Chapter 9

The sun rose way too early for Regan’s liking, but she loved rolling over right into Sawyer’s arms, which, even in sleep, were waiting for her. A girl could get very used to this.

After their late-night ice cream binge, they had lain in bed together making plans for a beach getaway the following weekend. Sawyer had it all planned out and had just wanted to make sure Regan would be able to take the time away from the spa.

“Your mother’s house will be done by Friday,” he had told her. “I figure we’ll wrap up filming after lunch and then we can get on the road. What do you think?”

Being with Sawyer seemed to take the sting out of her emotional attachment to her family home. Regan was always going to be sad that they were selling it and she wouldn’t be able to bring her own children there to visit their grandmother, but she was coming to realize it really was just a place. To coin a phrase, home really is where the heart is.

“That sounds like a wonderful plan, and I can’t wait for the renovations to be done so we can get away.” Sawyer’s expression showed he wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly. “I know, I know, I haven’t been excited about the project, but I see now that it’s the right thing to do, and while I’m still a little sad, I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.” She realized how what she said may have sounded, so she cleared her throat and quickly added, “You know, for my mom and Max.”

Sensing her unease, Sawyer had kissed her temple and held her close until they both fell asleep.

Now awake and relishing the feel of his even breathing, Regan had a chance to examine her words more closely. She was excited to see what the future held, but not only for her mother and Max. Truth be known, she was still curious as to what the future held for herself and Sawyer. What was going to happen after the beach? Was that going to be goodbye? Was it going to be the place where they figured out how to have their long-distance relationship?

She frowned. She didn’t want long-distance, she wanted the here and now. She wanted to wake up with Sawyer every morning and to fall asleep with him every night. While nothing was certain, Regan knew he had commitments to the network before he would be able to settle in any one place, and she could only hope he wanted to settle here, near her.

Peeking over his shoulder at the bedside clock, she cringed; it was only 7:00 a.m. Yikes—way too early to be up with such deep thoughts. Unfortunately, the damage was done; she was wide awake, and as glorious as it felt to be wrapped around one very yummy man, Regan was ready to get up.

Carefully disentangling herself from his muscular form, she tiptoed across the room to grab her robe before heading down the stairs. Once in the kitchen and after a quick glance through the cupboards and refrigerator, Regan found she had plenty of ingredients to make a killer breakfast. Feeling energized, she immediately got to work. Soon coffee was brewing, bacon was frying, and pancakes were being flipped. Making up the plates, she set everything on a tray to carry it all up the stairs and wake Sawyer.

In the bedroom, she found him sleepily stretching and was disappointed that he was already awake. He smiled when he saw her. “I thought I smelled something good.”

Holding out the tray for him to see, she smiled back. “I was inspired and decided we needed breakfast in bed.”

Sitting up and adjusting the blankets, Sawyer took the tray from her hands and motioned for her to join him in the bed. When she went to climb under the blankets, he stopped her. “Nuh-uh, this is naked breakfast in bed—lose the robe.” His tone was light and teasing but his eyes were full of heat, and Regan quickly divested herself of the offensive garment and climbed in beside him. “That’s better,” he said and leaned in to kiss her. “You didn’t need to do all this.”

“I know I didn’t need to. I just wanted to. That’s what made it fun.” His expression told her she wasn’t making sense. “Making breakfast for you isn’t a chore, Sawyer. I wanted to do something nice for you. I had hoped to surprise you, but you were already awake.”

“But you did surprise me. No one’s ever made me breakfast in bed, so this is…” He stumbled a little on his words. “This means more to me than you can know. Thank you.”

They ate in silence, enjoying each other’s presence and the food. When they were done, Sawyer took the tray and placed it on the floor before returning to his position reclining against the pillows. “That was delicious.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said, leaning against him. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”

Sawyer sighed sadly. “Unfortunately, I have to meet Devin at the house later and finalize the plans for the week so he can schedule the camera crew accordingly. Then I’ll meet with my guys and hand out assignments for the week so we can finish on time.” Turning his head, he smiled. “And then we can ride off to the coast and into the sunset.”

“Mmm…sounds wonderful. Max has a house on the coast, doesn’t he?”

Sawyer nodded. “His place is in Wilmington. It’s been a work in progress for years. Don’t worry, we’re not staying there.”

She laughed. “I didn’t think we were. I was just thinking how nice it must be to live there year-round.”

“I wouldn’t know, and honestly, I don’t think he does either. We spend so much time on the road with the show that I don’t even remember what it’s like to stay in my place.”

“Tell me about your house.”

He shrugged. “I never invested in a house. I’ve been single for so long and I worked such long hours, even before the show came along, that it never made sense to buy one. I have an apartment in New Bern I’ve lived in for about ten years now. It’s essentially a storage closet for me. I rent a place where I keep my tools and things for the job, but the apartment is not much different than the hotels where I stay.”

“Well, that’s just sad, Sawyer.”

