Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
I’m beginning to think the universe is trying to tell me I shouldn’t be with Ezra. It’s been two weeks since the game in Connecticut, and other than a few more heated makeout sessions, we haven’t done anything.
He’s been at yoga both weeks to make sure Jace doesn’t show up again, and we’ve gone to pottery which is torture because he’s so close to me.
Kendall’s been at their apartment every time we’ve gotten back and I don’t want to hear any comments from him about us.
I don’t trust that he’ll be able to keep his mouth shut, either, especially at work, so we part ways without more than a goodnight kiss.
This week after pottery, I asked Ezra if we should schedule a time because if I have to leave and go to bed again without being touched by him, I might cry. He looked at me with heat blazing in his blue eyes and said something that made me more turned on than anything I’ve ever heard.
“You can’t put me on your schedule, Sutt, because you can’t schedule something this important. I know you’re frustrated, so am I, but it won’t happen because it’s planned. It’ll happen when the time is right.”
Tonight isn’t the right time, because Lilah, Levi, and three of Levi’s friends are here for rodeo stuff and to watch our home game tomorrow. Lilah is spending the night at my place so we can gossip once Levi and his friends are gone, and it would be rude of me to ditch her to go fuck my neighbor.
Not that I haven’t thought about it.
I feel like a teenager with a crush, wishing I could spend time with Ezra instead of my family, which makes me feel like a terrible person.
I love Lilah and Levi, and I owe them and their parents a lot for taking me in like a stray ten years ago.
They supported me at a time when I had nothing at all to offer, and I’m endlessly grateful for them.
Lilah came over early to get ready to go out, even though we’re not going anywhere fancy. Win or lose, we’ll go out tomorrow night too, to the bar Dakota works at, and I’m not looking forward to forced socialization two nights in a row.
The things we do for family.
As she meticulously crimps her strawberry blonde hair, she babbles on about some romance book she’s reading.
Lilah’s always been a hopeless romantic, ever since we were little.
She’s had her dream wedding planned since she was nine, and has been reading romance books as long as she’s been able to read.
I’m honestly a little surprised she’s still single at twenty-six. I think even though she’s obsessed with love and wants her own happily-ever-after, she’s got high standards, which is good. She deserves a once in a lifetime love, someone who will appreciate her quirks and bubbly, sassy personality.
I’ve already done my hair and makeup for tonight, opting for something subtle and simple because who am I trying to impress? Ezra’s seen me sweaty from yoga and after a day of travel and still finds me beautiful—he tells me as much every time he sees me now.
As if he knows I’m thinking about him, a text from him pops up on my phone.
EZRA: I hope you have fun tonight, but not too much fun.
ME: Thank you. Are you sure you don’t want to come?
Of course I want to, but you should hang out with your cousins without me distracting you. I’ll meet them tomorrow after the game, right?”
Yes. I’ll miss you tonight, though.
He takes a moment to reply, and for a second I worry I’m being too clingy. We see each other pretty much every day. He probably thinks I’m overbearing or too needy for saying I’ll miss him when I literally saw him two hours ago at work…
EZRA: I’ll miss you too.
“Sutton?” Lilah says, like she’s been saying my name for a minute. I look up to find her with her arms crossed and one perfectly shaped eyebrow raised. Her glossy pink lips tip up in a teasing smirk as she nods at my phone. “That your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Mhmm. But you want him to be.”
“Maybe,” I sigh. “It’s complicated.”
“Good thing we have all night to figure out how to uncomplicate things. Now come on, let’s get dressed. It’s not every day I get to go out in the city and hang out with my favorite cousin.”
“Button! It’s been a long time, how the hell are you?” Levi drawls, pulling me into his signature bone-crushing hug.
“I’m twenty-eight, Leviticus. Don’t call me Button like I’m five.”
“Don’t call me Leviticus, then,” he shudders. “You know it makes me feel like I’m being scolded by Mom.”
“Deal. I’m good, how are you doing?”
“Livin’ the dream, as per usual. Let me introduce you to my friends.
You already know Jonas and Maverick. This is Mav’s twin Dalton, and this is Wyatt Warner.
