Page 15 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

But I do.

After all the events we’ve sat through together, all the awkward brunches, I notice.

Then, like it never happened, his grin grows even wider than before.

“Really good.”

“Good to hear that.” Dean points to River. “This is my girlfriend, River. River, meet Sutton Barnes. We went to high school together. He was in the same grade as Holland, but because he was such a star out on the field, we played varsity football together.”

“Barnes?” River’s brows lift. “LiketheBarneses?”

Another slip in his mask. “Yep,” Sutton answers. “Same ones.”

“Wow.” River whistles. “The empire your family has built…it’s amazing. I’m a businesswoman myself, so I can respect anyone who has worked as hard as your family has to have what they do.”

“Thanks. I—”

“What are you doing here, Sutton?” I interrupt.

It’s rude, but I don’t care.

I got away from Wells Springs and here he comes, the one person I hate the most, crashing into my new haven like he owns the place.

“This place has the best pie.” I narrow my eyes at him as he evades my question, but he doesn’t care. “I tried to get a slice of cherry but they were sold out.”

River giggles—giggles!—pointing at herself. “That would be my fault.” She bumps Dean’s shoulder with hers. “We’re kind of known for stealing all the cherry pie here.”

“I’ll have to keep that in mind for next time.” He smiles at her, and it’s the smile that makes girls toss their panties his way.

If River wasn’t madly in love with my brother, I’d be worried she’d fall for his shit like I did once upon a time.

“Are you in town for long?” Dean asks. “You have an aunt in the area, right?”

Aunt? I didn’t know Sutton had an aunt.

“I’ll be around for a while” is all Sutton says. “We’ll have to get together sometime, grab a beer and catch up. I hear you’re coaching football now.”

Probably from our mother. Even though Dean doesn’t do the whole charade anymore, she still brags on him all the time.

“Just middle school, but yeah. It’s better than not playing at all.”

“True.” Sutton tucks his hand in his front pocket. “Well, let me know about that beer. I have a date I have to get to.”

I mentally roll my eyes.

Of course he has a date. Why wouldn’t he?

He turns his golden eyes on me. “It was good to see you, Holland. It’s been too long.”

“Not long enough,” I say through a forced smile.

He chuckles, nods at Dean and River, then finds a seat on the other side of the restaurant. It’s nowhere near far enough away. I can still see him from here, and I bet that was his goal.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you weren’t a fan of him,” River deduces, eyeing me closely.

Dean leans against the table. “It’s just an old war of theirs. They competed at everything. And then one time Holland pantsed him in front of the country club, and Sutton paid her back by making her sit in chocolate pudding so everyone would think she shit her pants. Stupid pranks that went too far. Right, Holls?”

“Right.”So, so wrong.

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