I fidget all through lunch. My brain keeps reminding me of my conversation with Kenny and I am consumed by what was said. My mother snaps her fingers at me and I snap to attention, "What mother? Sorry, I didn't hear you." She frowns as she shoots laser beams from her eyes.

"I asked if you were free to do tea with Betty here later this week. Why am I even askin' of course you are." My mother's attention goes back to her and Mrs. Samuels's conversation and I catch Tate's eye. He leans over to me and asks, "Are you alright? You've been jumpy since you came back." I nod, maybe a little to enthusiastically and reply, "Yes, I am fine. I think I am bothered by the heat today. I have a headache." I'm mad at myself for not giving Tate my full attention but I can't stop worrying about Austin and Ryan. I swore to myself I wouldn't think about Ryan again and now my mind is consumed with him. I just need to refocus back on Tate. Just stare at his yummy face and let the daydreaming take over.

"Well today has been an absolute delight. We all must do this again sometime," my mother sweetly says to the table and Mrs. Samuels and Tate both smile in agreement.

"Yes Sawyer, I look forward to seeing you at the Botanical Gardens grand opening!" Mrs. Samuels says and even though I have no idea what she's talking about I reply, "So looking forward it!" I try and seem convincing with my smile but I feel like everyone knows I am a mess. I'm the girl that had it all, got jilted at the altar and is now a big embarrassing mess.

I politely hug Mrs. Samuels goodbye and Tate and I promise to stay in touch. My mother and I walk out of the country club together and as soon we are in the confines of her car, she clicks her tongue at me.

"Sawyer my dear, why can we never have one pleasant social outing? Why must you always sabotage yourself?" I look to her and she notices my confusion, "Sawyer, you need to get yourself together. I think Tate is a real potential suitor but you hardly seemed interested."

"I am interested. I am the one that set the date up! I just got distracted," I reply, annoyed to be defending myself to my mother as always.

"Darlin', you were born a Sweeney. You have the name, the genes, the education, the wealth- but you don't have the poise. I can't buy you class Sawyer. There are some things you need to do on your own. I feel like since you've left the Hemmings, you've slipped back into your old ways. You were cursing on the course, and you almost flung your club across the green. And heavens, what were you thinking ordering a glass of wine at lunch? We were at the country club, not a strip club." I scoff, knowing my mother is overreacting and I shake my head to her in response.

"Betty doesn't mind nearly as much as you think she does. That and I was under the Hemming's thumb for years, I'm just letting loose and having fun."

"Yes Sawyer, and speaking of letting loose, I know Austin is aware of you and Ryan. You knew that wasn't going to end well. I should have put a stop to it when I figured it out but I must say, I enjoyed seeing you happy." My shoulders slightly drop and I clench my jaw shut. Not wanting to talk about Ryan I change the subject.

"Tate said I could come visit him in Philadelphia. I might take him up on the offer." My mother nods while keeping her gaze to the road.

"I think you should. Go and lock it down. He's a catch Sawyer and you my girl are running out of viable options. Gus might be the only one to take you if you ruin your chances with Tate." I roll my eyes at her knowing she would never let me marry Gus. Even though he's turned out to be a better option than Jackson.

"I will do my best mother. Don't worry, your disaster of a daughter will marry eventually. And if not, you can always come visit me and my thirty cats." She scoffs at me but doesn't say anything else. She's putting all of her eggs in my basket because Austin has made it clear, he has no intentions of marrying anyone. He blames work and a lack of interest in the women in South Carolina. So, I have to be the one to continue the Sweeney line. Her beautiful, blonde southern belle daughter that she raised to be royalty is damaged goods. The fragile Sweeney legacy is being held in my shaky fingers.

I immediately jump out of the car when we get home and I glance to Austin's Audi as I walk up the driveway. I stride straight into the kitchen but I don't see any sign of Austin or Ryan. I see Celia down by the stables but decide to check the rest of the house before making the trek down there to ask where the boy are. I skip up the spiral stairs and walk to the end of the hall to Austin's room. I knock while lingering by the closed door. I knock again but hear nothing but silence on the other end. I am startled by Ryan's voice at the end of the hall.

"Austin is out," he says flatly and I turn to him with a frown.

