Chapter 11 #2
“Oh, it is. Especially with my grandsons.” Rea settled into a chair, smile gleaming. “Eli, for instance, is entirely unavailable. Brilliant boy. Kind, sharp, and utterly married to his job.”
Jo went very still, exuding the kind of quiet that wasn’t natural so much as carefully constructed. Her eyes flickered to the floor and, if Sutton wasn’t so confident that Jo didn’t get flustered, she could have sworn the woman looked ready to burn rubber out of the kitchen.
Interesting, Sutton thought, filing that away. She'd have to poke at that pin sometime when Jo wasn't holding a knife.
“And Colter,” Rea continued, unbothered. Although Sutton was bothered—hot and bothered at the mere sound of his name.
This is going to be a problem.
“He’s only looking for a tumble between the sheets right now,” Rea said. “Which is perfectly acceptable, so long as everyone remembers that even the most enjoyable arrangements come with an expiration date.”
Add "expiration date" to the growing pile of things Sutton was not going to think about for the rest of the afternoon. Right underneath "the child currently promising a pinata Sutton can’t afford. ""
Jo cleared her throat. “Sounds about right.”
Rea sighed, dramatic and fond all at once. “If only my other grandsons would follow Boone’s example. Date quality women, make sensible choices, stop treating commitment like a contagious disease.” Her gaze flicked between the three ladies. “One can only meddle so much before resorting to bribery.”
Sutton smiled, already certain of two things: Lady Rea knew exactly what she was doing, and heaven help any man who underestimated her.
Vivi perked up immediately. “If either of you is in the market for a single man, I’m your girl. Give me five minutes and I’ll write a dating bio so good it’ll bring all the boys to the yard.”
“Pass,” Jo said as if that were the end of that.
Then all eyes turned to Sutton. Especially Rea’s, whose mischief smile was full of plotting.
“I’m more of a meet-in-real-life kind of person.” That line coming in as lie number three. Because even IRL, she’d meet a man and run in the opposite direction.
Rea grinned. “Perfect, because the yard is currently full of single, ready-to-mingle men.”
The others drifted toward the back door in a wave of noise and motion, and for just a moment it was only Sutton and Rea left in the kitchen.
Rea didn't move to follow, instead filling her glass with the unhurried ease of a woman who had never once been swept along by a room.
"You're not here for a man," she said pleasantly, not looking up.
Sutton went still. "Sorry?"
"The others come to these things hoping.
" Rea set the bottle down and looked directly at Sutton.
"You came here for a reason. Something you're trying to figure out.
I recognize the look because I wore it myself once, a very long time ago, at a county fair right here in Bridlewood.
" The corner of her mouth lifted. "Took me three days to admit what I was actually looking for. "
Sutton had absolutely no idea what to say to that.
"Take your time, darling," Rea said, moving past her toward the door with the serenity of someone who already knew how things would resolve. "But not too much. The good ones don't stay confused forever."
Then she was gone, and the kitchen felt considerably smaller without her in it.
Vivi hooked an arm through Sutton’s. “Let’s go meet them.”
Sutton followed her into the backyard, the smell of grilling food reaching out to give her a hug.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d attended a barbecue.
Oh right, it was at her ex’s house a few days before she found out about Lynlee’s intended parents wanting to bail.
And before he took off like a racehorse out of the chute.
Not wanting to unpack that emotional suitcase, Sutton looked out over the rest of the property instead.
The place was enormous—Montana-big, where fences disappeared into the horizon and apparently everyone owned more land than some small countries.
The yard around the house was wide and green, while farther out the barn and stables sat against the high sun like something straight off the cover of Rugged Cowboy Living.
She spotted Lynlee first, like she always did. In any room, any crowd, any chaos, the way she found the thing she was most afraid of losing.
Her daughter was at the edge of the pool with Parker, both shrieking and both completely unbothered by the size of the world around them.
Sutton watched her for a long moment and felt something move through her that she had no clean name for.
Not happiness exactly or guilt but something in between—with teeth.
Because Lynlee looked like she belonged here—on this ranch, in this family, in this yard full of Callahans who didn't know yet that she was one of them.
The worst part, the part that sat in Sutton's throat like a stone she couldn't swallow, was that Sutton had brought her here.
Had packed their bags and driven them straight into the middle of the thing she was most afraid of because it was the right thing to do, and she was still not entirely sure the right thing and the safe thing were one and the same.
She pressed two fingers briefly to her sternum, like she could hold the feeling in place, then let her hand drop before anyone could see.
Nearby, a stone-lined barbecue pit sat ready, smoke curling lazily into the air as neighbors chatted and laughed around it.
Sutton forced herself not to scan the crowd for Colter—refused, really—but it was like two magnets snapping together.
Her gaze found him immediately, leaning casually against the stone retaining wall, watching the frenzy of the party with that laid-back and measured intensity that made her heart stumble.
Then it fumbled because next to him, holding a glass of wine, stood Parker’s mom, Cheryl. She was dressed in a white dress—that did not need an iron—red cowgirl boots, and her hair looked like she’d just come from the beauty salon.
As a busy single mom of a preschooler, Sutton could barely pull off a dress let alone a white one. Leaving her to wonder, not for the first time, how other moms breezed through life without so much as a speck of glitter glue on their day.
She watched as Cheryl placed a manicured hand on Colter’s arm and laughed.
It wasn’t fake or for show, whatever he’d said had actually triggered a burst of joy.
Not that Sutton should be surprised. Colter had a way with females—furry and otherwise.
His smile alone could make a woman’s panties catch fire.
Which might explain why hers suddenly felt less like practical cotton and more like a workplace safety hazard.
“Sutton?” Vivi said.
She tore her gaze off Colter and told herself to pull it together. “Sorry, I saw Parker’s mom and was going to wave. But she looks busy.”
“Do you want to go over and say hi?” Jo asked with a knowing grin on her lips.
“Nah, I’ll catch her later. I don’t want to interrupt,” Sutton finished taking stock of the property. “How much land do they own?”
“It’s massive. The biggest in the county. And the property goes further than the eye can see.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Hard work and a lot of responsibility,” Vivi said. “Last year when I came to visit, part of the deal was I had to help with the ranch work. Needless to say, from one city girl to another, it was not my finest hour.”
“It was a total shit show,” Jo said.
Vivi threw her hands up defensively. “Hey! I did my best!”
Jo’s eyes roamed down to Vivi’s boots. “Pink boots, though? Really? Pink?”
Vivi smirked, wiggling her toes. “You can take the girl out of the city…”
“…but you can’t take the city out of the girl,” Jo finished for her, shaking her head like she was embarrassed to be associating with the city girls.
Vivi tilted her head, a curious sparkle in her eye. “How are you settling in?”
Sutton took a slow breath, scanning the yard like it might give her courage.
“It’s good. I mean, moving to a new place is scary.
And it’s a lot. Besides completing my program online at night, I volunteer once every week in Lynlee’s class, which I love—don’t get me wrong—but taking the time off work to do it is hard. ”
“Colter’s an understanding boss, though, right?” Vivi asked.
Jo let out a laugh that sounded like it belonged on a rodeo announcer’s mic. “Understanding? He’s understanding at everything. That’s literally the only reason he agreed to this blind date.”
Vivi crossed her arms defiantly. “He agreed because deep down he knows he’s ready for more than booty-calls.”
"He agreed because you cornered him at the coffee shop and refused to let him leave until he said yes,” Jo said. “There's a difference between ready and hostage."
And that was all Sutton needed for that zing to disappear. Colter was nice, sweet and a complete gentleman. But he was also a playboy. He might as well have morning after optional tattooed on his forehead.