“I know. Right when we started your mom’s house, Dad and I discussed the future a bit and we’re both ready to be done with the show. I’m going to address that with Devin today and start laying the foundation for moving on. I didn’t commit beyond this season, but I think they were hoping to take the show in a different direction and I’m just not into it anymore.”

“The drama angle?”

Sawyer nodded. “That, and it’s just not…fun anymore. I don’t get to choose the jobs and it’s becoming very routine. Your house was a challenge, but that was mainly because I wanted to impress you.”

Regan blushed. “You did not!”

“It’s true. I went a little over the top with some of the designs because I was determined to win you over where the house was concerned.”

“Only the house?” she fished.

“Well, maybe I was trying to show off a little in hopes of winning you over for me personally, too.”

“You succeeded,” she said and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips.

“There was a lot more I wanted to do for your mom’s house, but the network wouldn’t go for it.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, I wanted to branch out and do the landscaping—do something wild in the backyard to really make it great for entertaining.”

Regan sighed. “I always pictured something great back there. It’s fine enough and we never did a lot of entertaining, but it’s such a fantastic space that I could envision what would look good there.”

“Tell me about your vision,” he prompted.

“I always wanted a pool,” she began and then laughed self-consciously. “I know it’s not very original, but the yard is so big and private. I just always imagined how wonderful it would be to have a big in-ground pool.”

“I think the yard is perfect for that. Tell me more.”

“A pergola. I would have loved to see a pergola with a wonderful seating area on the back deck. Then a fire pit and another seating area out in the yard. This way when you were entertaining, guests would have places to gather and sit. There would need to be a grilling area or, even better, an outdoor kitchen type of setup. In the summer you could cook outside and not have to heat up the house at all.”

“What about greenery? What do you like?”

“I have a black thumb,” she said sadly. “I kill everything, so I don’t know the names of the things that I like. But I love butterfly bushes. Mom has one out in the front yard that just grows wild. In the summer, it’s so picturesque with all the different colors of butterflies all around it.”

“They are beautiful. What about color? Did you picture flowers in the yard or just greenery?”

Regan considered his words. “I think a little of both.” She faced him excitedly. “I love bold colors, like the ones in the bouquet you brought me last night. The reds and the purples—they are just so amazing. I could never maintain such a thing, so while I’m fantasizing about the perfect yard, I’d have to fantasize about the perfect gardener.”

“Wait a minute,” he said and pulled her into his arms. “I don’t think I like where this is going. No fantasizing about the gardener.” Then he kissed her with a thoroughness that took her breath away. When they finally came up for air, he saw the knowing smile on her face. “What?”

“You were jealous.”

He shrugged. “So?”

Regan stroked a hand down his cheek. “I like it.” She pulled herself free of his arms. “Maybe my perfect gardener looks just like you. What do you think of that?”

Now it was Sawyer’s turn to smile. “I think I like the sound of that.”

* * *

When Sawyer arrived at Caroline’s home, he wasn’t surprised to see his father’s vehicle already there. He said a quick prayer that they remembered Sawyer and the crew were coming over and they were decent.

When Caroline opened the door for him, Sawyer released the breath he was holding.

“So good to see you, Sawyer,” she said. “You’re the first one to arrive, well, after your father, of course.”

As if on cue, Max walked into the room. The two men embraced and made small talk before Caroline excused herself. “I promised Regan I’d go in to the spa today and do some paperwork.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.” She collected her keys and purse, then kissed Max senseless before waving to Sawyer and leaving.

Sawyer chuckled softly as his father watched Caroline until she was out of sight, and then reached out and placed a hand on Max’s shoulder. “You’ve got it bad, Dad.”

Max smiled. “Don’t I know it.”

“So how are things going?”

“Great. We were talking this morning about how once this place is sold, Caroline would like to move to Wilmington with me.” He watched his son to gauge his reaction. “How do you feel about that?”

“Dad, seriously? Why would I have a problem with it? You’re happy, she’s happy…you deserve to have a life of your own.”

“I know we haven’t talked a lot about the show—”

Sawyer cut him off. “We’re going to address that today with Devin.”

Max arched a brow at him. “We are?”

Sawyer nodded. “We are. It’s time. I don’t want to drag this out. I have enjoyed this job, but the added pressure to stir up drama just isn’t my thing. I’m sure the network can find someone more suited to that kind of thing, but it’s just not me. I’m just a guy who likes to build things. Reality TV with all the drama? That’s for somebody else.”

“I’m proud of you, Sawyer,” Max said, waving a hand when his son tried to interrupt him. “No, I’m serious. You’re taking a stand and walking away before things get ugly. Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do when it’s all said and done?”

“I’m thinking of buying a house.”

Those were not the words Max was expecting and his shock left him speechless.

“Say something,” Sawyer prompted.

“I…I don’t know what to say. I guess I was expecting you to talk about a job or a project. I never thought of you wanting to commit to home ownership.”

