Page 61 of Faking the Face Off

By the time I arrive at the ball with Anna, the whole team is there along with Ben and Molly, too. We’d asked everyone to wait outside by the valet, right at the main entrance. While Anna distributed the tickets to all of the guys and their dates, Ben, Molly, and I pulled the players aside to explain what Anna heard. As their faces reflected our inward shock, Ben and I both told them what we wanted to do and got their buy-in. Once everyone agreed, Ben and Molly sent them inside to their tables, leaving the four of us outside.

“Are you ready for this?” Anna asks, threading her hand through mine.

“More so with you here,” I say, squeezing her hand and pulling her closer, like a security blanket. “By the way, I don’t know if I said it earlier, but you look amazing.”

As she blushes and fights a little grin, Sutton’s voice echoes around us. “Oh, y’all. What a day.”

I turn around and find her standing there in a long black ball gown, looking like a queen. Her eyes bounce, landing on each one of the four of us individually for a moment, checking in. “Are you guys good?”

“I think we’re more than good.” Ben’s standing with Molly, gripping her hand as well. It’s like we’re both sucking the calming life force of our partners out of them to keep us grounded right now, and I’m okay in admitting it. If Anna wasn’t here, I’d be less tethered, that’s for sure.

“Good.” Sutton points to a car slowly sliding to a stop in the valet line. “Cause there’s my big brother.”

The five of us stand stock-still, in a line, waiting as Jimmy and Lara exit. When Jimmy sees us, I find it a little comical how relaxed he looks.

This man has no clue.

“Well, a welcoming committee headed up by my sister?” He takes Lara’s hand and weaves her arm through his as they stroll up to greet us. “You did not have to wait for us, Sutton. Very kind of you.”

“Not really waiting for you to greet you, Jimmy.” Sutton opens her purse and hands him a folded-up piece of paper.

“What is it?” Jimmy asks.

“It’s a signed document stating that as of”—she looks at her watch—“five minutes ago, I was instated as the sole owner and manager of the River City Renegades. This document will ensure your compensation and also give you a bit of a package for your exit.”

Jimmy laughs. “What? Oh, come on. What’s this?” His eyes bounce around to everyone before landing back on Sutton. “You’re serious?”

Sutton looks at Anna. Grinning, Anna holds out her phone and hits play on the recording. As Lara and Jimmy’s faces both go ghostly white, Sutton signals Anna to turn it off.

“I am.” She shakes her head. “You know, Dad wanted to give you something so you had a piece of the pie, so to speak. He didn’t give us the Renegades so you could inflate them,” she snaps, looking pointedly at Lara, who I swear shrinks a little, “and sell them off so you two could make some money.”

“So thatwewould make money,” Jimmy says, looking at his sister like she’s the crazy one.

“But I don’t want to do that.” She shakes her head. “No, Jimmy. What you’ve done is morally corrupt. You’ve messed with the team, their mental health, and to top it off, I find out you two have been skimming off their contracts for promotional and marketing work.”

Lara’s jaw all but slams on the pavement while Jimmy’s face goes paler still. The palest of the pale whites I’ve ever seen. It’s glorious.

“I can explain…” Jimmy begins, but Sutton laughs.

“I don’t care.”

“Dad wanted me to be a part of this with you.”

Sutton points at the paper. “Dad wants you out. Look at the paper. The whole board hopped on an emergency Zoom with me thirty minutes ago to push this through. Get it through your head, I’m done. He’s done. We’re all done.” Then Sutton looks at him and snickers. “But, best of all, you two? Are well done. Get out of here.”

Jimmy stands, stunned, as Lara creeps away holding their valet ticket and asking for the car to be brought around. At least she gets it. She knows where she’s not wanted.

But Jimmy? He’s still holding on.

“Sutton, surely you and Gavin don’t want to be alone in this. Mostly you, he’s not even here.”

“Jimmy.” Sutton shakes her head. “The thing about family is that we don’t get to pick who we’re related to. I used to reconcile you in my mind because we are family. I’ve stuck up for you, gone to bat for you. I’ve helped you to understand this business only to find out you’re flipping trying to do me dirty in the process. Me,” she says, tapping her chest. “Your family.”

When he doesn’t say anything, she goes on. “I didn’t choose you, Jimmy. I will always love you because we’re blood, but I do not like you.” She takes a giant breath through her nose and lets it out slowly. “And I’m in no hurry to find a way back. So be gone for now.”

For a very long and awkward moment, Jimmy stands with us. He finally shoves his hands in his pockets and turns to walk away, only Ben stops him.

“Wait,” Ben calls out. “We forgot one very important thing, Jimmy.”

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