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SUTTON
The past few days have been hell.
Tracy hasn’t been satisfied having one-on-one time with Owen—she’s wanted me to be with them. I’ve gone along with it because the two nights I didn’t, Owen came home crying and saying he didn’t want to go out with her again.
When I asked why, he said she’s mean to everyone, including him.
So I’ve gone to dinner with them and had her back to the house until Owen goes to bed each night as a compromise for him not going to Arizona with her yet.
Sheismean to everyone. Every restaurant we’ve been to in Landmark Mountain gets a pinched expression of dread when they see her come through the door. Even Sally at The Pink Ski, and she’s nice to everyone. I didn’t think Mar was going to serve her on Saturday morning, but with Owen there, she softened.
And with me around, Tracy’s focus has been on me, not Owen. The few times he’s tried to bring up something he wanted to talk about, she shut him down and made him feel small.
She’s leaving early this afternoon and I can’t wait for her to be gone.
Owen asks every day when Felicity will be back, and I’ve said I’m not sure. I’ve texted her every day and she’s responded a few times, but she’s mostly been quiet. At first, I thought she was trying to give me space to figure things out with Tracy, but now I’m wondering if she’s having second thoughts about us. I know from Scarlett that she’s been staying in a condo at the lodge, and it’s made me feel better that Felicity has been hanging around my family since she’s been gone. At least she’s had fun. I’ve gotten texts from my brothers too, letting me know how they feel about her.
The gist: They love her and think I’d be the world’s biggest idiot if I didn’t try to date the woman. Even Callum said, “She’s quality, man. Don’t miss out by trying to be all proper.”
What we are doing behind closed doors is anything but proper, but I don’t tell my brothers that. I’d never hear the end of it.
When Tracy pulls up in her rental, I brace myself for one more interaction. I need the two-week break before I have to deal with her again.
“Owen, your mom’s here,” I call up the stairs.
Tracy steps in the back door, another thing that drives me crazy, but I’ve never told her I’d like her to knock.
“Looking good,” she says. “Is that a new sweater?” She walks over and puts her hands on my chest.
I stop her hands from moving up to my hair. “Tracy,” I warn.
“Sutton,” she says, mocking my tone.
“So you’ll be back Friday after next?” I turn and walk around to the island, stopping to wash my hands just for something to do to get away from her.
The next thing I know she’s behind me, pressed against my back.
I turn around. “Tracy, what are you?—”
She leans up to kiss me and I lift her up by both shoulders and move her back.
“Stop.” I move across the room, and when she starts to follow me, I lift my hand. “Don’t try it again, I mean it. I don’t know why you’re doing this when I’ve told you again and again that we’re not going there.”
Her face twists and for a second she looks like she might cry, but instead she laughs. “I know you want me, Sutton. You’ve spent time with me this week when you didn’t have to. You can’t tell me you’re not feeling something.”
“I’ve spent time with you and Owen because he wanted me to—no other reason.”
She starts to say something and stops, shaking her head. “We always come back to one another.”
“No, we don’t. Before we were married, yes, but we haven’t been off and on again since Owen was a baby.”
“I wasn’t ready then. I am now,” she says, moving closer and smiling.
“When I divorced you, I was done, Tracy. We’re not going back to anything. We have a son together and the best thing we can do for him is to be civil with one another, but there’s no way I’m having a romantic relationship with you again.”
“God, Sutton.” Her face crumbles and she really does start crying now. “Why are you being so cruel?”
“Because you’ve tried to have sex with me multiple times over the years and I’ve already made myself clear. Why do you keep pushing it?”