“I think the time is right,” Sawyer said cryptically.

Max suddenly had a ton of questions but was interrupted by Devin’s appearance. “Gentlemen!” he boomed as he walked into the house like he owned the place. “Things are looking great as usual, Sawyer. Max, you and your team have done a hell of a job.” He looked from father to son. “So tell me what’s lined up for the week.”

They walked into the kitchen, where Sawyer pulled out his plans and tablet and outlined his schedule for the week. “As you can see, everything will be done and in place by Friday morning. If all goes well, you’ll be done shooting by lunchtime and then…we’re good to go.”

Devin slapped Sawyer on the back. “Perfect! Nothing like ending a job early on a Friday afternoon so everyone can go home and enjoy the weekend. From the looks of things, the budget went well, and that, my friends, makes the network very happy. They’re already talking about the next couple of shows and are anxious to look ahead to next season.”

Here it was, the moment of truth. “Actually, Dev,” Sawyer began, “I’m glad you brought that up.”

“Is there a problem?” Devin asked.

Sawyer looked at his father, who simply nodded. “I think my time with the show is done. We’ve had a good run and I’ve enjoyed working with you, but honestly, I’m ready to move on to other things and Dad is ready to retire.”

Devin looked at the two men as if they were crazy. “Do you hear yourself? The show is at the top of its game. We’re going to explore a whole new aspect and you’re just going to walk away? Were you hit in the head with something heavy?”

Sawyer couldn’t help but chuckle as he shook his head. “Devin, you and the network have been great to work with and I think you can have a lot of success with where you want the show to go. I’m just not the guy to host it.”

“Why? Because I made you make the mom and daughter fight? Seriously? You’d walk away from what will be a multimillion-dollar contract because you don’t want anyone to feel bad?” He sat back in his chair with disgust. “Get a grip, Sawyer, and think about what you’re doing. This is a great opportunity for you. I can understand that it will be different. You’ll have to get used to working with someone other than Max, but don’t be such a damn baby. Life is full of drama! We’re just bringing it out in front of the cameras! You don’t think people have argued about the jobs we’ve done? Wake up! I’m just capitalizing on something that’s always been there.”

Sawyer held his ground. “Like I said, I’m sure you are going to be successful with it, but it’s not my thing. I want to design, I want to build things. I don’t want to stand back after handing out boxing gloves to a family. I know there’s an audience for it and, sure, maybe someday I’ll look back and think differently, but for right now, I just want to be done with it.”

“Max, please,” Devin said, “talk some sense into your son. Don’t you want to see him be successful?”

“He already is,” Max said confidently.

Devin stood and looked at the two of them with disbelief. “I thought you were smart, both of you. I thought you wanted to be a success, but at the first signs of change you’re running scared. Well, let me tell you, if you walk away from this, Sawyer, I’ll make sure you never do another show on the network. Ever.”

Sawyer was silent for so long he was sure Devin felt confident he had used the right tactic to get his way. Finally, Sawyer stood and walked up to Devin and extended his hand. “You do whatever it is you feel you need to do. I’m okay with it.”

“What the hell happened to you, Sawyer?” Devin yelled. “We’ve worked our asses off together to create this and we’ve got a hit on our hands! You don’t just walk away from something like this! Think about it.”

“I don’t need to, Dev, my mind’s made up.”

Devin shook his head, refusing to listen. “You have until Friday. I won’t tell the network about this conversation. Take the next few days to get your head out of your ass and think about what you’re saying.” He walked toward the door. “Think long and hard about this, Sawyer, because once it’s done, it can’t be undone.”

And then he was gone.

“Well, that went well,” Max said sarcastically.

Sawyer shrugged. “It was about what I expected. Devin doesn’t like to be challenged. He forgets that we started together, and we were both naive about the whole thing. We’ve ridden a good wave of success and now that he knows more about what he’s doing, it will only benefit him to start a new show with a new host who’s as green as I was when I started. He’ll get to play puppet master, and that makes him very happy.”

“You know the network isn’t going to be pleased.”

“I can live with that, Dad. I’m not fishing for another show. I’m done living out of a suitcase. It’s hit me lately that I want to stay in one place and have a future.”

“What brought on this big revelation, may I ask?”

Sawyer knew he could tell his father anything and he’d take it to the grave, but with the new addition of Caroline, he wasn’t sure it would be fair to ask him to keep a secret from her, so he shrugged again. “I look at what you and Caroline have, and I have to admit, I’m a little envious. I want that. I want to find someone to settle down with and have a life with. A life where we travel for leisure, not for work.”

“You’re a fine man, Sawyer. And I think this is going to be your time to shine. It’s not about the spotlight of fame and fortune. Your greatest success is going to be walking away from all that and finding your true passion and making the future you want.”

“I learned from the best.”

