Page 48 of Bound Hearts

My eyes flare, giving her a knowing look. We’re keeping the baby news to ourselves on this visit. We’ve gotten good at hiding it, anyhow.

She continues her slow wander, studying all of the photos. She points to one of the last on the wall of the corridor. “Your mom?”

“Yeah. Probably twenty years ago,” I reflect fondly and my eyes linger on the photo. She’s in a blue dress at a charity gala. “She always hated that my dad insisted she have her photo on the wall. My mom didn’t like attention on her. She was happiest when she could stay busy caring for others. That, and ensuring Roth Real Estate stayed true to the company's mission. Buildings have stories.”

Sutton smiles and entwines our arms together. “Sounds like an amazing woman. That reminds me, I’ve been searching for coconut cream pie recipes and figured I can make a list of every place we need to try in the city.”

It causes me to stall in the best possible way. She remembered. It is such a sweet and caring plan. You see, as the days pass, all of these little things come to light. Always a positive, only a positive. Every. Single. Thing. And more pieces of me are reserved for her.

“I would like that a lot. Okay, ready?”

She nods confidently. “Yep. I’m following your lead. I can call him Douglas. And be my smart self who most definitely is not…” She begins to mouth the word. “Pregnant.”

My lips twist from her mood today. It’s refreshing.

My dad must have heard us, because when we enter the living room, he’s already standing with a wide, welcoming smile.

“There you are. Right on time. I wasn’t sure when you would get here with the traffic. A lot of construction on Lake Shore Drive, and there is a home baseball game in the city, too.”

I walk to my dad, and he gives me a firm side hug. The kind where his hand firmly squeezes my shoulder. But his eyes have remained glued on Sutton, who stands behind me with a polite smile.

“And you must be Sutton.”

She nods. “That I am. Nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

"Now, I'm curious." My dad grins.

"Me too," I mutter.

My dad extends his arm to encourage us to sit down on the opposite sofa to him. “What can I get you two? A wine, afternoon gin and tonic…”

“No alcohol,” I blurt. Sutton swings her gaze to me. “I mean, I’m driving,” I add to save us.

“A water is fine, I’m working on some things this weekend since it’s a busy time at the office, and I need a clear mind,” Sutton lies. She’s become a pro at cover stories.

He nods. “Sure. Sammy,” he calls out, and Sammy, the butler who has been in the family my whole life, comes to the living room.

"Geez, not letting him have a weekend off?" I say.

My dad waves me off. “Relax. I’m having people over tonight for poker. He’s cooking us dinner.”

He turns his attention to Sammy. “Just some water and iced tea. A plate of snacks, too. Thanks.”

When he clears the room, my dad’s interest in Sutton takes full stage. “You work at Haven Crossroads, I hear?”

Sutton tucks her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, I started a few months ago in legal.”

“A lawyer, not bad.” He gives me an impressed look. “That’s how you met my son?”

“Sort of. She’s friends with Julian’s and Hayes’s significant others,” I add.

“We’re from the same town.”

He hums a sound. “Small world. Stars aligning then.”

There is silence for a little too long. Sutton and I look at one another, unsure of what he’s thinking. But I’m going to take a wild guess that it is business-related, to my dismay.

She clears her throat. “Uh… the photos on the wall. Lovely. I noticed a few are quite old.”