by K. A. Linde
A breaking news update flashed on the TV.
“Parole hearing set to take place next week for the man convicted of millions of dollars of investment fraud. Broderick Van Pelt was arrested and later sentenced to fifty years behind bars. On Friday, Van Pelt called in, trying to convince parole board members he’d been locked up long enough after spending eight years in prison. We’re awaiting news from the New York State Division of Parole for further updates on the status of Van Pelt.”
The room had gone utterly silent. Even those who weren’t aware that the Wrights were a victim of the Van Pelts’ scheme could tell that something significant was happening.
The television showed a video of Broderick from the day he had been sentenced. I’d seen it before. Along with the image of him in a suit and tie as a successful investment banker that the media always used in place of his prison mug shot. Because…of course.
“Bastard,” Morgan snarled, jumping to her feet.
“Trying to sweet-talk his way out of prison,” Austin grumbled. “What an asshole.”
Landon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’m already in contact with our lawyers. They called me and asked me to take point on this because I filed the lawsuit. But I can hand it over to you, Mor?”
“No, let’s do it together,” she said.
He nodded. “We’ll have to go in next week. It never ends.”
“I’d be happy to.”
“Um…what am I missing?” Julia asked from the couch next to Austin.
“They took millions from us in the early 2000s,” Austin filled her in.
“Yeah, really screwed us over,” Morgan said. “Just what we need to deal with after Owen was here last year.”
She was still bitter about our uncle after he tried to take the company away from her. I didn’t blame her.
“Well…what a day, huh?” I muttered with a sigh.
Everyone’s attention veered over to me. And then I saw it…on everyone’s faces—pity. Ugh, my least favorite thing to see. I’d grown really, really used to seeing it, too. I could spot it a mile away. My family wasn’t even trying to mask it. They looked at me as if I were linen threatening to blow away in a light breeze.
“Sorry. You shouldn’t have to deal with this today,” Jensen said. “I should have thought—”
“No. It’s fine. I mean…none of us should have to deal with any of this at all, but it’s not like Dad gave us a choice.”
“True, but—”
“It’s okay,” I said quietly. I avoided everyone’s looks and raised my chin, determined not to run away. “It’s a new year. I’m going to be okay.”
Austin and Landon shared a look of disbelief. Morgan shared her own with Patrick. Everyone clearly disagreed with me.
“Whoa,” Annie said, appearing then as my savior. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“Sutton,” Jensen said with worry in his eyes. He’d played the role of parent so long that it fit him like a glove.
“I’m okay, Jensen. I’m okay.”
He sighed and nodded.
Annie gripped my elbow and pulled me out of the living room. I rested my head on her shoulder.
“I wish everyone wouldn’t treat me like I was an invalid.”
“You kind of are an invalid,” Annie said playfully. “Jenny, tell Sutton that she’s an invalid.”
“I think you’re doing better today than you have in a long time,” Jenny said. “You seem lighter since this morning.”
I heaved a sigh. “It was good to talk to him. Even if he doesn’t answer. But I think it’s time to finally start living again. I’m not…past it or anything. I just don’t want to be an invalid forever.”
Annie brushed my hair off my shoulder. “You’re doing great, sister. Promise. You’ll know when you’re ready.”
A fear crept up in my chest at the next thought. “What if people think it’s too soon?”
“No one can judge you for how you feel,” Jenny said kindly.
“It’s just…Maverick’s parents.”
“They cannot blame you for having a life, Sutton,” Jenny said, tucking her blonde high-low bob behind her ear.
“Well…they can.”
“They shouldn’t,” Annie said.
“I’m supposed to have dinner with them soon. They wanted to see me this weekend, but I knew I wouldn’t be up to it.”
“I’ve got an idea. How about you don’t worry about everyone else? The only person you can control in this situation is yourself,” Jenny said.
Annie nodded. “It’s not like you’re replacing Mav or forgetting him. You’re young and beautiful, and you can’t stay locked up in your house forever.”
“You’re right,” I said with more conviction than I’d felt when I brought it up. “I kind of love y’all.”
“We know,” Annie said with a grin.
Jenny rolled her eyes. “Oh, Annie.”
“This is why you hated me in high school.”
“I didn’t hate you.”
“Y’all,” I said, stepping between them.
“Right. Not today,” Annie said. “Tomorrow, I shall discuss all the ways that Jenny was a total weirdo in high school.”
“And I shall discuss all the ways Annie was the class slut.”
I tipped my head up to the ceiling and blew out a breath. My two best friends. Lord, help me.
They might rankle each other, but they both loved me and would be here for me through anything. That much they’d proven over the last year.
A few hours later, Jason was fast asleep, curled up on a blanket at my side. A cool breeze skated in during the evening. Lubbock might be a dry and dusty climate, but it boasted some of the best sunsets. Orange and pink and yellow blanketed the sky as we all waited for the fireworks display to begin.