Max pulled his son into his embrace. When he pulled back, he looked at the man before him and felt tears sting his eyes. “I never knew from one day to the next if I was doing the right thing with you. I always felt guilty that you didn’t have a mother around.”

“That was her choice, Dad, not yours.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Max said. “Maybe if I had been a different kind of man, she would have stayed. But every day since she left, I did my best to provide for you and to teach you right from wrong. Now I’m standing here and realizing that I’m learning a lot from you, too.”

“Me?” Sawyer said with disbelief. “What did I do?”

“You’re true to yourself. You’re an honest, hardworking man who just wants to be happy.”

“No, Dad, I learned that from you.”

* * *

“So it didn’t go well,” Regan said later that night when Sawyer returned with a pizza for them to share.

“I didn’t think it would. Devin likes to get his own way and to be in control. I’m messing with his plans.”

“Well, that’s just stupid. Doesn’t he realize that if they bring in a new guy, he’ll have all the power and control?”

Sawyer stared in amazement. “That’s exactly what I thought, too!”

“Great minds,” Regan said as she reached for a second slice. “How many more episodes are you committed to?”

“Only two. They’re both short gigs and are already scheduled, so once they’re done, I’m free of my network obligations.”

“Tell me about the jobs?” she asked when she really wanted to ask what his plans were for when he was done. Things had been going so well that Regan hadn’t wanted to push her luck. In the past, whenever she pushed for more of a commitment from a man, that was when it ended. For now she was forcing herself to learn to be okay with living in the moment.

“The first one is a workshop makeover, if you can believe it. The family has an old barn on their property that the husband has been using as his workshop for the woodworking he enjoys as a hobby, but he’s never had the money to make it into his dream space. We’re going to make sure the building is up to code and then design the space to include all the tools he needs, add a bathroom, a sitting room, and studio space to display his work.” He reached for a third slice. “It will take about three weeks.”

“Wow! That sounds fantastic. Where do they live?”

“Not too far from here. They’re in Durham.” He waited a moment to see if Regan would comment on it or ask if he was going to continue to stay at his hotel here in town. But she didn’t, and he had to tamp down his disappointment. He’d like to stay here with her and if she’d only ask, he’d pay his tab at the hotel and pack up immediately.

“And what about the second one?”

“It’s a master suite makeover for a couple of empty-nesters. They want to knock down the wall between their current bedroom and a guest room to make one master suite with a spa-like bathroom and a sitting area. I haven’t had a whole lot of time to look at the specs, but I believe that one can be done in a week if we don’t hit any surprises.”

“So another month and then you’re free,” she said with what sounded like forced cheerfulness.

“Looks that way,” he said, hoping she’d ask for what was next.

But still she didn’t.

Sawyer decided to do his father proud and reach for what made him happy. “I was hoping maybe you wouldn’t mind having me around for a while,” he said and saw first the shock and then the smile spread across Regan’s face.

“What did you have in mind?” she asked, tilting her head as she studied him.

“For starters, I’d like to stop going to my hotel to shower and change every day. Neither of the new jobs are far enough away that I can’t handle the commute. What do you say? You up for a roommate?”

Regan was speechless. He wanted to live with her. Her! For the first time ever, a man was asking her about their future. It was a pretty heady experience, and she didn’t want to seem overly excited. At the moment, she was kind of enjoying the look of near-panic on Sawyer’s face.

“Hmm…I don’t know,” she said, as if weighing her options. “What’s in this for me? I mean, do you clean up after yourself? Seems to me you’re pretty spoiled by having housekeeping picking up after you every day. I’m not even going to try to compete with that.”

“I’m a big boy, Regan. I promise to pick up after myself and do my own laundry. I certainly don’t think of you as housekeeping,” he teased.

“Well, that’s good. That’s very, very good. What about cooking? Do you know how to cook?”

“I whip up a mean macaroni and cheese.”

She stared at him in mock horror. “If you even try to feed me stuff out of a box, I’ll hurt you.”

“Okay, now we’re getting someplace. Note to self: no boxed mac and cheese for Regan. Anything else?”

“Sex.”

He arched a brow at her. “Sex?”

She nodded. “I mean, if you’re going to be staying here for a little while, I don’t want you to take it for granted that I’m just going to put out whenever you want.” Rising from her spot on the sofa, she walked over and took the paper plate he had been using from his hands and flung it on the coffee table before straddling his lap.

“So, no putting out just because I’m here,” he restated and situated her more comfortably in his lap. “Hmm…that could be a definite deal breaker, but then I guess I could counter with the same thing. I’m not going to put out on your every whim either.”

She wiggled in his lap. “Seems to me we’re at a stalemate here.” Soon she felt his arousal growing and wiggled a little more. “Oh well, at least we gave it a shot.”

Sawyer flipped her onto her back so fast that she didn’t know what was happening. “You drive a hard bargain, but here’s my final offer: sex anytime, anywhere you want it. I’m all yours.”

“Ooo…I like that,” she purred. “How about right here, right now?”

