The Wright Love

by Linde, K. A.

  She took a deep breath and then let it out. “No.”

  “We don’t have to go in.”

  Her blue eyes looked up into mine. A tumultuous sea in the midst of a hurricane. “We do. My family wants to be there for me.”

  “Your grief belongs to you. You choose who you share it with.”

  “It can’t be shared, only survived.”

  “Sutton…” I began.

  “Ah! There you are!” a voice cried from the doorway.

  We both turned to find Sutton’s best friend, Annie Donoghue, emerging from the house. She was a tall redhead with a vibrant personality. She had also been running the marathon with Maverick a year ago. She and Sutton had only gotten closer throughout the year. Tragedy brought people together like that.

  “Hey, Annie,” Sutton said with another sad smile.

  “Are y’all going to come in or what?” Annie asked with her Southern lilt.

  “Definitely,” Sutton said. “We were just catching up.”

  “Awesome. Hey, David.”

  “Annie,” I said.

  My eyes met Sutton’s one more time. Something passed between us. A shared moment acknowledging that she was doing this more for her family than for herself. I understood it. They wanted to help her. She didn’t want to be alone at home, crying all day. Even though it would have been acceptable.

  Instead, she put on a brave face and entered the house.

  I followed behind her, carrying her dessert tray in my hands and wishing I could explain how much I understood. And how much I wanted to help.

  Three

  Sutton

  “You look really great,” Annie gushed. She plucked at the black dress I’d put on this morning to go to the cemetery.

  “Thanks.”

  “Is this new?”

  I shook my head. I’d gone through a phase of buying a whole new wardrobe to replace everything I’d ever owned when Maverick was alive, but that had been this winter. I had gotten past that by the time I needed sundresses and sandals.

  “Well, I want to borrow it. I wish my ass wouldn’t hang out of the back.”

  “Curse of the giant.”

  “Luck of the pixie,” Annie joked back.

  Annie had been a lifesaver during the last year. Always quick with a smile and a promise of a night out. Eager enough with a girls’ night in with Jason when life had started weighing on me too much to go out. She was the best friend a girl could ask for.

  “I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Psh!” Annie said. “I love you, girlie. How was this morning?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. What was there to say? Talking to Maverick had been…necessary, cathartic, wonderful, horrible, painful. It had been everything I needed in that moment and nothing. God, what I wouldn’t give to hear his voice one more time. One of his goofy laughs. See a teasing smile.

  But, no, I would never have any of that again.

  I’d known it for a long time, but there was a difference between knowing and knowing. Today…I knew.

  “I’ve had better days,” I finally answered.

  “Yeah,” Annie agreed. “You’ll get back to better days. I know you will.”

  I swallowed back a comment. I was tired of hearing that I was going to get better. Even from Annie, who was one of the most supportive people in my life.

  Was I doing better? Yes.

  Was I going to suddenly wake up one day and be better? No.

  Shit didn’t happen like that.

  Sometimes, I wished more people were like David. He was so calm and understanding. He never said the things that other people said. He just let me feel how I felt. No bullshit. No expectations. It was a relief.

  We meandered into Jensen’s kitchen where Jenny was fixing a plate for Jason. He was munching on some strawberries and eyeing the cake in the corner. Jensen’s fiancée, Emery, had a sister, Kimber, who owned a bakery downtown. She must have brought one of her signature Death by Chocolate cakes for the party. David followed behind me and placed my brownie tray next to her cake. It looked so elementary in comparison. At least they tasted really good. That was all that mattered.

  “Cookie,” Jason said.

  “Later,” I said, passing Jason another strawberry off the platter. “Jenny is making you a plate first.”

  Jenny finished Jason’s plate and then took his hand. “Come on, little dude. Let’s go see your aunt and uncles. I think Kimber brought Lilyanne and Bethany, too.”

  I grabbed a bottle of water and followed behind them. Kimber’s youngest, Bethany, was only six months older than Jason, and they played together all the time. As soon as he was outside, he ran straight toward her, ignoring both his food and the rest of the family who wanted to see him.

