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Everything about Charlie, everything about his family felt right. She fit in with them so easily; they were so good to her. And she and Everleigh had grown close like sisters in a short amount of time. But there was still part of Tatum waiting for the other shoe to drop.
She loved him. She was absolutely in love with Charlie Murphy. His sweet smile. The twinkle in his eyes. His big heart and his sense of humor. She loved the way he made her feel when they were with his family and when they were alone.
But she was still afraid to take hold of that love in both hands and hang on. Because Sutton could and would most likely show up any day unannounced. The thought tore Tatum in two. Sutton showing up now, barging her way into the Murphys’ lives made her cringe with embarrassment. She didn’t want them to know her little sister prized drugs, highs, above her family. She didn’t want the Murphys to know her sister had a baby when she was nineteen and dragged that little girl around like she was no more than a duffel bag of boring, necessary items like socks and underwear.
Tatum worried that Sutton would show up and elbow her way in and steal something from Charlie’s family. Their hearts, yes, because they gave them so readily. But Sutton was a thief. If she needed money, she saw nothing wrong with slipping a fifty from a billfold or pocketing a diamond ring to pawn for cash. Sutton had a mean streak that far outweighed any good things in her heart. If she didn’t steal money or trinkets for herself, she would do it to paint Tatum in bad light for Charlie’s family. Sutton had told Tatum once that she didn’t want Tatum to find love, to have her own family, because she would never have anyone other than Tatum.
Tatum didn’t want Charlie’s family to know she’d failed her little sister. With their mother gone and their dad absent most days, it had been Tatum’s responsibility to raise Sutton right. And somehow, she’d failed. If she’d failed at being a good big sister, how the hell would she ever make a good mother? Adele Murphy wouldn’t want the likes of her mothering her grandchild.
Thinking all those thoughts made her sick with guilt, too. At the same time. As angry and disappointed as she was with Sutton—and yes, those were the emotions she most often associated with her sister—she loved her. And she would always bend over backwards to bail her out. If a day came that her anger outweighed the love, the need to help, Tatum knew the guilt would bog her down. She would never be free of Sutton. Her sister would sabotage every relationship she would ever have.
Knowing Sutton wanted it that way hurt.
“Thank you.”
Adele’s long fingers curled around a chair and pulled it out from under the table. Tatum looked up as Charlie’s mom dropped to sit down with her.
“For what?”
“Coming to Joy’s party.”
“Thanks for having me,” Tatum answered simply.
“Joy’s had a rough go of it lately,” Adele continued. “Did Charlie tell you?”
“No.” Tatum sat back in her chair and reached for her mug.
“Are you busy? Do you mind if I sit for a few?”
“Of course not.”
Adele nodded. She looked around the coffee house, probably surveying her customers, making sure everyone had what they needed.
“Charlie probably doesn’t know the details.” She locked her eyes on Tatum again. “Joy and her husband wanted kids. She can’t. They just found that out. I think they spent some time talking about adoption.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Adele flinched and nodded. “I’m not sure there’s anything worse than a woman who wants a child and can’t have one. Maybe having a child and losing him or her.”
Tatum arched her eyebrows in silent agreement. She had wanted babies. Back before Sutton became such a handful. Now she wasn’t sure she should even try to have a child. She wasn’t good mom material.
She also felt a bit like a parent who had lost a child. Sutton wasn’t gone, but she wasn’t part of Tatum’s life, either. Not in any meaningful way.
“Falk moved out. The hell of it is they still love each other.”
Tatum nibbled on her lip, wondering why Adele was sharing so much about Joy.
“We’re a close family, Tatum,” Adele spoke softly, “but we’re not perfect. Not by any means.”
Had Charlie said something to Adele? About Sutton? About Tatum’s worry over how they would feel about her if they knew about her childhood?
“You have a wonderful family, Adele,” she said simply.
“Mm-hmm.” The woman nodded. “Lots of love. Lots of joy. And lots of heartache, too.”
Tatum squirmed in her chair and put her mug down.
“Did Charlie tell—”
