AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sutton startles at my touch, her eyes widening in surprise. She turns toward me, her lips curling into an easy smile as she recognizes me.
"Would you like a drink?" I ask, my voice tinged with warmth.
"Could you get me some water?" she responds, her words muffled by a mouthful of chips.
"Of course," I reply, and I leave Sutton and Ronan to their conversation. Quietly, I slip out of the bustling kitchen and venture into the garage to grab a couple of bottles of water.
Returning to the lively scene in the kitchen, I find that my brother and his wife have now joined Sutton and Ronan at the island, blending into the gathering seamlessly.
I reclaim my position behind Sutton, my hand gently guiding her backward as it splayed across her stomach. In the midst of the movement, a solitary chip slips from her mouth, prompting a swift, playful elbow to my side.
"You just made me lose a chip," she complains.
With a sly smile, I respond, "I'll get you another."
Sutton raises an eyebrow, her gaze filled with playful skepticism. "You have dirty fingers, don't even dare."
A mischievous grin spreads across my face as I counter, "You weren't complaining about my dirty fingers earlier."
Sutton's cheeks flush at the subtle insinuation, and she briefly scans our surroundings, likely checking if anyone caught wind of our exchange.
To our surprise, they did. Unlike Sutton, those around us find my jest amusing, perhaps because it was a break from my usual demeanor, adding an unexpected element of surprise to the moment.
My brother's gaze traces Sutton, like he's attempting to decipher who she is and why she's here. He clasps a hand on my shoulder, a mix of surprise and disbelief in his voice. "I thought Mom was lying when she called to say that you have a girlfriend, and she's here visiting."
I glance over at Sarah, hoping for her support, but she breaks into a wide smile, shattering my expectations. Leaning in, she gives me a side hug before bending down to embrace Sutton.
Pulling away, she introduces herself with warmth, "Hi, I'm Sarah! It's so nice to meet you!"
Sutton squirms slightly in my arms, her smile gentle, as she acknowledges my brother and his wife. "It's nice to meet you too."
Ronan interrupts, his tone lighthearted but brash, "What about me? Aren't you happy to see me? It's been a while. I was expecting a baby from you guys by now."
My brother rolls his eyes in response to Ronan's jest. "We're still young, no need to rush it." He leans over and playfully swipes a chip from Ronan's hand. "What about you? Are you lonely now that Linc is too busy for you?"
With a smirk, Ronan quips, "I just figured that if I spent enough time with them, it would turn into a throuple type of situation."
Sutton huffs playfully, feigning annoyance. “I’m your dreams.”
“Every night,” Ronan replies with a wink, before diving back into the food.
I continue catching up with my brother when Sarah's voice cuts through our conversation. She's clearly concerned, her words urgent. “Have you seen Charlie? She was looking for you earlier, and she looked flustered.”
I scan the room, hoping to catch sight of Charlie. “No. Did she say what she wanted to talk to me about?”
Sarah shakes her head. “After I told her I haven't seen you, she darted away.”
Sutton, curious, asks, “Who's Charlie?”
“My cousin. I've shown you a picture of her before.”
Sutton ponders for a moment. “She has long black hair, right?”
I squeeze her waist affectionately. “That's the one.”
“You should go try to find her. It might be important.”
“Yeah, you're right. I probably should. Come help me look.”
