“Yes. You’re Lauren Roberts, aren’t you?”
She was surprised Kaylah knew her actual name. Lauren had never heard her say it aloud before. “Yes. Do I know you?”
“Of course, you do. I’m Kaylah Anderson-Tate. We went to high school together.” There was something wicked about the woman’s grin as she spoke. Like she was waiting for Lauren’s painful revelation so she could relive her glory.
She wasn’t going to give her that satisfaction. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember much about high school, it was so long ago.”
Kaylah frowned as well as she could without moving most of her face. “You and I had a little tiff over Jesse Wilde back in the day. Our senior year? I’m sure you recall that.”
She seemed determined for Lauren to remember her evil prank. Lauren wouldn’t bite. “Jesse Wilde. I haven’t given him a thought in ages.”
“I imagine you haven’t. Why should you when you’re on the arm of a Wingate? That’s quite the upgrade, especially for someone like you.”
The other two women tittered softly at Kaylah’s dig.
“He has good taste,” Lauren replied flatly.
“Does he, now?” She arched her eyebrows just barely in surprise. Then she leaned in and spoke in a low tone to Lauren. “Between us girls, how did you happen to snag Sutton Wingate? He’s always been known for being so...particular.”
Lauren didn’t respond. What was she going to say to that? During her time with Sutton, she’d come to learn he had a bit of a playboy past. Playboys tended to be
drawn to the beautiful and elegant type of women. She wasn’t sure she would use either of those words to describe herself. She was attractive enough, but glamorous? Not with her hair in a bun, no makeup and a chef’s jacket covered in juices from butchering a large chunk of meat for dinner service.
She might have fit the bill that first night with her gown, mask and bold alter ego working for her, but not now. Maybe encouraging her to sell the trucks was Sutton’s way of nudging her one step closer to the beautiful and glamorous woman he truly wanted.
“Keeping your secrets, eh?” Kaylah replied to her silence with a pointed chuckle. “Ah, well, I guess it doesn’t really matter. Sutton never keeps a lady around for long. Whatever you did might’ve worked to lure him in, but it won’t keep him around forever. I wouldn’t get too attached.”
The other women laughed again and Lauren forced herself to turn back to her table. She wished Sutton hadn’t left. She’d been alone and exposed when the worst possible person could’ve shown up. If he’d been here, maybe he would’ve stood up for her and shut Kaylah down. Or said something that would prop up her crumbling ego when she needed it the most.
But alone, she was falling apart. Somehow Kaylah had been able to speak to her darkest fears without even trying. Lauren already knew she loved a man she had a tentative hold on, at best. But having her point it out as though it were so obvious was that much more painful.
Lauren didn’t want to be at the club a moment longer. She didn’t want to be around such fickle and catty people for any more time than she had to be. And if Sutton couldn’t see these folks for who they really were, then maybe it was because he belonged here with them.
But she certainly didn’t. And never would. And as painful as it was to admit, perhaps she needed to stop seeing Sutton. Dating him was overreaching from her station in town.
Lauren picked up her clutch and got up without another word. She was taking her dignity and her food trucks and she was going home.
* * *
Coming to the club was a mistake. Sutton knew that now. He just hadn’t realized that it would be his reputation, and not Lauren’s, that caused the problems.
He’d been deliberately avoiding the club these last few weeks. While he knew that people, including the ones who’d recently claimed to be friends, were talking about his family behind their backs, avoiding the club made it easier to ignore. Beth’s charity event had been the exception. But the distraction of Lauren and helping with her restaurant had proved too successful. In encouraging her to face her fears, he’d forgotten why he hadn’t wanted to come.
Less than two sips into his cocktail, he had remembered. He’d felt the eyes on them when they came in, but chalked it up to Lauren being new. But when the others started laughing and he’d picked up enough of their words to know the joke was on him, he knew he’d made an error in coming here.
He splashed his face with water at the sink and took a deep breath. He needed to get it together. He couldn’t let them know they were getting to him. That was paramount. Sutton and his family had nothing to hide. They’d been set up. All those fair-weather friends could enjoy their laugh at his expense, but in the end, the truth would come out. And when they tried to cozy back up to the Wingates in the future, they’d find an icy reception.
Plucking a towel from the dispenser, Sutton dried his face and hands and used a splash of the complimentary cologne he liked to pat on his neck. It had eucalyptus, which was supposed to be good for stress. He could use all the help he could get at the moment.
When he returned to the dining room, he thought for a moment that he’d gotten himself turned around. But he knew he was at the right table. Their two empty drink glasses—one martini glass and one lowball—were still sitting there. But Lauren was nowhere to be seen.
“Will that be all for you, Mr. Wingate?” the waiter asked as he approached.
“I don’t know. I think so. Did you see where the lady that was with me went?”
“No sir. She must’ve slipped away when I was in the kitchen. Would you like me to add the bill to your membership tab?”
Sutton nodded. “Yes, thank you.” He doubted she would want to stay on at the club past the single drink she agreed to, even if she’d only gone to the ladies’ room or stepped out to use her phone. He certainly didn’t want to stay. But where had she gone? Lauren hadn’t vanished on him since their first night together at the club.