The champagne suddenly goes sour in my stomach. I try and keep my face neutral but Ryan already caught my wince. I attempt to keep his focus to me but he quickly turns around to see what made me flinch. He immediately spots Sebastian and when he turns around I reach my hand out to the chair next to me to retrieve my purse. Ryan's hand shoots out and stops mine from gripping onto the strap, "If we leave now they will have the power. This case could get ugly and we need to show them we aren't scared to pursue it."
I pull my arm back but I wish to be anywhere else. I thought I had left Sebastian behind me forever. I didn't think our paths would ever find a reason to cross.
"So he was chummy with the Cunninghams all along. What a crock of shit he was feeding me," I snap as I reach for my flute.
"I don't want to say I told you so..." Ryan mutters and before I pull the flute to my lips I bite back, "Then don't." I catch the pack of eyes now staring from the bar and as much as I tried to ignore it, I flit my eyes to the back of the restaurant. Sebastian immediately finds me, while huddled close to Dot and I watch as he pulls away from her. I glance back to Ryan and quietly mumble, "Incoming."
Sebastian strides up to the table, looking as English and as dashing as ever with his navy crew-neck tee paired with flattering tailored gray jeans. His blonde hair is swept off his handsome face but I can't read his amused expression. I can't tell if he's coming over to be an ass or not.
"Sawyer..." Sebastian says charmingly and then his eyes land on Ryan. He gives a small shake of his head and looks back to me while the charm slides off his face, "You always said I had nothing to worry about. Guess there was a good reason I didn't believe you."
I let out a laugh, "That's good coming from you. Who is that you're visiting over there?" I ask with an eyeroll and add, "Never thought I had to worry about Dot Cunningham, but while you were in with Rory, why not get in with the whole family?"
"Dot is an old friend," Sebastian clarifies.
"Yes and Rory is still a business partner I assume? Rape doesn't put you off?" I ask innocently but I watch him scowl.
"I'm not condoning any of Rory's actions Sawyer," he says with a snap.
"Then why come running from Singapore as soon as he's arrested? Offering your support to the Cunninghams obviously," I tell him while glancing back to the Irish siblings as they watch us from afar.
"Yes, I came to see how deep he's in it," Sebastian replies and this time Ryan responds, "Up to his eyeballs." Sebastian finally shifts his gaze from me to Ryan and all his light and airy attitude is gone. I can now feel his hatred directed at Ryan.
"Special Agent Hart," Sebastian seethes. "Can I assume you're the one that got Theo to turn in his oldest friend?"
Ryan shakes his head, "I was in New York when the plane was grounded. It was actually Molly Hamilton that swayed Theo to do the right thing."
"Molly?" Sebastian asks, dumbfounded by the revelation.
"Yes, apparently I'm not the only one Rory has gotten rough with," I tell Sebastian and I watch as he clenches his jaw. "I may not have been reason enough to cut ties with the Cunninghams, but maybe Molly's testimony will finally sway you." I lock eyes with Sebastian while he stays silent for a moment. His arms are folded across his lean chest but because he is standing while we remain seated he still seems in the power position. A smirk quickly comes back over his face as his eyes move from mine to the sparkle coming off the ring on the hand that is currently holding my champagne flute.
"If that wasn't champagne, I'd ask if you were pregnant," Sebastian mocks, changing the tone of the conversation. "Apparently a lot can happen in a month."
"Sawyer and I got married in New York," Ryan interjects and Sebastian's eyes widen while a false smile takes over his face.
"Were you now? Well well, you certainly played me for the fool," Sebastian says while looking back to me. My heart slams against my chest and I want to tell him it wasn't like that, but I'm not about to say anything in front of Ryan. He moves back toward the Cunninghams before I can add anything and Ryan swipes up his champagne and downs it in one gulp.
"I suddenly have a lot of enemies in Mississippi," I say quietly while filling my glass to the rim.
"You need to stay strong Sawyer. The Cunningham case is going to bring out a lot of ugliness and some of it will be directed toward you and Molly," Ryan says and then gets the waitress's attention. He quickly orders a gin and tonic and I'm surprised he went straight for the hard stuff. He catches my surprise and then tells me, "If I have to sit twenty feet away from your ex while he mingles with the people that hate you, I'm going to need something a bit stronger."
"We can still leave you know," I offer again but he shakes his head, "Do not let them bother you, Sawyer. If they find out they can get under your skin they'll use that to their advantage."
"Dot can eat Molly alive. We may need to quarantine her to the Hamilton House," I suggest and Ryan nods.
"If Molly gets cold feet or takes back her statement, it's Rory versus you."
"The Cunninghams versus the Sweeneys. That could be the showdown of the century," I say with a laugh.
"I feel like it's going to be the Cunninghams versus Hollis. I imagine the entire town will rally behind you," Ryan says and my heart warms at the thought. He's right though, even the Hemmings would come support me and I think Ryan would welcome Jackson's support. I sigh and after taking another long swig I say, "I notice you didn't correct him on the special agent part."
Ryan grins, "He doesn't need to know I no longer have a badge."
"Yes, but if you want clients you're going to have to get the word out that you're for hire," I tell him, now feeling the effects of two glasses of expensive bubbly.
"I'm going to need to get that sorted out yes, but I think finding a house is a bigger priority," Ryan says and the waitress drops off his tumbler garnished with a lime. I'm wondering if we're having a liquid lunch and then Ryan quickly orders the tagliatelle bolognese and the gnocchi alla vodka. After the French-speaking waitress plugs our order into a tablet, I look to Ryan and say, "Sometimes you say things that floor me."
He takes a sip of his gin and with a smile says, "Did you think I was going to order the cobb salad?"
"I'd have thought you were ill if you had ordered a salad for lunch," I tell him while pulling up my glass. He eyes my hand and then says, "Is it bothering you that everyone is assuming that we only rushed a wedding because you're pregnant?"
I roll my eyes, "Yes. Like I'd only elope for that reason."
"That and you wouldn't have even known by then. We got married like three weeks after Paris," Ryan says and I nod, "Exactly. And Aunt Flo paid me a visit when-" Suddenly I stop as I think over my time in New York. I landed from London where I know I wasn't on my period, and then stayed the last four weeks in the city.
"When..." Ryan urges and he leans into the table.
"When...um, I know I had it right before Paris and then..." I'm scrambling my brain trying to remember when the last time I had to deal with tampons was, but I never bought any in New York. And I didn't bring any to Paris because I had just had it.
"And then...Sawyer, it's been well over a month since Austin's wedding. Are you saying you haven't had a period in all this time?" He asks like he's shocked that this is news to me. I'm trying to remember when I dealt with it and think back to the birth control I was forced to be on while I was with Sebastian. I was diligent while taking it but then...with wide eyes, I look to Ryan, "I didn't take my pills when I got sick in Paris. I forgot. And then when I flew to you in New York I got so distracted that I didn't take them."
"So you weren't on birth control all of last month?" Ryan quietly asks, in shock and I suddenly feel hot all over.
"I...no, I wasn't. You and I always used condoms so I didn't think about it. I was never on the pill with you, so it wasn't weird for me to not be taking them," I confess.
"Sawyer, I wasn't expecting to sleep with you in Paris. We did not use a condom that night and it sounds like you weren't on the pill," Ryan hisses, conscious of this conversation taking place in public.
"Well Ryan, after lunch it seems we should make a stop at the store since we are out in Oxford anyway," I say, trying to appear calm, cool and collected while my insides are panicking.
"How many surprises can one day possibly bring?" Ryan asks in awe but I leave his question hanging in the air.