  “Is it too soon to begin talks of an arranged marriage?” Kimber asked, appearing at my side.

  “Never too soon. Look at how cute they are together.”

  “She’s probably going to run all over him. I mean…she’s a handful.”

  “Jason is like a perfect kid,” I told her. “I guess I got lucky.”

  “Lilyanne was like that. It’s a trick. They make you think all children will be like that, so you have another one. And then the second is a hellion.”

  “Sounds right. The universe is like that.”

  “Speaking of…how are you today?” she asked with a smile.

  “Been better honestly. Jason helps. Baking helps. Getting out of the house helps.”

  “Baking?” Kimber quirked an eyebrow. “I know a thing or two about that.”

  I threw her a half-smile. “Yeah. I’ve been baking a lot to keep busy when I’m at home. It’s therapeutic.”

  “That it is. Well, if you want to come work at the bakery with me, there’s always a spot for you.”

  “What? Really?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Of course. No strings attached. If you hate it, you’re off the hook. But I can always use another hand. Especially with the college students starting back up in a month,” she said, referring to Texas Tech University, which was across the street from her adorable bakeshop.

  A year ago, I would have laughed at the thought of working in a bakery.

  Six months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to pick myself up off the ground to make it to a job.

  Yesterday, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d even want to work.

  I was the only Wright in my family who had never held down a job. I’d been flighty as a kid, jumping from one activity to the next with equal parts enthusiasm. I’d dropped out of college to have Jason. But I always had the trust fund to fall back on when I refused to work for my family’s company. It always felt too cliché to jump into the family job. I wasn’t Morgan by any stretch. I wasn’t like any of my siblings in that regard.

  But, now…

  I’d told Maverick this morning that I wanted to live.

  Maybe working with Kimber at the bakery would be just the opportunity I needed to start fresh.

  “Actually…that sounds great,” I told Kimber. “Like really, really great.”

  “Seriously?” Kimber asked.

  “Yeah. When do I start?”

  “How’s next week?”

  “Excellent.”

  “What’s so excellent?” Jensen asked.

  He appeared then before us with the rest of my family in tow. Jensen owned his own architecture company after relinquishing control of Wright Construction to Morgan. He’d proposed to Emery at the grand opening, and their wedding was coming up.

  “Sutton is going to come work for me,” Kimber said.

  “Wait, what?” Morgan gasped. She flicked her long brown hair out of her face in disbelief. “You’ll work for Kimber but not me?”

  “And this surprises who?” Austin asked. My sarcastic and broody older brother had recently gone through a stint in rehab for his alcoholism but was doing tremendously better.

  But it was the youngest brother, Landon, who responded, “No one. Literally no one.”


  “Just because you’re back professionally golfing again doesn’t mean that you can be a shit,” Morgan said.

  “Uh, I think that’s precisely what it means.”

  Couldn’t get all of us together without an argument breaking out. Old habits died hard.

  “Children,” Jensen said with a sigh and then a laugh.

  “Sutton started it!” Morgan teased.

  “Actually…” I began, knowing she was playing because I was the easiest target. I always had been.

  I was the baby.

  In every sense of the word.

  Jensen had all but raised me. Our mom had died when I was just a year old. Our father had been a raving alcoholic and succumbed to the bottle before my twelfth birthday. Vices ran deep in our family.

  Unfortunately, I knew exactly what it was like for my son to grow up without a parent. The only difference was that he didn’t have siblings to help him along. I had four. They were wild and prone to addictions with skeletons in their closets, but they were mine. And I loved them.

  “Leave Sutton alone,” Jensen said with a smile.

  “I can’t help that she decided to take a job with Kimber behind my back,” Morgan groaned. “What’s the fun of being CEO of a company if I can’t hire my little sister?”

  “I’m pretty sure you worked your whole life for this, and like a crazy person, you think it’s all fun,” I said.

