“I’m afraid he’s right. She donated a stuffed owl last month, and I swear it’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. We had to put it out back. The kids are all afraid of it.”
Sutton relaxed back against the couch. “I don’t have anything that bad to donate.”
“Good. That thing gives me the willies every time I go to the storage room.”
“Why don’t you just throw it away?”
“I’m too afraid Mag will ask what happened to it.”
Sutton understood. She remembered Cash’s grandmother well. The woman was terrifying, a cantankerous woman who made everyone dread running into her. She could cut you to the quick with her remarks. She wasn’t the sweet, grandmotherly type; she was an outspoken woman who made no attempt to filter what came out of her mouth, whether or not the recipient wanted to hear her opinion.
“How is your grandmother doing?”
“Mean as ever, but she’s playing nice right now.” Cash’s eyes twinkled. “I’ve threatened to not let her great-grandchild around her if she doesn’t behave.”
“You’re pregnant?” Sutton asked, glancing back and forth between the two.
Rachel nodded, taking Cash’s hand in hers. “We just found out a couple of weeks ago.”
“Congratulations,” she said sincerely. At one time, hearing of someone’s pregnancy would have wounded her. Now all Sutton felt was happiness that the couple was going to experience one of life’s greatest joys.
“Thank you.” Rachel stood up, releasing Cash’s hand. “Let’s eat before dinner gets cold.”
They moved to the dining room where Sutton sat down in a chair at the table Rachel had obviously taken pains to set.
When she had first started dating Tate, Rachel had been self-conscious about the difference between their two families. Sutton’s family was one of the wealthiest in Treepoint, whereas Rachel’s was one of the poorest. Sutton had made the mistake of inviting Rachel and her brothers to dinner at her home one time, and her mother and father had looked down on them.
“It looks beautiful,” Sutton complimented, appreciating the fresh flowers sitting on the middle of the table.
“Thank you. I’ll just be a minute.”
“Do you need any help?” Sutton started to rise from her chair.
“I have it under control. Stay and keep Cash company.”
Sutton sank back down into her chair as Rachel left to go into the kitchen. She didn’t try to break the strained silence that followed.
“You’re looking good, Sutton.”
“Thank you.” She began playing with her fork. “You do, too. Marriage agrees with you.”
“I’ve never been happier in my life.”
“It shows.”
“You?”
Sutton gazed directly back into his eyes. “I’m in a good place.”
“That’s good to hear. How long are you staying in town?”
“I haven’t decided.” Sutton shrugged. “Not long. I want to finish cleaning out Pap’s house and then decide if I want to sell or not.”
“Houses in Treepoint aren’t exactly selling right now, and some people in town won’t want to buy what they’re already getting for free,” Cash hinted. “Some could even get angry.”
“I didn’t care about being popular, even in high school.” Her eyes darkened with memories as she remembered the cruel gossip that her so-called friends had participated in after her breakup with Tate.
“You could always set the record straight.”
“Why would I do that? It didn’t matter then, and it doesn’t now,” Sutton stated matter-of-factly.
“Don’t sit there and fucking lie to me about the gossip not hurting you. I tried to tell everyone I didn’t touch you, but with my reputation, no one would believe me. You didn’t even try to defend yourself.”
“What would have been the point? They wouldn’t have believed me either, not after Tate saw us together that morning.”
“You could have told him that you got into an argument with your dad when I came to pick you up and fell down your steps. You almost broke your damn neck, and would have, if I hadn’t managed to catch you before you hit the landing. You were bruised. You could have shown Tate. You could have made him believe you if you had wanted to, Sutton. Why didn’t you?”
“Have you ever heard the saying, ‘If you love something, set it free, if it comes back to you, it’s yours; if it doesn’t, it never was’?”
“Shit. You were testing Tate, and he failed, didn’t he?”
“It wasn’t a test, Cash. I knew I was putting too much pressure on Tate. He had the responsibility of his brothers and Rachel, but I loved him so much I couldn’t help myself. You heard the argument between me and my dad. He would have made sure Tate went to jail when he went to court.”