The four most eligible bachelors in Kane County—” Lilah snorts, rolling her eyes.
“Guys, this is Sutton, my cousin, and the hotshot athletic trainer for the Utah Knights.”
I shake each of the men’s hands, mumbling about how it’s nice to meet them.
I know Maverick and Jonas well, considering they were always at Levi’s house when we’d visit in the summer, and they helped me move into my first apartment after my undergrad degree.
Well, I know Maverick well, since he’s far more open than his grumpy friend, but from what Levi’s told me, Jonas had a tough life and he likes to keep to himself.
I’m surprised he’s here, since he usually hates to leave his three-year-old daughter.
We’re seated in record time, since I made reservations at the beginning of this week, and as I sit between Levi and Lilah, I can’t help but wish Ezra were here.
We’re halfway through dinner, and even though I still wish Ezra were here, I’m having a pretty good time.
None of Levi’s friends have tried to flirt with me, which I’m grateful for.
Maverick and Dalton help run their family’s construction business and have been telling horror stories about concrete mispours and pipe laying disasters.
Wyatt works as a lawyer for Kane County and tells us as much as he can about the ridiculous cases he’s had to defend without breaking client confidentiality.
Levi regales us with tales from the rodeo circuit, and Jonah only pipes up when one of his friends is telling a story incorrectly. Jonah owns a mechanic shop and has a three-year old daughter, but that’s the only information he’s offered up. I get the feeling he’d rather be home with her.
Valid. Because I too, wish I weren’t in this loud restaurant, surrounded by virtual strangers, and instead with Ezra, watching a movie or… doing other things.
“Any news to share, Sutt? How’s the job going?” Levi asks after a lull in conversation.
“The job is good. Travelling is hard due to my fear of planes, but the team is great and I love it.”
“You’re so lucky to be working with so many rugby players. God, I want to take a bite out of those thighs. Any chance you can hook me up with someone while I’m here?” Lilah asks.
“Ew, no. Don’t say that shit in front of me,” Levi grumbles, covering his ears. Dalton scowls in Lilah’s direction. I wonder if he knows how obvious his interest in my cousin is. He’s been stealing glances at her from across the table all night.
Not that she notices.
“Oh c’mon, Levi. You know I’m not some innocent flower.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you have no interest in any type of sexual relations. Even when you get married, that’s what I’ll believe.”
Lilah sticks her tongue out at her brother. “Fine. Then we can talk about the man that has Sutton blushing and smiling at her phone.”
“Ooo, you gotta boyfriend? What’s his name? Please tell me you’re not back together with that asshole who always looks like he’s got a stick up his ass.”
“I would never get back together with Jace, and I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Sutton told me she wants him to be her boyfriend—”
“I sure as shit did not, you liar.” I say, pinching her side.
“Fine, it was insinuated, but apparently it’s complicated. I think we should help her uncomplicate it.”
“Complicated, huh? This is why I don’t do relationships. Nothin’ complicated about one night with no expectations.” Levi says smugly.
Oh god, no wonder I’ve never been attracted to Kendall. He’s the rugby playing version of my cousin. They’re both playboys who think they’re god’s gift to women.
“What’s so complicated about things with this guy then? Is he married? Got kids? Is he your boss?” Wyatt asks, like I’m a client he’s trying to get information out of.
“No, he’s—”
“WAIT! Is it your neighbor? Don’t you live in the team building? Oh my god, Sutton, are you interested in a player?!” Lilah squeals, bouncing in her seat. Of course, she’d be excited about this. She loves to read those romance books where two people can’t be together, but do it anyway.
“I—yeah. Ezra is a player, and—”
“Ezra… Why does that name sound familiar,” Levi asks, and I swear I see the gears turning in his head. He snaps his fingers, pointing at me accusingly. “Didn’t Davis have a little brother named Ezra who played rugby?”
“How the hell did you remember that?” I grumble under my breath, but it doesn’t matter because he hears me.
“Memory of an elephant. Now, did I just solve the mystery, or is it just a coincidence?”
I sigh and resign myself to the undoubtedly invasive questions I’m about to be bombarded with. “Yes. You figured it out. Ezra is Davis’s brother, and yes, he’s a player, and also my neighbor.”
