Sutton laughed, exasperated. “I’m the one who started this entire walking discission; I’m not going to let you walk by yourself. Senator Thompson, alone on the street, after dark? I’m not a monster.”
She semi-joked, but the idea of Charlotte walking somewhere alone after dark, especially knowing that there were, at times, vitriolic responses to her as a politician, didn’t sit well with her. No, she wasn’t about to do that.
Charlotte herself stood as firm as the Resolute Desk, arching a look at Sutton. “And you believe I would have you walk byyourselfat night? Please.”
Sutton opened her mouth to push against the remark, before Charlotte spoke again. “Sutton, I will have my car meet me at your home. If you don’t want the ride, I will walk you and then get a ride. Deal?”
She posed it liked a question, but it was already a solid plan. It was something Charlotte did so well, and Sutton could only admire her for it.
And she acquiesced, turning to walk in the same direction. “You are irritatingly good at getting your way.”
Charlotte winked. “It’s part of my charm.”
“Charm, right…” Sutton pushed her shoulder against Charlotte’s lightly, but then just stayed that close.
They walked in a companionable silence for a few moments before Charlotte checked her phone, reading something before she slid it back in her pocket without answering.
“That better not be work,” Sutton joked.
Charlotte knocked her shoulder back into Sutton’s. “It was Caleb. He and Dean are leaving for their trip to Italy tomorrow, and he is officially on vacation.”
Sutton nodded before her eyebrows drew down in thought. “So… you won’t be spending Thanksgiving with them?”
Charlotte looked up at her, shaking her head. “No, I likely wouldn’t have even if they were in the country; I don’t really have the time for a trip right now. Will you be returning home?”
Sutton thought back to the look on her mother’s face when they’d discussed Charlotte and felt herself flush. She cleared her throat. “Um, no. I’m actually hosting it, since Oliver and Lucas are going to see their wives’ families for Thanksgiving this year. My parents, Alex, and Ethan are going to come here.”
“Ah, that must be exciting for you.” Charlotte smiled, that little smirking grin. “Youloveto host; I know you do.”
Sutton rolled her eyes, the blush deepening. “I can’t help that I’m so easy to read, but yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
“How was their cruise? You said they’d been gone for two weeks?”
As always, Suttonshouldn’thave been surprised at Charlotte’s steel trap of a memory, but she constantly was. It was as though she filed away every little comment Sutton made—she’d texted about her parents’ vacation as a side comment to Charlotte over a week ago—to bring up later.
“They had a really good time… I think it helps my dad to get out and go dosomething, even if it is a vacation.” She paused before she said the first thought that came to her head anyway. “He’s like you, in that he just doesn’t really know what to do with himself now that he’s retired.”
Charlotte pulled a face. “Retirement. It’s a curse word for those of us who live for work.”
Sutton shook her head, knowing in her bones that she resembled her mother in that moment. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Darling, whateverwould I do with myself every single day without a purpose?”
Darlingknocked right into her. Shefeltit, which nearly caused her to stumble.
She felt it in several ways: in the way that she ignored to the best of her ability, the one that felt that endearment right into the pit of her stomach, right into the core of her. In the way that it was a word reserved for Charlotte and Charlotte alone. The way that she was the only person who’d ever called Sutton that word and… and that, after everything, she’d been the only person who’d ever looked at Sutton and touched Sutton and made her feel like she was darling and precious to Charlotte. Regardless of how legitimate that feeling was.
Most of all, she felt it in a way that softly resonated through her entire being. A way that felt right.
Still, she shook her head and did her best to steel herself against it as she looked at Charlotte. “You know,darlingisn’t what many people call their friends.”
“And I’m not many people,” Charlotte countered without missing a beat. She stared at Sutton, searching her gaze. “I believe, if my memory serves, that I called you darling long before anything else happened between us that didn’t qualify as friendship.”
A part of Sutton wished her own memory didn’t serve her so easily, but it did. She could so very easily picture it. “Your memory always serves,” she murmured as they walked. She tipped her face up to the sky, unable to stop herself from saying, “You said it to me before we even met in person.”
In those text exchanges they’d had, that’s when it had all started.
Charlotte smiled indulgently. It was unfairly attractive. Her look was fond and sweet but also tinged with an inherent sexiness. “Yes, I recall. You were just so darling. And you still are. You’ll have to live with that,” she added, her voice unfairly soft.
