“Fine, you don’t want to talk? I’m going to talk,” Lincoln said. “Here are some things I know that are objectively true—one, you downed more alcohol tonight than I’ve seen you drink all year. Two, you’re mumbling some nonsense about Sutton leaving without actual proof. And meanwhile, three, she’s texting me, wondering where the hell you are.”
I snapped my head up, searching his expression for any sign of a lie.
“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod. “And your dumb ass is here, while she’s waiting for you at home.”
I pulled out my phone, my chest tightening at the number of notifications I’d missed from her. Anger, fear, and something that felt a hell of a lot like heartbreak all swarmed inside me, and I had no idea which would win out.
I’d spent forty years building walls no one could breach. But somehow, this woman had not only slipped through, she’d also made herself at home while she was at it. The thought of watching her walk away was fucking unbearable.
Unbearable but inevitable.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” I said, the fight draining out of me. “Even if she’s not leaving now, she’ll leave eventually.”
Both of them were quiet for long moments until Lincoln’s voice broke through the silence. “You sure it’s not you who’s leaving first?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Physically, maybe,” Declan said. “But you checked out the second you saw that email.”
“She deserves better than me anyway.”
Declan shrugged. “Probably. But for some reason I will never understand, she chose you.”
“I don’t understand it either,” Lincoln said. “I’m clearly the hottest Steele brother. And Sutton and I had a connection that night of the book fair. Before you?—”
“Shut the fuck up,” I growled, even though I didn’t have a right to. I’dneverhad a right to—not when Sutton had never truly been mine—and that only rankled more.
“Linc’s not the only one in town who’s interested,” Declan said like he wasn’t tearing out my heart with each word. “I know half a dozen guys who are ready to shoot their shot.”
“Shit, man, I was joking,” Lincoln said. “That’s not helping anything.”
“You got any other ideas on how to get through his thick head? Because you and I both know where this is coming from.”
Lincoln shook his head. “Don’t say it.”
“Why not? You know as well as I do, this all boils down to the asshole who left us with nothing but this bar. We’re still here, while he’s out there living?—”
“Don’t bring Dad into this,” I growled.
“I didn’t bring him into anything,” Declan shot back. “He’s been in it since the day he walked out.”
I shoved my stool back and stood. “I’m done with this conversation.”
“You might be done with it, but it’s clearly not done with you,” Dec said.
Clenching my hands into fists, I took a step toward Declan, who stood and met my glare with one of his own. Before I could land the punch I so desperately wanted to, Lincoln stepped between us and shoved us apart.
“Let me break up this little dick-measuring contest.Ihave the biggest. Both of you need to cool down.” He turned to me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “But Dec’s right. If your first instinct wasn’t to go with Sutton and instead just assume she’llleave, you need to deal with that shit. Before it ruins the best thing that’s happened to you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
SUTTON
I glancedat the clock hanging on the wall for the hundredth time, the hands reading 12:22 mocking me. At least it was in good company, along with my phone, which had remained silent despite the texts and calls I’d sent to Atlas after his dismissive bullshit earlier tonight.
It sounds like a great opportunity for you. I bet Laurel will love the bigger city. And don’t worry about the lease.
His immediate dismissal of me and what I’d thought we had was like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind straight out of me. It was proof in black-and-white that these past several weeks clearly hadn’t meant to him what they’d meant to me.
