Page 72 of Close to My Heart

We chose our flavors, then took our ice cream to the back of the shop where there were a few tables. The women sat with Faith and Izzy, and the rest of us stood around, talking about the move and the state of the farm.

“Did you decide to go with that marketing person you met with a few months ago?” Ryder asked.

“Charlotte was hired on a trial basis to do a few things for this past season. We need to talk about how effective her efforts were,” I said, knowing Teddy was blocking our attempts to get together. He kept saying he was too busy with work, or an emergency call would come up. But I had a feeling he just didn’t want to deal with the situation.

“I’ll help if I can,” Ryder offered, and I was quick to say, “Focus on your new position, and whatever’s going on with Stacy. We have a way to go before the next season.”

“How are things going with you and Sutton?” Ryder lowered his voice.

“Good.” It was almost too good.

“What happens when her grandmother dies, or she decides the obligation is fulfilled? When Sutton gets the house, what happens to you?” Teddy asked.

A chill ran through my body. “It was meant to be temporary.”

“You have feelings for her?” Ryder asked.

I swirled my spoon in the ice cream. “Of course I do. We were friends first. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“You’re the one who could get hurt in all of this. This is real for you, isn’t it?” Ryder asked.

“How would you know? You were only here for Christmas and our wedding.” I felt defensive.

“At the wedding, I could tell how you interacted with her, how you looked at her. It makes me wonder if I ever looked at Stacy like that.”

I shook my head. “It’s been so long since I saw you two in the same room, I don’t know.”

“I don’t know either, man. How messed up is that? You have kids. Real life sets in. Your work schedule. You’re coming and going and not making time for the relationship. I wonder if I’d gone on more date nights, brought home flowers, just made more of an effort, things would be different.” He stabbed his ice cream with his spoon.

“I don’t know enough about your relationship. But if that was the issue, wouldn’t it be easily fixed? You could do those things at any time.”

“Yeah, I guess. Maybe it’s too late.”

Teddy frowned. “Maybe Stacy wanted you to turn down the job and stay with her in Virginia.”

“She doesn’t want to move. That much is clear. But we always knew this was a possibility. If I want to move up in my career, a temporary reassignment is necessary. We’ve been lucky to have stayed in Virginia for as long as we did.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to relocate Faith for something that’s only temporary,” I said.

“I think it’s more than that. Even if I stayed, it might have come to this.”

“I’m sorry.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. A marriage coming to an end sucked. And it made me think of my own. How would I feel when Sutton decided ours was done?

18

SUTTON

Ever since we helped Ryder move into his temporary home, there was a niggling doubt in the back of my mind. Everything with Wes seemed so perfect. He was attentive and sweet. Our physical chemistry was off the charts. But what would happen when the ultimatum was fulfilled and the estate was mine?

Would we go our separate ways? This was only meant to be temporary after all.

Tonight, we were going to Grandma’s birthday party at the house. I’d helped plan it and needed to make sure it ran smoothly. I was nervous that our relationship would be put to the test.

I picked up a necklace I’d chosen for this evening, a simple diamond pendant, and attempted to close the clasp.

“Are you ready for tonight?” Wes leaned a shoulder on the door frame, looking handsome in the tux I’d bought him.

I was used to nights out like these, where my every move would be scrutinized and judged. But I didn’t want the same for Wes. “Are you?”

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