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Chapter Twenty-Three
If my love life with Sawyer in the following weeks had felt idyllic, my home life had felt just the opposite. I'd grown concerned about the time Colby and I had spent apart in the previous year, due to parental visitation arrangements, and I was anxious at the thought of him jetting off to Florida with Logan and Poppy the Friday after Christmas for another whole week away.
Three weeks in two months felt like a lot of time for a child to miss his mom, at barely eight years old, and I knew that had I not made plans to go to The Hamptons with Sawyer to his parents' place, the holiday period would have felt unbearable.
Logan had hated it when I introduced Sawyer to Colby as my boyfriend. This was completely hypocritical since he thrust Poppy in Colby's face after only two weeks or so, but I got it; he felt his position as Colby's father was instantly under threat. I had felt some of the same feelings in the beginning as I wondered if the younger, cooler woman my husband would threaten mine.
However, any reservations I'd had about Colby with Sawyer were almost immediately dispersed when I saw how amazing he was at relating to and engaging with my son.
"Power Rangers? Blade and Roxy were hardly that great when they were attacked by Evox," Sawyer scoffed. "Any one of my Marvel characters would leave your dudes in the dust, my little man," he joked. He was obviously up to date on kids TV programs, and he had Colby curled up with laughter.
"I love the Marvel characters too," Colby offered, looking completely relaxed and fully engaged in the banter Sawyer created between them. They looked great together as they sat side by side on the couch, pouring through Colby's comics. At one point, Sawyer teased Colby mercilessly and it was obvious from how my son responded he had taken an instant liking to my new man.
Watching the casual scene between the two made me wonder if everyone liked Sawyer because he was so easy going, had a mature head on his shoulders, and appeared honest to his core, or whether it was because he was charismatic and good-looking.
"Favorite?" Sawyer asked, his brow bunched, breath held as he waited for Colby's reply.
"Mystique," Colby replied without hesitation, and my heart squeezed seeing my normally quiet little boy look as animated as he did.
Sawyer grinned. "Ah, the shapeshifting killer. Very mature, and not the usual choice of a boy of your age. It wouldn't be because she's a hottie, would it?"
Colby cracked up again, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, which he took in stride and rolled around on the couch. A wide grin stretched on my lips because it was amazing to see Colby have fun. "Is he trying to get a rise out of you, sweetheart?" I asked my boy.
"Yeah, but that's okay, he's kind of a doofus," Colby replied. He grinned back at me.
Both Sawyer and I laughed at my son's assessment of him and his goofy behavior, while Sawyer leaned over and affectionately ruffled my little boy's hair. Colby's face beamed with delight. "Is that so?" Sawyer asked in a mock singsong voice. At that moment, I knew my baby boy was going to love Sawyer as much as I already did.
The week leading up to Colby leaving was one of the most wonderful of my life, yet it remained tinged with sadness that straight after the holiday Colby had to get on a plane.
It had been agreed Sawyer would spend time with his family this year because I wanted time to concentrate on my son, and Sawyer wanted to make this up to us. Since he was home and had a free schedule when school got out, he suggested he take charge of Colby and do some 'guy' things while I was at work.
At first, I was a little apprehensive about this. Colby had only been introduced to Sawyer a few weeks before and he'd be expected to spend most of his days with him. However, hearing my son's excitement as he recalled Christmas shopping for gifts with him, and a trip on a guided bus tour of New York City, made me realize I'd made the right decision in letting them spend some time together.
Each day their adventures continued, and Colby spoke of eating hot dogs in Times Square and how Sawyer had even taught him to ice skate in Bryant Park to impress me at the session Sawyer had booked for all of us the following evening.
None of the attractions Colby had wanted to do had been skipped, and his little face beamed full of life. Knowing Sawyer had been willing to do all of this made my heart clench tight.
Being a considerate man, Sawyer had been careful not to do the most magical things without me, telling me those were reserved for when all of us were together.
True to his word, each evening as soon as I got off work, he and Colby were waiting in the parking lot to experience all of the things that made lasting memories stack up.
A visit to Santaland at Macy's was followed by braving the crowds to have selfies beside the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and displays on one of those evenings. Another evening was the skating trip we all went on. However, my personal favorite took place on a night when it had been bitterly cold. It had just begun to snow again when we went on "The Ride's Holiday Experience NYC."
It had never occurred to me to take this trip, which was on a motorcoach decked out in theatre chairs and floor-to-ceiling windows. It was the perfect way to see all the amazing lights and sites New York had to offer during the festive season while being cozy and warm doing so. Somehow, Sawyer instinctively knew how to help my son and I experience the best New York City had to offer.
Colby's eyes grew wider with every block the bus drove past, and the hosts on the tour led us all in cheering loudly at the street entertainers. Even the magical window displays looked better from our vantage point just a little further back than the sidewalks.
Each festive activity Sawyer took us to do felt perfectly timed and exciting. Whether he knew it or not, he was completely in tune with all the attractions an eight-year-old boy would instantly love.
During the long drive back to New Jersey from the trip on the bus, Colby talked excitedly about the things we had seen and then passed out, tired from all the excitement of a big day.
Upon our arrival home, I went to open the back door to lift him out, but Sawyer's hand covered mine on the handle. "Let me," he half-demanded, half-questioned, so I did.
Stepping back, I watched how he carefully positioned Colby's arms and legs, unbuckled him from his seat belt, and scooped him protectively up into his arms.
My son's head rolled onto Sawyer's shoulder and in toward his neck, and Sawyer moved with fluidity as if having a little boy in his arms was the most natural thing in the world for him.
"He's out cold," he said through a chuckle. "His bedroom?" he asked.
