Page 14 of Sutton and the CEO Forever

Sutton - One Month Later

Ithought I knew the definition of the word ‘tired’. It wasn’t as if I was a stranger to hard work. However, nothing could have prepared me for the twins. I felt like a zombie most days. A zombie with gigantic tits that leaked everywhere. I hardly ever knew what day it was, or even what time of the day. All I did was feed the babies and change diapers.

And don’t even get me started on my hormones. Avery would cry, then I would cry, and Evie couldn’t be left out of things. Mark often found the three of us wailing in unison. I also felt incredibly guilty that Mark was under so much pressure to run the company from Otterville Falls.

I knew it wasn’t easy and that he had been putting off some important things to stay by my side. But how fair was that? Mark loved Sutton Enterprises. He helped my father build the company, and it was as much a part of him as anything else. Was it fair for me to insist we stay in the country?

It wasn’t as if we couldn’t afford the best of anything and everything. The twins could have a wonderful life in New York. However, just the thought of leaving Otterville Falls had a lump developing in my stomach.

An entire month had passed quietly, without any news on the case. Perhaps it was time to go. I just didn’t want to leave yet. Candice and Knox, Earl and Martha, as well as Reena and Alice, were my family. Sure, we weren’t connected by blood, but they were a part of me just as much as I hoped to be a part of them.

Brian had even bought a small home here. He said he could use this location as a base just as well as anywhere else. And Otterville Falls felt like home to me. I wanted my girls to grow up with these people, but was it the best choice for our family?

“Hey baby,” Mark called out, poking his head inside the family room entryway. “What are you doing staring at the blank TV?”

I blinked and looked up, noticing that, indeed, the television had turned off. “Oh, um, I don’t know.”

It was easy to see the look of concern that came over him. Mark made his way into the room, careful not to disrupt the sleeping babies in their swings. Sitting beside me, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Sutton, I really think we need to take Candice’s advice and get a nanny. Two babies are a lot of work, and I can’t help out as much as I would like.”

“I just don’t like the idea of a stranger in the house,” I said stubbornly. This had been my excuse from day one. After letting Maggie in, I felt vulnerable. However, Mark was right: if I kept up this pace, I would likely burn out by next Thursday.

I heard a door slam, and then Brian called out, “Where are you guys?”

Mark winced when Evie started to stir. Before Brian could truly wake the girls, Mark hopped up to intercept him. They returned together to the family room moments later. Brian was sporting a contrite expression. Mark sat beside me, and Brian took the chair to the side of the couch.

“Sorry, Sutton,” he said quietly. “I don’t know much about babies.”

I smiled at him. “You’re fine. They’re still asleep.”

Brian cocked his head to the side. “Are you fine?”

Mark tensed. Clearing his throat, he said, “I would be careful here.”

Brian smirked at him. “I wasn’t about to say something cruel to my favorite sister-in-law.”

I grinned at him. “I’m your only sister-in-law.”

“Which only proves that you will always be my favorite,” he replied. “Anyhow, I only meant that you look tired. You both do, actually.”

Mark ran a hand over his face. “It’s definitely not a walk in the park. But we are making it through.”

I appreciated that Mark didn’t say anything about my stubbornness over hiring a nanny. However, it was past time that I got over it. “We need someone to come and help out,” I said. “Mark and I are thinking about a part-time nanny.”

In truth, we hadn’t discussed the hours of the new nanny, but Brian didn’t need to know that.

“Are you sure?” Mark asked with a hopeful glint in his eye.

I nodded. “Yes, it’s time. I just hope we can find someone out here.”

“I have an idea for you,” Brian said.

Mark’s jaw dropped open. “You? Since when are you an expert on childcare providers?”

Brian shrugged cockily. “I have skills you could never hope to obtain.”

While Mark scoffed at his little brother, I took in their similarities. They both had an olive complexion. But where Brian was bulky brute strength, Mark was built with leaner muscles honed from his nights running and his hours at the gym. Their flashing white smiles were eerily similar, as was the cut of their jawline. Both were extremely handsome men.

I couldn’t help but be happy that these two had been able to carve out a sibling relationship despite the fact that their father refused to acknowledge Brian.

---