My fingers circled through Jason’s hair, which was curling at the edges. He was growing up so fast. It was as if I’d blinked the last year away, and suddenly, he was already so big. It was unfair that I had to watch time slip away. I wanted to hold on to him just like this forever. Every mother’s wish, I guessed.
The kaleidoscope of colors hung heavy in the sky when I felt the blanket shift, and David sat next to me. He’d excused himself earlier this afternoon and been on the phone for a long time. I’d kept my distance from him after that weird instance in the house. I didn’t know what it meant or if it was really nothing at all. I wasn’t the best judge right now, and considering everything else going on…
Well, my head could have made the whole thing up.
He stretched his long legs out ahead of him, and his hazel eyes glowed a perfect strain of gold in the setting sun. His hair blew gently with the wind.
“Hey,” he said with that kind smile he always reserved for me. Not pitying, just pleasant.
All awkwardness from earlier evaporated. It was just me and David again.
“Hey.”
“Little guy’s all passed out.”
“Yeah. He barely napped. And, usually, he’s out at least an hour in the afternoon.”
“Too much excitement.”
I nodded. “Mostly Bethany.”
“Poor kid. He’s in for a rude awakening when they grow up.”
“Pretty much,” I said with a laugh, glancing down at my sleeping toddler.
“Hey, Sut?”
My eyes crawled back up to his. “Yeah?”
“I want to apologize about earlier.”
“Oh?” My cheeks heated.
“I know today is hard on you, and I wanted to make sure that you were all right. I think I hovered and made you uncomfortable. I would never want to do that to you. Especially today of all days. I felt horrible and tried to give you the space you needed.”
“Oh,” I said again dumbly.
I had misjudged that look from David. There was no moment at all. He was worried about me, like he always was, and wanted to make sure that I was all right. It had been nothin
g. Definitely nothing worth thinking about.
I didn’t even know what had given me that awareness of him. I knew, of course, that Morgan had mentioned that there might be something between David and me. Now, it was clear that whatever Morgan had thought was also false.
He saw the broken china doll and wanted to help pick up the pieces. For a friend.
And I appreciated that about him. His strength and the care he took in everything he did. I’d just thought there was something else there for a second. But I was wrong. I used to be better at that kind of thing. Apparently, I was way out of practice on reading people.
“I can leave you be if you want me to,” David offered slowly.
“No,” I said at once. “No. I like having you around. You didn’t make me uncomfortable at all.”
Tension fell away from him all at once. His shoulders relaxed. A breath released from his lungs. A smile crooked the corner of his lips. His eyes were inviting.
“Good. I’m glad.”
He touched my shoulder in a friendly gesture. A weird flutter sparked in my stomach. Like the first beat of an unused drum as it cleared the dust away.
Then, his hand disappeared, and he turned back to face the now inky-black sky. Stars twinkled in the pitch-black night. It took me another second to turn away. To not overanalyze what had just happened. To accept that this was okay. That I had misjudged David, and he had no interest in me other than as a friend. And I had no interest in him…either.
As the first firework burst in the sky, I wondered how much of that was a lie.
Five
David
I’d fucked something up.
Made a misstep somewhere on the road that I couldn’t figure out how to come back from. I’d thought that I was walking a straight line, but it turned out I was on a hiking trail with no beginning or end. Just an endless, winding middle.
In the last year, I’d grown to call Sutton my friend. I’d be lying if I said I was okay with losing that in the hopes of having more with her. But the fear in her eyes on the Fourth of July two weeks ago had been enough for me to pull the emergency brake on my Ferrari and come to a screeching halt.
Metaphorically speaking.
But the truth was, two weeks had gone by, and I still missed her. She had started working at Kimber’s bakery, Death by Chocolate, and even though she’d said that what had transpired between us didn’t make her uncomfortable, I’d carefully avoided the place to give her the space I thought she wanted.
Up to a point. Up until now.
Maybe I was a jackass for reaching out to her again after the awkwardness of the Fourth, but I had done it anyway. Now, after hours of working with Morgan on a new contract, I was finally leaving work and picking Sutton up for lunch with me. I’d been sure to invite Jason to put a barrier between us. I wanted to make things right, to get back on the straight and narrow with her. I didn’t like being in this interminable middle. I hoped today would fix that.
The bell tinkled overhead as I entered the cozy and bright bakery. The place was packed, considering most of the students were out of town. All but one French macaron–inspired table was covered with textbooks and laptops. I stepped across the black-and-white-checkerboard-tiled floor and up to the glass display that revealed all the incredible sweets. But it was the woman standing behind it that drew my eye.
Short and sweet with her hair pulled up into a ponytail and a touch of blush on her cheeks. A mint-green apron wrapped around her trim waist. She smiled when she saw me.
“David!” Sutton said. “You’re late!”
“I know. I’m sorry. Morgan.”
She waved a hand. “You don’t have to explain. I know my sister.”
“How do you like this place so far?” I asked, leaning forward on the white granite counter.