“Oh. My. God! This is amazing. Has he confessed his undying love for you?”
“No, we’ve only kissed, but—”
“If you’ve already kissed, what’s the problem?”
“We work together. I could lose my job if they found out we even kissed because of the no fraternization policy.”
“Was there anything in your contract about fraternization?” Wyatt asks.
I think back to the paperwork I skimmed, but I can’t remember. “I don’t know, honestly. I was so excited to get this job, I didn’t read the contract thoroughly.”
He looks like a disappointed dad when he says, “I would advise you to read every contract thoroughly from now on.”
“I had no reason to care about fraternization at that point because the idea of being involved with a player was laughable.”
“That’s obviously changed, so in this case, I would go back and read your documents.
If they didn’t make you sign a no fraternization contract, you’re under no legal obligation to follow that policy.
Utah is an at-will employment state, though, so they could fire you and say it was for a different reason. ”
I can’t help it, I loudly bang my head on the table letting out a groan. Wyatt chuckles softly.
“If you’re really serious about this man, I would talk to HR about signing a consensual relationship agreement to cover your legal bases.”
Is this what having an older brother who actually gives a shit is like? Brotherly help in the form of legal advice?
I lift my head and look at Wyatt, “Thank you. That’s actually really helpful.” Wyatt gives me a curt nod before he gets back to his burger.
“Can’t wait to meet this guy tomorrow at the game. Make sure he’s good enough for my baby cousin.”
“You’re literally only a year older than me, Levi.”
“Still. Gotta make sure he’s up to my standards since your last boyfriend was a piece of shit.”
“I think you’ll like him.”
But not as much as I do.
Lilah and I left Levi and his friends when they started talking about going to a western themed bar on the outskirts of Salt Lake that apparently has a mechanical bull and line dancing. My social battery was way past drained, so we made our excuses to head home.
As soon as we’re in the apartment, Lilah bolts to my bedroom, then comes out five minutes later wearing a black lace dress that shows a peek of her tanned stomach through the sheer lace in the middle.
Her lips are painted a sultry red, and she’s changed out of her fancy cowgirl boots into a pair of strappy black heels.
“Uh, where the hell are you going? I thought we were going to hang out and watch a movie?”
“I have a date,” she squeals, spritzing herself with perfume. “Well, kind of. Is it a date if we’re meeting at a bar for the sole purpose of going to his place to hookup?”
“I—”
“Anyway, I wasn’t sure if I was going to go, but after hearing you talk about your neighbor, I figured I’d give you two the privacy to get frisky.
” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Besides, you’re covering for me with Levi, since he cannot know I’m about to go get myself fucked, six ways to Sunday. ”
“I didn’t even know. Do you know this man? How are you going to get back?”
“I mean, we’ve been talking for a few weeks and we’ve had FaceTime sex.
I paid to have a background check on him, and I was planning on sharing my location with you.
If I’m not back tonight, I’ll get a rideshare back here in the morning.
We won’t be seeing Levi again until right before the game, so that’s plenty of time. ”
The overly cautious, anxious part of me is terrified of letting Lilah go out in a strange city to meet a man she hardly knows, but she’s twenty-six, and has clearly thought this through. I have to trust that she knows what she’s doing.
“If you’re sure…”
“I am. I need to get laid, and dating in Kanab is difficult since all the most eligible men are Levi’s friends. Blech. And you need to get laid, too. Invite your rugby player over and let him show you exactly what those thighs can do.”
“I—”
“Nope,” she pushes a bright blue painted nail to my lips.
“No excuses. You don’t need to have a plan, or schedule this one.
Stop overthinking and go get your man. But make sure you wrap it before you tap it because as cute as little Suttons running around would be, I’m not financially well off enough to be the rich single auntie yet. ”
“Are you done?”
“Yep! Kay, my ride is here. Love you, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! I’ll keep you updated on if I’m coming back. Byeeee.” In a flash, she’s out the door, leaving me alone.
Alone… with an empty apartment.
If Kendall’s home, he could possibly hear, but…
Fuck it.
I head out the door.