Page 30 of Double or Nothing

“What does surprise me is he’s coming back to town at all. After everything with his dad, I really didn’t think he would ever show up here again.”

The same thought has been running through my head since I walked out of Jack’s office. Mr. Cole is the reason Sutton was so adamant about getting out of Dodge. He wanted to put as much distance between them as possible. Not to mention he was desperate to prove his father wrong. The music Sutton loves and the talent he possesses were nothing more than a joke to his father. The man was an asshole at best and an abusive drunk at worst. It was no wonder Sutton wanted to get away as badly as he did. Hell, I wanted him to get away. I just never thought he would leave the way he did.

The minute Rocked Record offered him a contract, he boarded the plane to New York and never looked back. Not once. Not for me. Not for us. So, why now, after all this time, would he come back?

“There is only one reasonable explanation,” Callum states.

“Oh? What’s that?” I ask against my better judgment.

“He’s back for you,” they say in unison.

Attempting to stand from my seat, my body wavers, thanks to the amount of alcohol I consumed. Once steady, I sit back down out of fear of falling.

“No way. Sutton proved a long time ago he didn’t really give a damn about me.”

“I know it seems like that, but…” Liz says, her hand covering mine as she speaks. “You can’t be mad at him for following his dream.”

“If he just left to follow his dream, I wouldn’t be mad. That he gave me an ultimatum? That he didn’t even want to make things work between us? That’s why I’m mad at him, Liz. That’s why if I never see him again, it would be too soon. Sutton Cole is nothing more than a self-serving, egotistical jackass.”

“Here, here,” Callum cheers. Mostly because he’s drunk. Partially because he’s still mad, Sutton requested me and took him completely out of the running for what would have been his biggest client. And partially because he hates Sutton for what he did to me.

Liz reaches behind me and slaps Callum’s arm. “That may be true, but he’s an egotistical jackass you’re still in love with.”

“I am not,” I argue, the anger in her accusation making me slam my glass onto the counter.

Liz bursts into laughter. “Seriously, Kat?”

“Seriously. He didn’t give a damn, Liz. Not about me. Not about us.”

“Oh, please. He gives more of a damn than you are willing to admit. We all know every song the guy sings is about you,” Liz insists.

Maybe they are. Maybe they aren’t. Personally, I wouldn’t have a clue because I refuse to listen to him and his sinful voice. The things it did to me when we were eighteen and hanging out in my backyard are nothing compared to what they do to me now. One song. That’s all I ever listened to. My head and my heart reacted in ways they can’t… not anymore, not after what he did.

“I don’t give a damn about Sutton or his music,” I say, anger filling my voice. “All I care about is—”

“My career. Blah blah blah,” Liz taunts. “Quit spinning that story. The fact of the matter is you still care about Sutton, which is why you focus all your time and energy on your career. Besides, we all need something more than work in our lives, Kat. We all need—”

“If you even say love, I will slap you,” I say, cutting her off.

“Oh, catfight,” Callum exclaims, rubbing his hands together.

Liz glares at him. “Hardly.”

I have known Liz since we came out of the womb. Our mothers had been best friends, and we basically grew up inseparable. She’s like the sibling I never had than just a friend. Worst of all, she’s smart—too smart—which means she’s also usually right. It’s the one thing I hate about her. That’s why when she throws this Sutton shit at me, I don’t tell her to fuck off. I think it. I just don’t say it. Deep down, I know she’s saying it with the best of intentions. I just happen not to want to hear what she’s saying.

“Sutton being back in town…” Liz continues.

“Doesn’t change a damn thing.”

Liz shrugs. “There’s only one problem with that statement. You and I both know when it comes to Sutton, you can’t resist him. One look and every reason you hate him will vanish.”

“That’s true. That’s what I said,” Callum interjects.

“Why are you still here?” I ask, turning toward him. “Don’t you have someone to prey on?”

“I’m having fun giving you shit about lover boy.”

“Nothing is going to change how I feel about Sutton. I was a kid back then.” I blow off her very accurate observation. One look into those aqua eyes of his and I’m a goner. Always have been. “He sure as hell isn’t the boy I fell in love with anymore.”

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