"His car is here."

"I dropped him off. He's working." We stare at each other while standing on opposite ends of the hall. I notice he is in running shorts and a sweat-soaked t-shirt and I am surprised he'd go for a jog in this heat. I want to confide in him, but I know I need to choose my words wisely.

"How was your date?" Ryan asks, catching me off guard and I snap back, "I can't talk to you about your life so you can't ask me about mine." I want to roll my eyes at myself for behaving like a stubborn toddler but I am still angry with him.

His emeralds narrow at me as he stuffs his hands in his pockets, "Fair enough." We are still facing each other and I know I need to tell him about today. He breaks eye contact as he goes to move into his room but I stop him.

"I saw Kenny today," I blurt out and Ryan immediately puts his hand up to stop me.

"Sawyer, you can't talk about this."

"But-"

"Sawyer, stop. I don't want to hear it. You need to stop." I shake my head in frustration as he turns to go into his room. I instantly go after him but he closes the door before I get there. I try the handle but it's locked. I hit the door with the palm of my hand but he still doesn't answer. I hear the shower start inside his room so I dart into my room. I quickly cross the space and climb out my window. I'm to his in a few steps and I notice the blinds are down but the lock is popped. I forgot that this window doesn't shut properly so I lift the panel with ease.

I push the wooden blinds out of my way as I crawl into the room and I see the bathroom door is shut. I take a deep breath and decide to push my luck. I try the knob on the bathroom door and it turns. I push the door open right as Ryan steps into the shower. I watch his foot disappear behind the fabric curtain and pause for a minute. I contemplate running like hell back to my room but I know he is currently in a position of no escape. I slowly walk to the shower and startle him as I throw the curtain back.

"Jesus Sawyer! What are you doing?" He snaps as he turns toward the wall. I put my hands on my hips as I roll my eyes, "Nothing I haven't seen before." He shakes his head at me but he doesn't turn the water off.

"I have to tell you something. It's important," I say sharply and it takes every fiber of my being to keep my eyes on his face. The water continues to spill all over him and the bathroom is starting to fill up with steam.

"Sawyer, I can't talk to you about work. I told you this."

"Ryan, Kenny asked about you and Austin today," I blurt out, begging to get his attention and I do. He stops lathering himself and looks to me. Once again, I'm trying to keep my eyes solely on his face.

"What are you talking about?" He asks me and I reply, "He asked what Austin did for a living and wanted to know the name of the company you two work for. He also asked what your name was." Ryan looks to me, studying my face and he finally shakes his head.

"What did you say?"

"I told him he is an analyst for LexiCorp and your name was Sam." A flicker of confusion crosses Ryan's face as he asks, "Sam?"

I nod, "The way he asked...he knows something's not right Ryan. I panicked and said your name was Sam."

"What prompted him to ask you?" He asks me as he finally finishes with his shower and turns the water off. He pulls a towel off the rack and I step aside to let him out of the basin.

"It was odd. He wanted to know why Austin wasn't playing golf with us today and I told him he was working. That's when he asked where and what. Then he asked what his friend's name was and I said Sam. He said to tell you and Austin hello and walked off. But Ryan it was a warning. His tone was dark and he was searching for something." Ryan fastens the towel around his waist and folds his arms across his chest, deep in thought. He finally looks to me and says, "Thanks for telling me. Don't mention anything to Austin." He steps around me and goes back into the room- ending all conversation. I look up to the ceiling, annoyed, knowing that I have to go back to my room. I pass him on my way to the door but he doesn't say anything else to me. As I pull the door open, I come face to face with Austin and I watch as his blood boils.

"Why are you in Ryan's room?" He snaps to me and he sees Ryan half-dressed behind me.

"My window was locked so I crawled in through Ryan's. I didn't think he was in here," I lie and Austin looks to me and then back to Ryan.

"How was golf?" He asks and I curiously look to him.

"Fine."

"And Tate?" He asks and I know my mother is as eager as Austin is to get me interested in someone else.

"Perfect. He invited me to Philly and I'm going to go. Maybe this weekend to avoid the wicked wedding," I say and then quickly slip past Austin. Before heading back into my room, I look behind me and catch Ryan's frown.