  “Well…yeah. If we’re going to get into specifics.”

  “Ignore her,” Austin said. He nudged Morgan out of the way. “There are more important questions to consider.”

  “Like?” I asked, already knowing I would regret asking.

  “What are you baking for me?”

  “I brought brownies.”

  “Did someone say pot brownies?” Landon asked.

  Austin’s eyes rounded in mock surprise. “Landon Wright! How dare you say such things in front of the children.” He pointed at me. “Virgin ears.”

  “Don’t you have to qualify for your next golf tournament anyway?” Jensen dryly asked Landon.

  “Details,” Landon said with a lopsided grin.

  “But, wait…are they pot brownies?” Austin asked.

  “No!” I groaned. “And I’m not making them at Kimber’s. Don’t scare her away from me already!”

  “Yeah, it’s her first job. Give her a break,” Jensen scolded them.

  “Oh God,” Emery said, coming up to his side. “Are you wagging your finger at people? Do I need to extract you from the situation?”

  “Probably,” Morgan said.

  I shook my head at my large and outrageous family. It was moments like these that reminded me why I’d shown up at all. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that other people had been affected by Maverick’s death. That sounded selfish, even to my ears, but it was more like self-preservation. My pain had been so all-consuming. It still baffled me sometimes that people could draw me out of it again.

  My family especially was good at it. We’d always been close. Everyone had a place in the family, but I was just stumbling into my new role. Finding a place to be now that I wasn’t the vivacious, bubbly sorority girl. But they all still loved me, no matter where I fit.

  “Your sis offered Sutton a job,” Morgan said like a proud parent.

  “At the bakery?” Emery asked. “That’s awesome! I’ll get to see you more.”

  I grinned. “That’ll be good. Right up to the wedding.”

  “Kimber is making the cake!”

  “All in black?” Morgan guessed.

  Emery shrugged, her smile going as wide and mischievous as a Cheshire cat. “Maybe. Don’t tell this one.” She pointed back at Jensen.

  “As if he would deny you anything,” Morgan said.

  “He wouldn’t,” I confirmed in a small voice. My throat closed around the words. I’d made it through the word wedding without choking up. But talking about it…I still wasn’t okay. “Excuse me. I’m just going to…” I threw my thumb behind me and made a hasty retreat.

  I was glad that I had only dusted on some waterproof mascara when I went home to pick up Jason. I pressed the palms of my hands into my eyes as I closed and locked the bathroom door. My breathing was uneven. I tried sucking in a few quick breaths to keep tears from falling again. I’d wanted to be strong here. That was what I needed.

  With a frustrated slam of my fist on the granite countertop, I cursed this feeling.

  My eyes were red and puffy. I hardly recognized the face looking back at me. When had I deteriorated this far? I wished that my brain could get with the picture. I was ready to be a human again.

  Yet…I wasn’t. Not yet.

  It took me a while to get myself back under control.

  Only when I felt certain I could go out and enjoy the party did I leave the bathroom. When I walked out, I was surprised to find David standing there.

  “Oh, sorry.” I stepped out of the way.

  “No, I was waiting for you.”

  “Did you…need something?”

  “Just wanted to see how you were doing. I saw you made kind of a speedy exit.”

  “Emery was talking about the wedding,” I confessed to him. Normally, I wouldn’t say anything, but it was so easy to talk to him. “Just…hard sometimes. You know?”

  “I do.”

  “I’m not an asshole for resenting all my siblings’ happily ever afters?”

  “You probably wouldn’t be human if you didn’t. I know I envy what Morgan and Patrick have. They’re so happy all. The. Time,” he said with round eyes. “I mean, Morgan is probably my closest friend, but I can only stomach so much of it.”

  I laughed a brittle thing. “Yeah. And here we are. The odd ones out.”

  His stare penetrated deep into me at my last words. I didn’t know what had compelled me to say it. It wasn’t as if David were a pariah. He was a good-looking guy. He was a CFO of a Fortune 500 company. He had everything going for him. He should be happy with someone who deserved him.