Sawyer kissed her long and deep. “I think I’m going to like staying with you.”

* * *

The week flew by once Sawyer moved his meager belongings into Regan’s home, and before they knew it, it was Friday. Regan was getting ready for work while simultaneously packing for their weekend. Sawyer had packed up his entire suitcase because they planned on stopping by his place in New Bern on the way to the coast so he could refresh his wardrobe.

“What time do I need to be there?” she asked, tossing a bathing suit into the open suitcase on the bed.

“If you get there by eleven, we should be ready for you. We’re moving furniture in this morning”—Sawyer looked at his watch—“or actually, right now, and we told your mother to get there around ten thirty. We want to shoot the reveal with her alone first and then we’ll do one with you. How does that sound?”

“Like a tight schedule,” she said as she continued to hurry around. “I want to be packed before I leave. But I shouldn’t have any problems getting to the house by eleven. Mom promised to go in to the spa this weekend and check on things.”

“You told her we were going away?”

“What? Um…no. I just told her I was going to the beach for the weekend with some friends.”

“You’re going to have to tell her eventually, you know.”

“I know, I know. I just wanted to get through the whole renovation thing and let her have her time in the spotlight with the big house reveal and Max, and…well, I didn’t want to take the focus off of her right now. She deserves to shine.”

Sawyer leaned over the suitcase and kissed her. “You are an amazing woman.”

Regan blushed. “Thank you. Now go and play contractor and host so I can finish packing and get to work. I promise to see you at eleven.”

Sawyer grabbed his suitcase. “I’ll be the one that you’re supposed to shoot daggers at but then get all overwhelmed by my craftsmanship. Remember that.”

Regan chuckled. “I’ll try.”

Once she heard the front door close, Regan did a little excited dance. The week had been wonderful. It had seemed natural to come home to one another. On the nights when she had stayed to close the spa, she came home to Sawyer’s smiling face and dinner on the table.

And it was never macaroni and cheese.

She knew he was spending a fortune on takeout, and she hoped they’d come to a compromise on that one eventually. For now she was giddy to go in to work, then head over to her mother’s and be done with the whole renovation thing, then head off to the coast for what promised to be an amazing weekend.

Sawyer was still being vague about what they were doing, and Regan was happy to let him be. It was nice not to be the one making plans, and it really seemed to make him happy to do it this way.

With one last glance around the bedroom, Regan closed the suitcase and headed down the stairs. Caroline would look in on the place over the weekend, so with a little skip in her step, she walked out the door, locked it, and set off for a fabulous day. The sun was shining, there was a great song on the radio, and Regan thanked her lucky stars that she was so blessed.

* * *

If one more thing went wrong, Sawyer was going to scream. Jobwise, things were running like clockwork, but it was the little things and Devin’s attitude that were really starting to grate on his nerves.

Someone had nicked the wall in the hallway, which required a last-minute coat of mud and paint that they were waiting to dry. The sofa that had been chosen for the living room came, but in the wrong color. It still worked, but he was pissed that there was an error at all. As he walked from room to room making sure everything was in place, Devin dogged his every step.

“You’re a natural with this, Sawyer. You can’t just walk away.”

“Devin, please. We’ve had this discussion and my decision is final.”

“The network is prepared to up your salary by ten percent.”

“Not interested.”

“Sawyer, be reasonable. They’re also willing to give you a larger cut of the merchandising and more of a say in the jobs we take.”

That stopped Sawyer in his tracks. “And the drama shit?”

Devin threw up his hands. “It’s freakin’ nothing in the grand scheme of things! So we make some people fight on camera. What the hell difference does it make to you? Stop being such a martyr and take the offer, Sawyer!”

Sawyer glanced around to make sure no one on the crew was too close by. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about being a martyr, Dev, this is about wanting to have a little control over my life and doing something for myself. I don’t want to instigate drama and I certainly don’t want to perpetuate and benefit from the drama. There are enough freaks on television now. I don’t want to contribute to creating any more!”

“They’ll be there whether you put them there or not, Sawyer. That’s just a fact of life.”

Sawyer shook his head sadly. “I don’t want any part of it, Dev. Believe me, this isn’t a rash decision and I’m not trying to negotiate for more money from the network. I’m just ready to be done with it all. End of story.”

“You’re a fool, Sawyer. You know that? You’re a damn fool. You could be a very wealthy man, and money will buy you whatever it is you think will make you happy. Give us another couple of years and you can retire! Then you’ll be free to do whatever you want and I won’t try to stop you.”

“Dev, listen to me and listen good—I’m done.” Sawyer took a step back and watched the rage play all over the producer’s face. “You should be happy I’m leaving.”

“What?” Devin snapped. “How do you figure that?”

“With a new guy, you’ll have all the control. You’ll say jump and he’ll ask how high. You know I’m never going to do that.” In an attempt to ease some of the tension, Sawyer placed a hand on Devin’s shoulder. “You’re a great producer and you have a great vision for where you want to go. Take this chance to build it to what you want without someone like me holding you back—and believe me, I’m holding you back.”

