Page 45 of Close to My Heart

With a grin, she kissed me softly, stealing all the air from my lungs. She pulled back way too quickly, and I took some deep breaths to recover.

We hadn’t kissed since that moment on the porch. There hadn’t been a reason to since we weren’t out in public. But I’d wanted to so many times.

We rode to her family’s house, decorated for the holidays. We got out in the front and went inside where a butler took our jackets. There were people milling about with glasses of champagne.

“This is where I’d like to hold the wedding.” Sutton led me to a room on the back of the house that was almost entirely windows. There were tables on one end and a dance floor on the other where a band was playing.

“What do you think about holding our wedding here? We could have the ceremony where the band is set up, and then change things out for the reception.”

“It’s nice.”

“It’s even more beautiful during the day when you can see the view of the gardens.” Sutton’s cheeks were pink, and her eyes were filled with excitement.

“You love this place.”

“I’m infatuated with the history. How each member of the family used each room. My great-grandmother added this room so she could see her beloved gardens. I’ve been reading through some of the journals in the attic to get a feel for the place. I’m always trying to add more details to the tour.”

Before I could respond, Evelyn appeared with Deacon at her side. “I see you made it.”

“Of course I came,” Sutton said as they hugged.

I shook Deacon’s hand.

“You have a ring,” Evelyn said, and Sutton dutifully held up her hand to be inspected. Evelyn sniffed. “I suppose that will do. Unless you wanted a piece of the family’s jewelry?”

“As much as I adore our family’s history, I like the ring that Wes picked out for me.”

I heard sincerity in her voice which bolstered my confidence. I’d chosen a round cut diamond with smaller ones encircling it. There was a filigree detail on the band that the jeweler had assured me would give the ring a vintage feel.

“Be sure to show Grandmother the ring.”

“Will do,” Sutton said with a smile.

“How are the wedding plans coming along?” Evelyn asked.

“Great. Wes’s sisters are helping me.”

I liked that Sutton had grown closer to my sisters. For so long, our relationship had stood on its own. But I wanted her to feel a part of my family.

Evelyn gave her a look. “If you want to hire a planner, the offer stands.”

“I want something a little different than one of our grand parties. Something with a more personal touch.”

“It’s your wedding,” Evelyn said, but her tone suggested she didn’t approve.

I understood that Evelyn and Deacon stood to get more cash from the inheritance if Sutton married, but it didn’t sit right with me. They had an ulterior motive, and it had nothing to do with Sutton being happy.

“We’ll hold it in this room, and I want to fill it with flowers. There will be so many we can smell them as we say our vows.” Sutton looked at me when she said that, and I forgot for a second that this wasn’t real. We weren’t in love, and the ceremony was a formality. A means to an end. A temporary one.

“It has to be classy and elegant,” Evelyn said.

A flash of pain crossed Sutton’s face. “It will be.”

“When the house is ours, we don’t want it to be open to tours anymore. We like our privacy, you know.”

Sutton frowned. “You know my plans are to open it up as a party space and to add more tours.”

“That’s just not possible. This is our home. You said it yourself. Our family’s history needs to be preserved, and that can’t happen if you turn it into a museum.”

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