, the air cool, Fall in Boston always arrived like like clockwork as soon as September ended.
When I pulled up in front of Addison’s building, my breath caught.
She was waiting on the curb, already outside like she had been counting the minutes. Her jeans clung to her hips, tucked neatly into ankle boots with a sharp heel.
A low scoop-neck black top showed just enough collarbone to make my throat go dry, and a grey leather jacket pulled everything together in that polished way she always managed. Her hair was twisted into a messy bun that looked effortless but definitely took effort.
Her lips were a soft pink. And she was holding her helmet under her arm.
I pulled off my helmet and lifted one brow as I looked her over.
“Jesus,” I muttered.
She tilted her head slightly.
“That good?” she asked.
I climbed off the bike with the helmet still in my hand.
“You look like every bad decision I want to make tonight,” I told her.
She laughed and crossed her arms lightly.
“And yet I’m the one going to meet your friends” she teased.
I stepped closer and kissed her. “Ready to charm my entire chosen family?”
She smirked and pulled her helmet on.
“Born ready,” she said.
I helped her fasten the helmet, my fingers lingering for a second longer than necessary beneath her chin. Something sparked between us, just enough to make us both grin.
“You look amazing,” I said more quietly.
Her eyes softened.
“So do you,” she replied.
I gestured toward the bike.
“Come on, gorgeous,” I said. “Let’s go meet the chaos.”
She climbed on behind me, her arms wrapping around my middle, and as we pulled into traffic I couldn’t stop smiling.
It felt like I was bringing her home.
We rode toward the edge of the city with her cheek tucked against the back of my shoulder. The wind was cool and the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting everything in honeyed gold.
By the time we reached Topgolf, the skyline had given way to open air and the buzz of Friday night energy.
The place was alive. Patio lights stretched across the outdoor bays, music thumped from mounted speakers. Groups of people laughed near the entrance, pitchers of beer passing between them.
I guided Addison through the crowd with my hand resting low against her back.
Our bay was already half full. Blake perched on a stool in combat boots and ripped jeans while Nina danced in place to whatever pop song blasted through the speakers. Vic talked animatedly with a couple of friends while they demolished a plate of nachos.
I lifted my voice just enough to get everyone’s attention.
“Everyone,” I said, “this is Addison.”
She smiled warmly. “Hi,” she said. “Thanks for letting me crash the party.”
Vic grinned wide. “Oh, we’ve been dying to meet the woman who turned our local hard-ass into a complete sap.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m right here,” I reminded them.
Addison laughed softly. “She’s still a little scary,” she said with a shrug.
“Good,” Nina said while handing Addison a neon pink cocktail. “She needs to keep some edge. Keeps the rest of us in line.”
Any nerves I’d had about tonight dissolved quickly after that. Addison didn’t just fit in. She lit the whole place up.
At some point Nina stole Addison away to argue over which cocktail on the menu sounded least disgusting, and five minutes later they were laughing like they’d known each other longer than an hour.
We shared sliders and pretzel bites, passed cocktails around to taste, and started a round of Topgolf that turned into chaos almost immediately. Nina swung so hard on her first try that she nearly tipped over. Blake declared golf a scam every time they missed.
Addison wasn’t good, but she didn’t care.
She laughed at herself, leaned into me when she missed entirely, and when she finally hit a ball clean and sent it sailing across the range, she threw her hands up like she had just won a championship.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Vic nudged my elbow. “You’re doing the thing,” they said quietly.
I glanced over at them. “What thing?”
“Looking at her like everyone else disappeared.”
I glanced over at them. “Shut up,” I muttered.
Vic smirked. “Can’t help it,” they said. “It’s cute.”
Eventually the round ended and the check was paid. Everyone spilled out onto the sidewalk still buzzing from drinks and fresh air.
“Let’s hit Blake’s bar!” Nina shouted.
I glanced down at Addison, who still had her hand in mine.
“You up for that?” I asked.
She didn’t hesitate.
“Definitely,” she said.
We split between bikes and two cars for the ride across the city. Her arms wrapped snugly around me again as we cruised through streets glowing with neon and streetlights.
Blake’s bar greeted us with exposed brick, dark wood, candlelit tables, and a jukebox that only worked when you hit it twice. The place was busy but comfortable, filled with regulars and low conversation.
I slid onto a stool and pulled Addison between my legs. She settled there easily, her hands resting against my thighs.
We sipped whiskey sodas and traded stories while Nina launched into a dramatic retelling of the time she tried to outdrink a college rugby team and lost spectacularly.
Addison laughed at something Nina said, still standing between my knees with one hand resting on my thigh. She hadn’t pulled away when Blake called her my girl. Hadn’t looked around before kissing me. Hadn’t seemed worried about who might see.
I knew this was easier here. These were my people, not hers. There was nothing brave about being queer in a room where nobody gave a shit.
But for Addison, maybe there was.
I wrapped an arm around her waist and felt her lean into me without hesitation.
Later, when we slipped away toward the jukebox, she kissed me behind it. Slow and lingering, the kind you steal when the music is loud and the world feels a little softer.
My hands slipped into her back pockets.
“You’re dangerous,” I murmured.
She smiled against my mouth.
“You like danger,” she said.
“You have no idea.”
We stayed until close to midnight. When we stepped back outside, the city had quieted into that softer late-night hum.
She held my hand all the way back to the bike, our fingers loosely tangled between us.
We didn’t talk much on the ride to my place. The hum of the engine and the press of her body behind me said enough.
By the time we climbed the stairs to my apartment, Addison was still laughing softly about something Nina had said before we left.
The door clicked shut behind us, and I barely gave her time to turn around before I backed her against it and kissed her hard.
She gasped against my mouth while tugging at the zipper of my jacket.
“Take me to bed,” she said.
I didn’t need to be asked twice.
* * *