Devin considered his words. “Dammit, Sawyer, we work well together. Why can’t you just suck it up for now? What’s changed?”

“I have. I need a break.”

“So if we gave you like…six months off? Would you come back?”

Sawyer laughed. “No, Dev, I won’t come back. I want to do my own thing. Go back to doing jobs that aren’t being done for the camera. Working in the private sector always was more appealing to me.”

“What happened to you, man? We used to want the same things.” No longer angry, Devin’s voice was now just filled with disappointment.

“I want a life. I want to sleep in a bed of my own and make my own choices. You can’t tell me that on some level that doesn’t sound good to you?”

Devin eventually shrugged. “I know the traveling is a bitch, but the money is great. You’re going to miss it.”

“No,” Sawyer said confidently, because what he was gaining was worth so much more. “I’m really not.”

* * *

An hour later Caroline pulled up in the driveway and the camera crew followed her every step as Sawyer met her at the door and gave her a tour of her newly designed home. Even though she had been there through most of the renovation, it was still a big surprise to see everything put together.

“Oh, Sawyer,” she gushed, “it’s more beautiful than I ever imagined it. Thank you so much!” And then she wrapped her arms around him before wiping the tears from her face. They were a combination of joy and sadness. This was the home Caroline had before she lost her husband, and since that time, it had never been a priority. “You don’t know what you’ve given me,” she said as the tears continued to stream down her face. “This was the first home my late husband and I bought, and we raised our family here, talked about all our hopes and dreams here, and—” She stopped as the emotions clogged her throat.

Sawyer pulled her close and hugged her until she was able to speak again.

“I think Sam would have loved what you did here,” she finally said. “It’s beautiful, it’s just so beautiful. Thank you.”

They continued to walk around the house for the B-roll shots until Regan pulled in. Devin positioned Sawyer and Caroline where he wanted them and put the camera crew in place to catch Regan’s immediate reaction to what she saw.

Sawyer was more nervous for Regan’s response than he had ever been for anyone else’s. Beside him, Caroline sensed his tension and squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry, she can’t possibly have anything bad to say about what you’ve done.”

Sawyer knew that was true. They had talked about the house often enough that he was confident Regan had come to terms with it all. He wanted her to be proud of him, of what he had created.

“Action!” Devin yelled and Regan was cued to walk in.

She stepped through the door and Sawyer held his breath as he watched all the emotion play over her face. Regan was speechless. She stepped into the living room and looked around. Caroline ran up to her and hugged her. “Do you love it? Can you believe this is our house?”

Regan had to remember her role in this whole silly scenario and went directly into character. “But it’s not our house anymore, not really.” It didn’t feel right to say the words, and anyone who knew her would know she was lying, that it was all just an act.

For the next ten minutes it was Caroline who took Regan on the tour with the cameras rolling behind them. When they finally finished, they met up with Sawyer in the kitchen. He was standing behind the granite-covered island, doing his best to keep his expression neutral when all he wanted to do was kiss her and whisk her away from all this. He caught Devin watching and signaling him to get on with the dialogue.

“So, Regan, you had a chance to tour the house with your mom and I’m sure you can tell she is thrilled with the end results. How about you? Did this meet your expectations?”

She wanted to tell him yes, the house was beautiful and his work was amazing. That he was amazing. But that would have to wait until later. “I think you do very nice work, Sawyer,” she said evenly.

“Well, I guess that’s a start,” he said. “Tell me, if you had to pick something, and I mean had to pick something here that you’re most pleased with, what would it be?”

Regan spun and looked around the place. Tears filled her eyes as she turned to him. “It still feels like home,” she said tearfully and had to wipe her eyes. “I walked in here and it’s still home. You did exactly as you said. You didn’t destroy, you enhanced.” She took in the entire space and knew she couldn’t lie. “It’s amazing, Sawyer. So much more than I thought it would be.”

The urge to say to hell with everything and kiss her was nearly overwhelming, but Sawyer reminded himself that it was only a few more minutes. If he could just wrap up the filming, everything would be all right. “I’m glad you’re pleased, Regan. I know you didn’t want us here, but I’m pleased that in the end, you’re happy with the results.”

Sawyer turned toward the camera and did his ending credits speech to the at-home audience and was relieved when Devin finally yelled, “Cut! That’s a wrap, people!”

Everything went into motion at once. There were congratulations, people shaking hands, and Regan and Caroline were laughing and joking with the crew. Yet Sawyer felt a sense of dread coming over him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he couldn’t fight the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong.

Max walked over and put his arm around Caroline, and Sawyer heard him telling everyone how he found the love of his life on this job. People were toasting them with the beverages that were always kept on hand in a cooler, and although Sawyer lifted his own bottle of water, he kept scanning the room for trouble. Regan was talking to Devin, so Sawyer dropped his water and crossed the room to make sure Devin wasn’t saying anything to make her upset.