  So, why was he standing here in front of me?

  My heart stuttered. A blush crept into my cheeks. I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth and suddenly felt as if my limbs didn’t quite fit my body.

  There David was. My friend. A constant companion through the last year. He towered over even Jensen, easily dwarfing my small frame. His hair was dark blond and gelled to perfection. His eyes were a hazel brown that changed with his mood. Right now, they were nearly gold from the afternoon sun shining in from the windows. And his fashion was even better than my own. Gray slacks and a blue button-up, the sleeves rolled up on his muscular arms.

  He was…David. Just David.

  Yet…that look.

  I instinctively took a step back as embarrassment washed over me. “Well…thanks for checking on me.”

  Awkwardness crashed down between us for the first time since I’d met him. A tension that had never been there before. That suddenly enveloped the short distance that separated us. It vibrated and rippled as if it had its own substance. As if I could reach out and touch it. Feel it solid beneath my hand.

  He didn’t say anything. His eyes stayed firmly fixed on mine. I knew that I should say something else. Take another step back. Walk away from that look. No one had looked at me like that in a year. With something other than pity. With something other than sadness.

  This was…wrong.

  It was wrong, right?

  There should be no tension.

  When I’d told Maverick this morning that I deserved to live my life again, I hadn’t thought…this. I’d had nothing concrete in mind. Was this his answer? Or was I just a total asshole for still standing here?

  Finally, David took his own step back. “Anytime, Sutton. You know I’m here if you need me.”

  “Right,” I said, loosing a quick breath. “Right. Of course.”

  Then, I hurried past him like a crazy person and back outside.

  I was ready to live again. I wasn’t ready for…that. Whatever that was. />
  Four

  Sutton

  It wasn’t long before everyone was complaining of the oppressive summer heat. The kids were the only ones who didn’t want to come inside, but Jason was already pink from the sun. Kimber and I put Jason and Bethany down for a nap, which we were sure they were going to wake up from at any minute. It took longer than normal to calm him down, and I went back downstairs, exhausted. I plopped into a chair in the dining room and pretended not to listen to Jensen’s conversation.

  “No. No, we’ll get on the phone tomorrow. Morgan and I will come by to hear the details.” He sighed heavily in frustration. “I can’t believe we weren’t informed about this. Yeah, I know that. Yes, I know I’m still on the paperwork filed at court. Fine. Yes. Have a good Fourth. Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Everything okay?” I asked after he hung up the phone.

  He gritted his teeth. “Van Pelts.”

  “Oh God,” I groaned. “New development?”

  “Come on. Apparently, it’s on the news.”

  I followed him into the living room where he flipped the channel to the news.

  “Hey! We were watching that,” Austin complained.

  “Just wait for this,” Jensen ground out.

  And everyone quickly shut up at Jensen’s tone. It wasn’t often he got upset. It had to be something serious for that to happen. Like his ex-wife, Vanessa, or someone messing with Wright Construction—like the Van Pelts.

  They were a family-run New York City–based investment firm. A staple of the Upper East Side, a conglomerate of wealth, which had risen to even higher heights amid the ’90s economic boom.

  My father had invested millions with them under the guise of new development. In reality, the Van Pelts had been sucking up money from every avenue possible and working a Ponzi scheme. My family’s money had disappeared long before we knew what they’d done. Long before it came out almost a decade ago what the Van Pelts had been doing. Long before their CEO, Broderick Van Pelt, was imprisoned for fraud and stripped of pretty much everything he could touch, leaving his family penniless.

  We never got our money back from the Van Pelts. Though Jensen had sued the hell out of them. We were just lucky it hadn’t wrecked the company—like so many other companies. In fact, Wright had only grown from there, but it should have been the sign that my father wasn’t fit to be CEO. By the time Jensen had found out what exactly our father had done, he was six feet under the ground. Just another thing he’d never have to atone for.