The Beautiful Truth

** 76

Did it bother him that Sawyer was so excited to see Barton? No, he'd decided somewhere just beyond the Pontiac County line. After all, he knew the score—he was down, but not entirely out. He had never been the most patient guy in the world—it came with being so competitive—but now that he knew exactly where he stood...he could wait.

And knowing how Sawyer could feel...well, that was enough to hold him over in the meantime. Hell, who was he kidding? He felt like he could fly to the moon on his own power right now.

So, he stood by and waited, unfettered when Sawyer snuck up behind her boyfriend in the parking lot outside of OU's Noble Center. He stood by and talked football and the state of USC's program with Mandrino, giving Sawyer and Barton space while Barton stooped to pick her up and give her a...really long kiss. He watched only from the corner of his eye as the rest of the world seemed to melt away from Sawyer and Barton Black.

He was fine. He had their secret to hold on to. For years people in Pontiac described his relationship with Sawyer Fitzgerald as one where the two of them seemed to have a secret no one else knew. Until recently, that secret had really been all his. Now, he knew, Sawyer finally understood what that secret was.

"They look like a perfume commercial," Jason said at half-volume and full Texas drawl.

Maybe he had started to stare at some point. He looked back at Mandrino and wrinkled his nose. Jason simply nodded toward Barton and Sawyer again, the former gently examining the latter's jingle-y silver charm bracelet.

Talyn shook his head, albeit barely perceptible, and turned back to Jason. "What's for dinner?"

Jason raised his eyebrows. "You're incredibly transparent."

What the fu—whatever. Jason Mandrino would die of jealousy if he knew what had happened at Cal. Talyn frowned.

"'Sokay man. You keep playing dumb, but you forget, I knew before anyone else how you feel about that girl."

Talyn paused for a beat. "No really, what's for dinner?"

As expected, Mandrino let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't know, are we takin'—"

"Talyn! Jason!" Sawyer was motioning them toward her with a big smile over her shoulder.

Introductions, or re-introductions, as the case may have been, were made. Dinner was to be with the band, although curiously, it felt—not just to Talyn, but to everyone else and despite their vehement promises to the contrary, like everyone was intruding on Sawyer and Barton's date.