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She turns to me and smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Dread churns in my stomach while I wait for her answer.
“I am,” she says.
When we’re in Grinny’s driveway, I turn to face her. “You sure? You’re being awfully quiet.”
She lifts her shoulders and takes a deep breath, her smile feeling all wrong, and yet, she pats my arm and then lets her hand slide over mine. The gesture abates some of the apprehension and when she says, “I’m looking forward to this dinner,” I feel even better.
“Me too.”
“Me free,” Dakota pipes up from the back. “Actually four…years old,” she adds, giggling.
Marlow smiles and this time it does reach her eyes as she looks back at Dakota.
“We love the flowers,” she says to me. “Dakota noticed them right away.”
Dakota hums her agreement, and we get out of the car. When the three of us walk into Grinny’s great room, all eyes turn on us. This is the first time we’ve all been together since the wedding. Dakota runs over to Owen and they take off outside, while Sutton looks at us and smirks.
“The restraint I’m using right now is painful,” he says.
I level him with a look and he holds up his hands but makes a face.
“No teasing at all?” he asks, pouting.
“Shut it,” I say.
Sofie and Scarlett laugh, and I glance at Marlow, relaxing when I see her smiling. Since we haven’t talked to Dakota about us, I don’t know how comfortable Marlow is with this, but since Dakota’s not in here right now, maybe we’re okay.
“It’s down to us,” Callum says, elbowing Sutton.
“Well, no one is surprised that your grumpy ass is still single,” Sutton says, stretching. “But makes me think I need to get out of Landmark for a while. There must be something in the water,” he teases.
I throw a piece of paper at him, which is completely ineffective, but he pretends to be wounded anyway.
“All kidding aside, I’m very happy for you two,” he says.
Marlow frowns and tilts her head. “What are you talking about?”
The look on his face is priceless.
“Uh, I—” he stutters.
Marlow and I start laughing, and Sutton’s shoulders relax.
He chuckles, pointing at her. “I deserved that.”
“Well, I for one, could not be happier that the two of you are spending time together,” Grinny says, coming over to hug us. “I wanted to say so at the wedding, but I didn’t want to assume that you were together just because you danced together the whole evening…” She flushes and Sutton jumps on it.
“Speaking of…will Pappy be joining us this evening?” he says.
Scarlett and I both glare at him and he lifts a shoulder defensively.
Grinny frowns. “No, why would he be?” She looks at Jamison apologetically. “Not that he isn’t welcome here…”
He smiles at her but doesn’t say anything, and I wonder if he’s okay with the thought of his grandpa being with someone other than his grandma.
Itwasweird to see Grinny with someone other than Granddad, even for those few minutes.
“I was happy to see you having a good time, Grinny,” Sutton says, going over to hug her. “We all want to see you happy, and if you ever decide that you’d like someone in your life, we’re not going to make it hard for you. Are we?” he says, looking around the room.
