“Drugs?”
“Pot,” her father answered shortly.
Sutton gave a breath of relief. “If there weren’t any other drugs, then that’s not so bad. He—”
Her parents’ expressions showed their shock at her response. Sutton turned bright red, aware of her parents’ attitude toward pot.
“I know I’ve raised you to be respectful of the law.”
“Daddy, everyone smokes it—”
“No everyone doesn’t” her father had angrily cut her off. “Be quiet, Sutton. I can see we’ve made a terrible mistake letting you see Tate. His father was in my courtroom several times, but I wanted to give Tate the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong. He’s going to follow in his father’s footsteps, and I have no intention of watching my daughter lead that kind of life. How do you think you can become a lawyer if you’re already looking the other way when laws aren’t obeyed?”
Sutton stared silently at her father. She had received a scholarship to the University of Kentucky where she had planned to pursue a law degree. After Tate’s parents’ deaths, however, she intended to go to a nearby community college until Tate’s brothers graduated, and could assume Rachel’s care. It would take several years longer, but she was in love with him, and he was worth waiting for so they could leave Treepoint together.
“You’re not to see him anymore.”
Sutton stood up. “I won’t do that. I love him! We’re going to be together, no matter what you say!” Sutton stormed around the couch, picking up her pale coral prom dress in the expensive garment bag then going to the staircase.
“Stay away from him, or I’ll make sure he loses custody of his brothers and sister.” Her father’s harsh order had her coming to a stop with her foot on the first step.
“You wouldn’t do that!” Sutton cried out.
“Watch me! Who do you think will be hearing his case when he’s brought to trial? Me. I can send him away, Sutton. I have the power to do it. If he’s sent away, his brothers and sister will be put in a foster home. Do you want that to happen?”
“You wouldn’t do that,” Sutton whispered, shocked at the vehemence in her father’s voice.
“I don’t want to, but I will if you don’t break it off with him.”
Sutton stared at her mother pleadingly. “Mom, I love him. Please…” Tears coursed down her cheeks as her heart broke into tiny pieces.
“It’s for the best, Sutton. Tate will hold you back from the future you deserve.”
“Tate’s going to want to know why I’m breaking up with him,” Sutton argued. “I’ll just wait until I’m eighteen. I can do what I want then.”
Her father shook his head. “Do you really think this will be the last time Tate gets caught? Next time, I won’t offer to save him. I’ll just send his ass off. I suggest you make damn sure he doesn’t come around you anymore. I know this hurts now, but you’ll get over him after a few months.”
“Please Daddy, don’t make me.” Sutton pled, trying to reason with her father, soon seeing it was useless.
“You’re wrong. I’ll never stop loving Tate. I’ll never forgive you for this. I’ll do what you want, but as soon as I graduate, I’m leaving, and I won’t be back.” With that, Sutton ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door and locking it behind her, ignoring her father’s yell as she threw herself on her bed, crying helplessly.
Burying her face in a pillow, she cried until she had no tears left. Then she rolled over and stared sightlessly up at the ceiling, knowing what she was going to have to do. Tate loved her, so she was going to have to make him believe her feelings had changed. He would hate her for this, but he would stay out of jail and keep his family intact.
Sitting up on the side of her bed, she picked up the phone on her bedside table. It took her a few phone calls to get the information she needed. Wiping the tears still clinging to her cheeks, she punched in the numbers.
“Hi, Cash.” Sutton deliberately made her voice turn flirtatious. “This is Sutton. You busy?”
She heard the surprise in his voice as they talked. She tried to pretend interest, telling herself over and over it was for Tate.
After he finished talking about his last football game, Sutton brought up the reason for her call.
“Have you asked anyone to the prom yet?”
“No.”
“Want to go with me?” she asked in a rush before she could change her mind.
A brief silence met her question.
“I thought you were going with Tate.”
“We broke up. I really want to go, and since you’ve asked me out a couple of times since school started, I was wondering if you would take me.”
“Okay. I think we’ll have a good time.” Sutton heard the insinuation in his voice.