“So you were keeping Tate out of trouble and giving him time to come to a decision about your relationship?”
“Yes. I knew when I did it that I was taking a chance I would lose him,” Sutton said softly as she stared down at the table, lost in the past.
“Tate was a dumb fuck then, and he’s not changed.” Cash’s voice was laced with fury.
“This is one time I won’t disagree with you,” Rachel said angrily.
Sutton’s eyes jerked to the doorway. She had been so lost in the past that she hadn’t seen Rachel reenter, carrying a platter of grilled steaks.
It was now or never. Sutton wanted Rachel to know the truth.
“I was going to talk to you later in the evening. I always felt guilty about leaving you, Rachel. I felt like you were my little sister, and I didn’t want you still hating me after all this time. Life is too short, and I wanted to make sure you knew that, when Tate and I broke up, it wasn’t a betrayal of our friendship.”
Rachel set the platter of steaks on the table before coming to stand next to her chair. “I was so angry at you, but I missed you, Sutton, so badly.” Tears glistened in Rachel’s eyes. “Every time I saw my friends, who are sisters, together, it would make my missing you worse. Then I would resent you for not being there.”
“I’m sorry, Rachel. I really am.”
Rachel nodded. “I believe you.”
Sutton stood up from the table. “I’ve missed you just as much. I came into town and saw you graduate. I even saw you get married,” Sutton confessed. “Cash called and told me he was hoping for a shotgun wedding. I sat in the back of the church.” She laughed. “No one even noticed I was there with the spectacle your brothers made.”
Rachel winced. “Don’t remind me.” She reached out, giving her a hug. “I’m glad you’re back, Sutton. I hope you stay long enough for us to become friends again.”
Sutton hugged her back. “I’d like that.”
Rachel released her. “Good. Now let’s eat before the food gets any colder.”
As they ate, Rachel told her about working for The Last Riders. Sutton was surprised a motorcycle club actually ran a legitimate company. What didn’t come as a surprise was that Cash was a member.
“I bet that gave all the gossips something to talk about for a while.”
“Most of the town was afraid of them when they first came to town, but now they’re pretty much accepted by everyone.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Cash countered.
“Well … not as afraid. I’ll have to set up a lunch with my friends to introduce you to them. Do you remember Lily and Beth Cornett? They’re married to two of the members. Winter Simmons is, too. She was one of the teachers before she became principal.”
Sutton ate as she listened to Rachel, dreading when the topic of conversation would turn to her. She had taken a bite of apple pie when the unavoidable happened.
“So, what have you been up to since you left high school?”
She swallowed her bite of dessert before answering with the rehearsed reply. “I went to college and graduated. I work in pharmaceutical sales and then volunteer part-time to help people who are sick and can’t afford the medicine my company sells.”
“I thought you wanted to be a lawyer.”
“I changed my mind,” Sutton said abruptly.
“I didn’t …” Rachel looked at her intently. “I’m sure it’s very fulfilling for you to help others in need.”
“It is,” Sutton agreed, setting down her glass of tea.
“What charity is it? Perhaps Cash and I—”
She shook her head. “I didn’t come here to get donations, Rachel.”
Both Cash and Rachel stared at her, and Sutton bit her bottom lip.
“Why don’t you tell me what you do want from me?” Rachel asked.
Cash’s hard face stared back at her. She could tell he was very protective of his wife and the child she was carrying. Suddenly, she knew it was wrong of her to ask Rachel for her help.
Sutton stood up. “Nothing. I just wanted to clear up any hard feelings between us. I better be going. It’s getting late. Thanks for dinner. Night, Cash, Rachel.”
Before they could say anything, she rushed out the door and onto the front porch.
“Sutton! Wait!”
Sutton turned at Rachel’s voice, keeping her face impassive as Rachel came out farther onto the porch, closing the door behind her.