“Oh, I love it!” she squeaked. “I didn’t know I could enjoy something like this. I’d always thought I’d inevitably end up another brainless Wright sibling at corporate. This is actually…fulfilling. Kimber is training me in the back in the mornings, and then once customers are here, I take care of the front. I can’t wait to bake full-time!”
“I bet that will be sooner rather than later.”
“Keep your fingers crossed. Now, let me tell Kimber that I’m heading out for lunch.” She disappeared into the back and returned a minute later, minus an apron, with her crossbody purse draped over her chest. “Ready?”
“Should we wait for Jason?”
“Oh! Right,” she said, as if she’d just remembered. “Jenny had him down for a nap. She told me to go, and she’d get him lunch. So, it’s just the two of us.” She hopped out from behind the counter. “Where are we going?”
“Are you sure you still want to go?” I asked carefully.
I hadn’t planned on us being alone. I’d thought having Jason around would prove that I wasn’t trying to move in on her or anything. I’d also thought he might serve as a nice barrier between us.
But alone…well, that was something different. And I wanted to make sure she was okay with that.
“Oh my God, yes,” she said, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the entrance. “I’m starving. I need food, or I’m going to get stabby. You do not want to see me hangry.”
“All right, all right,” I said with a laugh.
“Are we taking your car?” she asked with eager eyes.
“We can take yours if you’d prefer.”
“Are you kidding?”
“The Ferrari it is.”
“You going to let me drive?” she teased.
“One day,” I said as we approached my baby. “Maybe not in traffic though.”
“I can handle a stick shift!” she cried.
It took every ounce of self-control in my body not to arch an eyebrow in her direction at that comment. To joke that I bet she could handle a stick shift.
She nudged my shoulder. “Oh, come on, laugh at me. That sounded bad, even to me.”
My eyes met hers, and she was smiling broadly. A real smile. A full smile. Nothing fake or wary or fearful in that gaze. Not normal or back to whatever her normal had been, but I could see the new job had done her wonders.
“A stick shift?” I asked.
She shrugged. “It sounded better in my head.”
“Just get in the car.”
She laughed and plopped down into the passenger seat. I zoomed away from the bakery, glad that Sutton was in a good mood. Not that she was always depressed and crying or anything, but laughing hadn’t been easy for her. And, now, we were going to lunch together as if everything were totally normal. As if we’d done that a hundred times before. As if there were never a barrier between us.
I parked outside of Torchy’s, and we took a seat at the bar to order our tacos instead of waiting in line. Our guacamole appeared, and Sutton dug in like she hadn’t eaten in days.
“This is amazing,” she groaned. “I’m so glad we came here.”
“It’s nice that you have Jenny full-time to watch Jason.”
“Oh God, I know. She’s a lifesaver. Sometimes, I still can’t believe that we didn’t like each other in high school.”
“Really?”
“Well, no. It makes sense. I was this bubbly cheerleader, and she was in the marching band and a theater geek. Our circles didn’t exactly blend.”
“Did you cheer with Annie?”
She nodded. “Annie was captain. I was never serious enough about anything to do that. I kind of floated along. Another reason Jen and I didn’t click. She was one of those overachiever types who hated that I got whatever I wanted because of who I was.”
“Well…”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I was the worst,” Sutton said, breaking off another chip. “I acted like that because my parents were gone, and Jensen was in college. I didn’t know I was such an asshole.”
“All high school kids are assholes. I promise you’re not unique in that regard.”
She snorted. “I bet you were a saint.”
“About that…”
“Ohhh?” She raised her brows. “Do tell.”
“I kind of ran in a bad crowd in high school. Most of my friends were drinking and doing drugs and hooking up with multiple women every weekend. We broke into a hotel once and got caught vandalizing the place, drunk and high and swimming naked in the pool.”
“Oh my God!” Sutton gasped, cracking up. “You?”
I nodded. “We would have all been taken to jail if it hadn’t been for one guy’s parents being a local politician.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. We all got off with a slap on the hand. The politician’s son was the worst of the lot. Still is, to be honest.”
“Oh, the life of the young, privileged, and stupid.”
“Pretty much.”
“And this was all back in San Francisco? That’s where your family is, right?”
I stared down at my hands. “Yeah. My family is in San Francisco. Not that we’re on speaking terms.”
Sutton frowned. “I couldn’t imagine not being on speaking terms with my family.”
“Well, we had a falling-out. Pretty substantial one. It’s one of the reasons I was quick to leave San Francisco and take this job.”
“How does your sister feel about your move?”
My eyes darted up to hers. I’d never mentioned that I had a sister.
“Sorry. I might have accidentally eavesdropped when you were on that phone call forever on the Fourth.”
“No, it’s okay. We’re not really speaking either. I hadn’t heard from her in a year.”
“Why?”
God, how to explain Katherine?
“She sides with our parents.”
“I see.”
“And I guess…she’s getting married.”
“Really?” Sutton asked, some of that wariness returning. “Is that why she called? When is that happening?”
“They don’t have a date yet.”