“We really are pleased you like the house, Regan,” Devin was saying. “If you’re interested, the network also has a great real estate show where we can showcase the home and really work at getting you top dollar for it.”

Regan smiled graciously. “Thank you for the offer, but that decision will be up to my mother. Me, personally? I’m done with the whole reality show thing. I am definitely not comfortable in front of the camera and I’m glad we’re done.”

“Well, that’s a real shame, Regan, because you are a beautiful woman who’s a natural in front of the camera.”

It sounded like a compliment, but coming from this man it made Regan feel dirty. She smiled and thanked him, making her excuses to go and thank the rest of the crew. Sawyer watched her go and then looked at Devin with disbelief. “What is wrong with you?”

“What?” Devin asked, a smirk on his face.

“Why would you offer her another reality show when she hated this one?”

Devin shrugged. “Hey, I’m a network guy and the network really liked her.” Sawyer’s eyes narrowed. “As a matter of fact, they really wanted more of Regan in the episode but I told them how she kept her distance.”

“Good,” Sawyer said, relieved.

“However,” Devin said slyly, “I do have an awful lot of B-roll on the two of you. Kissing in the yard, the date where you went strolling downtown. Personally, I liked it when you picked her up and carried her to the car. Classy. I think maybe you romancing her was a nice touch. Sure, it cut down on the drama we could have had, but if you sleeping with her kept her on a leash and made the reno go so smoothly, then I bow to the master.” He was smiling when his eyes caught on something right beyond Sawyer’s shoulder. “Job well done,” he said and walked away.

Sawyer turned and felt as if he had been punched in the gut.

Regan.

The look of utter devastation on her face nearly brought him to his knees. “Regan,” he said, reaching for her, but she recoiled.

“Is it true?” she asked softly, not wanting anyone to hear her.

“Nothing Devin says is true, trust me.”

She looked around and stepped closer to him. “Did you”—she cleared her throat—“did you seduce me for the sake of the show? To make sure your precious renovation went smoothly?”

“No!” he said a little too loudly, and all heads turned to look at them. Off in the distance, Devin gave a jaunty wave and walked out the door. Sawyer wanted to throttle him. “What happened between us was because of our attraction to one another, not the show. You have to believe me!”

Regan wrapped her arms around her middle. “Did you know he was taping us?” She saw Sawyer’s hesitation and felt sick to her stomach. “You bastard,” she hissed. “You knew there were cameras on us? You let them tape us? Where did it end, Sawyer? How much did they see? Are there hidden cameras in my house? Is that why you wanted to move in, so you can have extra footage to use?”

“Sawyer moved in with you?” Caroline asked as she suddenly appeared next to her daughter.

“Not now, Mom,” Regan said carefully, her eyes never leaving Sawyer’s. “Tell me, you son of a bitch—how long did you know they were filming us?”

“Regan, please,” he began, “let’s go someplace and talk in private.” He reached out for her but she stepped back.

“Why? The cameras are still here!” She turned and faced the crew who were silently scattered around the house. “You can turn the cameras on! Big fight scene coming! The network will love it!”

“Regan, stop it!” Sawyer demanded. “It’s not what you think, dammit. We need to calm down and talk. Privately.”

Max got everyone in motion to gather their things and go. When they were gone, he came to stand behind Caroline. “Is everything okay?” he asked, not sure who exactly he was asking.

“Not now, Dad,” Sawyer said harshly.

“I think now is the perfect time,” Max snapped back at him. “What the hell did you do, Sawyer?”

Sawyer’s eyes went wide at his father’s tone and words. “Seriously? You too? I didn’t do a damn thing!”

“Really?” Regan cried. “Then explain to me how Devin knew about us? How he happened to know about us kissing in the yard and our date last weekend?”

“You kissed in the backyard?” Caroline asked.

“Not now!” both Regan and Sawyer shouted.

Max put his hands on Caroline’s shoulders and squeezed. “Sawyer,” Max began, “I think you better explain yourself. Did Devin make you romance Regan for the sake of the show?”

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Sawyer threw his hands up in the air and began to pace. “First of all, who talks like that, Dad? No, I didn’t romance Regan for the sake of the show. What the hell’s the matter with you?” He stalked across the room until he was standing toe to toe with Regan. “And you! How dare you question what we have! I’ve shared everything of myself with you, and you just immediately believe what Devin says? After everything we’ve shared, you think I did all that for this damn show?”

“Then tell me how you knew he had taped us!” Regan screamed, her voice cracking on the last word.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Sawyer walked to the sofa and sat down. “I didn’t know he was still taping,” he said wearily. “When you stopped coming around, he told me I needed to get you here to tape a couple of shots where you were pissed off. I said I wasn’t going to make you do that, and he told me he knew I could because he’d seen us kissing in the yard.” He looked up at Regan, his eyes filled with remorse. “I tried, Regan, I really tried not to make you get involved with any of it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this?” she asked. “I don’t understand how it went from that conversation to all this.”

