Page 82 of Country Music Cowboy

He wasn’t sure of a damn thing. Travis ran both hands through his hair. “What do you want from my family, Sawyer?”

Sawyer’s brow creased, then smoothed. “What I was hired to do, Travis—”

“No.” Travis shook his head. “I know.” He stared at him, watching closely. “I know who you are.”

Sawyer ran a hand over his head, his jaw clenching tight.

“My sisters know.” He was still watching him. “You know that?”

“I suspected.” He cleared his throat.

“So you three haven’t had some heart-to-heart talk about how to spring this on my father?” He sipped his drink. “Our father.”

Sawyer sat on the stool beside him. “No.”

“Cheesy fries.” The bartender slid the piled-high plate across the bar. “Can I get you anything?” he asked Sawyer.

“The same.” Sawyer pointed at Travis’s glass.

Because he thinks I’m drinking?Travis shook his head and finished his drink.

Sawyer picked up the drink the bartender offered, sniffed it, then took a sip.

“It’s cranberry juice and soda.” Travis grinned at the look on Sawyer’s face. “I’m not going to undo a year of hard work just because of…this.” He pointed at him. “Everyone’s walking around on eggshells, like I’m some ticking time bomb or something.That’swhat pisses me off more than anything. That my perceived vulnerability is an excuse for their behavior. I call bullshit.” He grabbed a cheesy fry. “The three of us agreed, no more secrets, no more lies, period. But, no, Travis might fall off the wagon so wehaveto keep this a secret?”

Sawyer stared into his drink. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re not special. I’m keeping secrets from…everyone.”

“Everyone as in my family?” He paused. “You’ve been here for almost three years and, until a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t even know you had a brother.”

“I try to keep my personal and professional life separate—”

“That’s why you’re working security for your father and halfsiblings.” He looked Sawyer square in the eye. “Makes perfect sense.”

Thankfully, Sawyer didn’t argue.

“Can we cut the shit?” Travis said.

Sawyer nodded.

“You knew who we were when you got this job.” It wasn’t a question. “You’ve had a hundred opportunities to speak up but you’ve stayed quiet.”

Sawyer’s jaw muscle flexed.

“I’m asking again. What do you want from my family?” He knew he was staring the man down but, dammit, he couldn’t help it. He was done with secrets. Done with lies.

“Honestly?” Sawyer cleared his throat. “I came here to hurt you all. Hank, most of all.”

“He knows about you?” Travis asked, angry all over again. His father had made some mistakes in his life—but setting aside a son? That was above and beyond a mistake. That was an inexcusable dick move. He spun his new drink slowly, hoping like hell his father was just as in the dark as Travis had been.

“I was sure he did. How could he not know?” Sawyer’s jaw was working overtime now. “But my mother kept it from me so why wouldn’t she keep it from him too?” He shrugged. “My dad died—the man I thought was my father, anyway—and Mom was selling the house. I found a box of her things, put two and two together, and headed to Austin to find out for myself.”

“And what, you took one look at our dysfunctional family and couldn’t leave?” Travis’s laugh was bitter.

But Sawyer shrugged and cleared his throat. “I couldn’t leave.”

How would this have played out if Sawyer had walked up to his father and told him the truth? Would he have been welcomed with open arms? How did a man do that, anyway? Walk up to a stranger knowing he was your father?A father that had no idea he existed?

“What did your mom say?” Travis asked.