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After giving me a night I never even knew to dream of, I should’ve expected a withdrawal from him today. And it wasn’teven that he withdrew as much as he still treated us like we were a casual thing, when I was thinking last night had changed things for us.
It still doesn’t feel resolved. He still believes I’m too young to decide anything and that I’ll eventually need more than him, and I don’t know what to say about that beyond what I’ve already said. All I can do is prove it to him over time.
It still stings, though, and I try not to let my wounds show. I was honest with him about it hurting me, and if I take it beyond that, I feel like I’ll prove his point. He’ll think I’m an immature kid unable to take it when things don’t go my way.
He’s treated me carefully since our talk this morning, extra sweet. I want to pretend like I didn’t have a tearfest in front of him, and yet, I’m glad he knows how I feel.
The festivities are already well underway in the stadium. Laughter and the sounds of people cheering and talking and music coming from the suites make it feel like the game has already started. Weston called while I was getting ready and he’s nervous, but ready. I look for him out on the field and see him tossing the ball with one of his teammates.
“Felicity, there you are,” my mom says, coming over to hug me. “I can’t believe we haven’t even seen you this whole weekend until now!”
“I know. It’s been a quick trip,” I say.
As I’m letting go of my mom, my dad reaches out and shakes Sutton’s hand.
“Good to see you again, Judge Landmark,” he says.
“Call me Sutton,” Sutton says, smiling.
“Hi, Dad.” I hug him next and he squeezes me extra tight. “Where’s Olivia?”
“She’ll be coming closer to game time,” Mom says. “We just wanted to avoid the traffic as much as possible.
I nod.
“Where’s Owen?” Mom asks. “I thought Weston said he was coming.”
“That was the plan. My sister was coming too with her boyfriend Jamison?—”
“Zac Ledger’s brother,” I say with wide eyes.
Sutton laughs. “Right, Zac’s brother. But Owen’s greatest wish is to own a puppy, and my sister’s dogs just had puppies. He was excited about the Super Bowl, but the puppies knocked it down a notch.”
Everyone laughs and we pause when a server comes by with a tray of drinks. “Vodka tonic, lemontini, or old-fashioned,” she says, pointing out the array of drinks.
“Ooo, I’ll have a lemontini,” my mom says.
“Me too.” I grin.
My dad takes an old-fashioned, and Sutton does too.
My proper judge who can be so very sinful.
I see him leaning over me, his muscles straining as he tells me totake it, all of it, our bed slamming into the wall in perfect time like a metronome.
My cheeks feel hot and I press my drink to one side, letting it cool me down.
“How’s work going? What have you got this one doing for you this week?” Dad asks, grinning at Sutton.
“Oh, I—” Sutton looks at me, and I square my shoulders.
“I watched Owen. Sutton had an especially hectic week, so I took Owen to school and picked him up, and then most days, we went to Scarlett’s to see the puppies. He’s getting ready for hockey tryouts soon, so next week, I’ll try to get him to the rink more, but this week, it was all about the puppies.”
My parents stare at me in stunned silence and then at Sutton.
“I’m Owen’s nanny,” I add.
“But we thought you were working at the courthouse,” my mom says.