“When I told him I wouldn’t do it, that’s when he told me he had footage of the kiss. He said if I didn’t get you here to film he would make that the drama—me and you. I figured you would freak out, so I made a snap decision. But you have to believe me, Regan, I swear I didn’t know he was still following us! I don’t know how we missed it!” He went to her, but she still wouldn’t allow him to touch her.

Regan turned to her mother. “This damn renovation,” she muttered. “All this over a stupid home makeover. I hope it was worth it, Mom, because it’s just about ruined everything.” Turning, Regan calmly walked to the kitchen to grab her purse before heading toward the door. When she was about to leave, she faced Sawyer. “I don’t want any part of this. I should have stuck to my original opinion of it all. I can’t trust you. How do I know that Devin isn’t going to use the footage anyway? You had me sign like a dozen documents that gave the network the right to use any footage they filmed while on this job.”

Tears streamed down her face. “And the thing is, Sawyer, I was able to forget all this, the renovation, my disappointment at losing my family home, and that was all because of you. You helped me to see that it was just a house. I watched Mom and Max and saw she was happy, so I was happy. But all along, you had this secret you kept to yourself. So don’t talk to me about all you shared with me, because when something directly involved me, you lied and let that jackass make a joke out of what we had.”

“Regan, let’s just go home and—”

“No!” she snapped. “Don’t you dare think you can come to my home. You can give Mom the key.” She looked at Caroline and saw her nod. “I don’t want to see you again. I just…I can’t.”

And she was gone.

Sawyer was shocked. What the hell had just happened? His knees felt like they were about to give out and he barely made it back to the couch before collapsing. With his elbows braced on his knees, he dropped his face into his hands. He couldn’t speak, didn’t know what to say. It took a minute for him to realize his father was beside him. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at his father sadly. “I love her.”

Max nodded. “I know you do. I’ve never seen you like this with a woman. Watching you these last weeks? Well, it was nice to see. You smiled more. There was a spark in your eyes that wasn’t there before. I didn’t realize why.”

“What am I going to do?”

Max looked toward Caroline, who had gone and busied herself in the kitchen to give them privacy. “You need to let her calm down a little. This all came as a shock to her, so I’m sure she needs some time to think it over and then she’ll see you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But I did, Dad. She’s right. I lied to her.”

“No,” Max said gently, “you omitted the truth about something you knew was going to upset her.”

“It’s the same thing. And now? She’ll always wonder if what we had was real or if it started because of the show. I can tell her I love her until I’m blue in the face, but the beginning of our relationship is ruined thanks to Devin and his bullshit.”

Caroline came to sit beside him and handed him a fresh bottle of water. “She’ll get over this, Sawyer,” she said softly. “Regan is a passionate woman. Sometimes it takes some time for her to calm down and see things rationally.”

“I told him to give her some time,” Max said. “It’s not like he really lied to her.”

Stiffening her spine, Caroline looked at him. “Actually, he did. He told her Devin wanted her here to shoot those scenes or he’d be in trouble with the network—not once did he mention there was a damn near blackmail situation going on.”

Sawyer sat between the two of them in stunned silence. They kept arguing back and forth—it was like watching a tennis match.

“Blackmail is a little strong, Caroline, don’t you think?” Max said with a snap in his voice. “And if it was that, then it’s all the more admirable how Sawyer was trying to protect her.”

“Regan had a right to know what was going on so she could have confronted Devin and the network and threatened them if they tried to use footage taken on her personal time that had nothing to do with the stupid show!”

“Stupid show? And just for the record, it did have to do with the show! She was out with Sawyer—who, FYI, is the host of that stupid show!”

Caroline leapt to her feet. “Are you defending him?”

Max stood up too. “Yes, I am. He’s my son, and I still say he didn’t do anything wrong. I agree that Regan has a right to be upset, but she needs to get over it.”

Sawyer knew this was going to end badly, so he stood as well. “Guys, look, I don’t want you fighting about this—”

“Not now, Sawyer!” they both yelled and Sawyer threw up his hands, stepping around them to gather his belongings. While the couple continued to argue, he sadly took Regan’s key off his key ring and placed it on the dining room table. He looked around at all he had created. An hour ago he had been filled with pride. Funny how it could all go to hell in such a short time.

“Well, if that’s the way you really feel, then you can leave and go to hell, Max Bennett!” he heard Caroline yell, and to Sawyer’s surprise, his father stormed from the house.

He walked over to Caroline and did his best not to step back when she glared at him. “For what it’s worth, Caroline, I honestly did enjoy working with you. Thank you for letting me help you with your home.”

She continued to glare, so Sawyer nodded his head and walked out of Caroline Amerson’s home and out of both Amerson women’s lives.