Sutton had handledthe pre-dinner small talk with an ease that was lost on me. Though that wasn’t a surprise. She had away of charming anyone who met her, and my family was no different.
Sutton sat to my right, Laurel next to her, as Lincoln smirked at me from across the table and Declan stared with disinterest.
When Mom strode in and placed a bowl of her homemade spaghetti in the middle of the table, Lincoln immediately reached for it. “Looks great, Mom.”
With a quick slap to his hand, she said, “Guests first. What’s the matter with you?”
“Yeah, Linc, what’s the matter with you?” Declan parroted like he was ten years old all over again.
“It’s Mom’s spaghetti.” Lincoln gestured to the bowl of pasta. “And I’m hungry.”
“I’m sure Sutton and Laurel are too,” Mom said. “I hope you both like spaghetti. I asked Atlas what your favorite meal was, and all he did was grunt before dashing out the door.”
Sutton shot me an amused look before smiling at my mom. “It is one of Laurel’s favorites, so you made a good call. It’s usually one of the first meals I make when we get settled in a new place.”
“Atlas told me you’re a traveling nurse. How do you like it?”
Sutton dished up a helping of spaghetti before passing the platter to Laurel. “It has its ups and downs like any job, but I’m happy with it. It’s allowed us some adventures we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
“And how about your next adventure? What are your plans for that?”
Sutton glanced over at me, an emotion I couldn’t name in her eyes. Then she shot my mom a smile. “Haven’t quite figured that out yet.”
The thought of her and Laurel leaving at the end of her contract at the clinic made this boulder in my stomach sink evendeeper. But maybe that was exactly what I needed—a reminder that she’d never intended to stay.
Before my mom could poke any more and ask the questions I was afraid I already knew the answers to, Sutton said, “Atlas told me you all get together for a weekly family dinner. It’s nice you’re able to do that.”
“Isn’t it? I wish Xander didn’t live so far away, but you have to let your babies fly. I’m sure your parents feel the same.”
I stiffened, my gaze darting to Sutton. I knew enough about her relationship—or lack thereof—with her parents to realize she probably wouldn’t want to discuss it. And definitely not at first meeting.
But her expression was calm, her body relaxed as she said, “I’m actually not sure. I haven’t spoken to them since Laurel was born.”
Mom split a glance between the two. “Ah. That must’ve been hard. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.” Sutton leaned her shoulder into Laurel. “We make a pretty good team.”
My mom smiled. “And now a trio with Atlas.”
“That’s been a nice surprise. I hadn’t been counting on him when we moved to town.”
“Ihadn’t been counting on him looking like he was going to murder someone in the bar,” Lincoln said before shoveling a forkful of pasta into his mouth.
“I wasn’t going to murder him,” I grumbled. At least not in front of all those witnesses.
“Looked kinda like you were, man.”
Sutton laughed. “Hedoeshave that look about him, doesn’t he?”
“Always has,” Mom said, the fondness in her voice unmistakable. “So, how are you two liking Starlight Cove so far?”
Laurel stuffed her mouth full of spaghetti and gave a noncommittal shrug. Smart kid, that one.
“She’s being a bit of a teenager about it,” Sutton said with a smile. “It’s different from what we’re used to, but we’re settling in. You sure do have a lot of festivals, though, don’t you?”
Dec snorted. “Too fucking many, some would say.”
“Declan!” Mom snapped. “Not at the table in front of guests. And a child, at that!”
