Page 33 of The One Who Never Left: Colter

Cheryl rested her palm over her chest. “Isn’t that sweet. You give the rest of us hope. Doesn’t she, Sutton?”

The idea of love gave her something—but it wasn’t hope. Hives were more like it. However, she kept that information to herself and simply nodded.

“I’m going to go check on the other guests,” Vivi said. Putting a hand on Sutton’s shoulder, she added, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t hiding out by the food.”

“Caught me,” Sutton said. “But I’m going to check in on Lynlee in a second.”

“I can do that,” Vivi said. “She and Parker are down by the stables with Boone. He’s showing them the new baby goats.”

“Lynlee must feel like she’s floating on cloud nine,” Sutton said. “You and your family are so generous and welcoming.”

“That’s because you’re good people, Sutton. Don’t forget that,” Vivi said. “Now be sure to try the artichoke dip. It’s to die for.”

A thousand calories later, Sutton decided that she might need something healthier than chips and dip, so she grabbed a melon skewer from a vase.

She’d just taken a bite when someone said, “How are the melons today?”

Sutton looked up at that someone and groaned. Colter was standing two feet from her while she was devouring a melon skewer, with an amused grin on his lips. It was funny how he could go from a small-town gent to a flirtatious fuckboy in under two seconds.

Ten minutes ago, he’d been laughing with Cheryl and now he was flirting with her. It was a harsh reminder of why her hormones weren’t calling the shots anymore.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

That earned her an amused smile that was a million watts bright and brought out those two double-barreled dimples. “It’s my house.”

“No, I mean why are you here, asking about my melons, when you have a harem waiting with bated breath for a second alone with you?”

“Maybe because I have a harem of women waiting for me with bated breath. But it’s nice to know that you’re keeping tabs on me.”

“I wasn’t keeping tabs and you’re annoying. Did you know that?”

“I’ve been told I was handsome, charming, even magnetic, but never annoying.”

“Then you’ve been talking to the wrong people.”

“Are you saying you’re the right people?”

Sutton had no doubt she was the right person, just not in the way he’d implied. She could already see it, how her daughter would slide into his family like she’d always belonged there, how easily she’d be folded into Sunday dinners and loud conversations and a life built on showing up. That kind of fit didn’t come from chemistry or charm but from choosing people who stayed.

“I’m saying you’re ridiculously annoying,” Sutton said.

“I saw you talking with Aiden. How did that go?”

If she wasn’t so sure he had zero interest in her, she’d think he was jealous.

“Great,” she said. Making that lie number four. “He’s sweet and nice.”

“Sounds like he’s a golden retriever.”

“What’s wrong with a golden retriever?”

“Next to the nice and sweet is boring and predictable. You don’t strike me as the predictable kind of woman.”

Rich, coming from the man on a self-imposed diet made entirely of avoiding her.

If she’d been into golden retrievers, her life would’ve been blissfully simple—walks, loyalty, and zero emotional surprises. Instead, she’d developed a tragic fondness for charming, easygoing men with playboy energy and an allergy to commitment. Clearly, her instincts deserved less trust and more supervision.

“Then you don’t know me very well.” Lie number five. Between coffeehouse run-ins and working alongside Colter, he knew more about her than most people.