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It was time to come clean. And he would do it at dinner tonight. Not only because he had to, but because he wanted to. He told himself he couldn’t seduce her while she thought he was Sebastian. But he wanted her. Badly. And the only way he could have her was to explain who he really was. And then, if she didn’t hate him when he was done, maybe they could take their relationship to the next level.
It was a risky prospect, but he didn’t have a choice if he wanted to
see Lauren again. Simple as that.
Sutton made reservations that night at The Glass House. He knew Sebastian had already taken her there, but he was limited on options in Royal. Unless they wanted to go to the Silver Saddle Bar or the Royal Diner on Main Street, it was The Glass House or eating at the club. Lauren really should open a place here in town. Royal needed another great dining option and she was the perfect person to do it. If he wasn’t in such a pinch, he’d bankroll it himself.
But considering all he really had left to his name was his white Audi R8 Coupe, he’d have to wait until all the crap with Wingate Industries blew over.
Tonight, he dressed like Sutton, not his brother. He chose his favorite gray suit and a navy silk shirt. No tie. He hated wearing ties. Then he fixed his hair in the messier style he preferred and wore his cologne of choice. It was a relief to finally step out the door as himself. Being his brother was frustrating and frankly—a little boring.
When he pulled up in front of Lauren’s house, he watched her step outside with a wrinkle of confusion between her brows. He got out and opened the door for her to get inside.
“What happened to the BMW?” she asked. Then she turned to look at him. “And what happened to you?”
Sutton grinned. “I decided to let it all hang out tonight,” he said. “I’ll explain more at the restaurant.”
She looked at him curiously, but got into the car without any more questions. “I’m surprised you suggested we go back to The Glass House,” she remarked as they drove toward the Bellamy Hotel. “But then I noticed their seasonal menu has completely changed and I didn’t mind so much. They’ve added a few amazing new dishes.”
Lauren continued speaking with enthusiasm about the food and what she was going to order tonight. While Sutton appreciated the excitement that emanated from her when she talked about her passion for food, he barely heard a word she had to say. All he heard, all he could think about, were the worries in his own head. How would he tell her? When should he do it? Right away? Maybe wait until dessert? Was he only delaying the inevitable demise of this relationship?
Probably. But every moment he got to spend with Lauren was a gift. And she looked especially lovely tonight. She was wearing a sexy little black dress that clung to her delicious curves and showcased her shapely legs. It was like a sucker punch to the gut the moment she opened the door. And if she’d worn it alone, they might never have made it to the restaurant. But it was a cooler night, so he waited as she put on a demure cream sweater with shiny pearl buttons. It covered a lot of skin, but also drew his attention to her exposed collarbones, long neck and bare earlobes. He immediately wished he could buy her a strand of pearls and matching earrings to wear with that outfit. The old Sutton wouldn’t have thought twice about making that purchase. He might even take a detour on the way to the restaurant to buy it on the spot at the local jewelry store.
But this Sutton just pasted on a smile, swallowed his irritation and walked her to his car. The situation with his family wouldn’t last forever. And when they were vindicated and things went back to normal, he would buy her that necklace. Even if she wasn’t speaking to him any longer.
“Sebastian?” Lauren asked after they’d been driving for a few minutes.
He snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that for now, he was still answering to his brother’s name. “What?” he asked.
“I asked you what you thought about the red snapper.”
“Fish isn’t my favorite,” he said.
“Didn’t you get the grouper when we went there last time?”
Damn it. This charade needed to be over so he could stop worrying about every word that came out of his mouth. “I did. Grouper is fine. I just meant red snapper. I’ve always thought it smelled too fishy to me,” he said, hoping that would patch his mistake for now.
“It’s actually a very mild fish, a little nutty and almost sweet. You should try it.”
“Maybe,” he said, dismissing the conversation as they pulled into the hotel parking lot. Sutton opted to valet the car, tipping extra to keep it close. He didn’t need the valets going on a joyride in his baby. And once he told the truth, the date could end sooner than he expected. Might as well keep it on hand, just in case.
Once they were settled into the restaurant, food ordered and wine in hand, he decided it was time. He couldn’t put this off anymore.
“Lauren, I need to talk to you about something.”
Her eyes widened slightly as she set down her wineglass. “What is it?”
This was it. He just had to say the words out loud the way he’d practiced them in his head. “I told you the other night about how volatile the situation is with my family right now. Lately, we’re not sure who we can really trust.”
“That’s reasonable,” she murmured.
She was being too understanding. Normally that would help, but now it just made him feel worse about lying to her. He held up his hand before she said anything else that would make this harder. “When you came to the house that first day, it was because you thought you’d had a one-night stand with Sebastian Wingate. But you didn’t.”
Her gaze narrowed at him. “I don’t understand.”
“You saw the photo in the paper and assumed you’d been with Sebastian because of the mask. But there were two men at the party that night with the same mask. I was the other man.”
She searched his face as though she were looking for the answers she needed, shaking her head. “What are you talking about? You are Sebastian Wingate.”
