A couple of hours later, I stood on the outside deck of Pete’s Place and sipped on champagne as I listened to the sounds of the water in front of me and everyone celebrating Gannon and Addie’s engagement behind me.
I shivered the second I felt Brody’s presence. I didn’t need to turn around to know it was him. I knew he was there.
“What a night,” he said.
Smiling, I glanced over my shoulder. “It was beautiful. I’m so happy for them.”
He stood next to me, and for a few moments, we simply enjoyed the silence. “Has Jack come by the store again since last time?” he finally asked.
I stiffened at the mention of my ex-husband. “No.”
Brody’s eyes met mine. “Have you told your lawyer that he broke the restraining order?”
Nodding, I took a sip of my drink.
“And?”
“And I really don’t want to talk about this right now, Brody. Not on such a happy night.”
He sighed. “Sutton, I think you need to tell—”
Turning, I interrupted him. “Not here, Brody. Not tonight. Please.”
His facial expression softened. “I’m sorry. It’s just…he makes me… I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I don’t want to see you hurt in any way.”
I raised a brow. “That’s a change for you.”
Brody’s brows pulled down into a frown. “Excuse me?”
With a one-shoulder shrug, I turned back to face the water and downed the rest of my drink, setting the glass on the railing. I wasn’t sure why I’d said that. Maybe a part of me was jealous that my sister had found her prince and was riding off into the sunset. Maybe I was simply in the mood for a fight. Either way, it had been a crappy thing to say. Yet, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
“What do you mean by that, Sutton?” he repeated.
“You didn’t seem to mind hurting me after you took my virginity.”
“Took it? You make it sound calculated, when we both know it wasn’t.”
With a sideways glance, I let out a humorless laugh. “You said all the things you needed to say to get me to sleep with you.”
Brody moved a bit closer to me and lowered his voice. “Funny, I remember you crawling onto my lap and asking me directly.”
I opened my mouth to argue with him, but I knew he was right. Here I had thought I had gotten over the hurt of that night, but clearly I hadn’t.
When I didn’t say anything, a look of hurt crossed his face. “Is that what you think of me, Sutton? That I lied to you in order to fuck you?”
I flinched but steeled myself. “I don’t know, Brody. You tell me. I opened my heart up to you that night, and you took hold of it and crushed it. You’re the reason I took Jack back.”
The pain on his face made me yearn to retract my words.
Brody closed his eyes and slowly shook his head before he looked at me. His face had softened, and there was something in his eyes that made my heart race. Was he tearing up? I instantly wanted to say I was sorry. That I hadn’t meant any of it. I wasn’t in a good place right now.
Brody reached for my hand and started to say something when my father’s voice broke through the moment.
“What are you two whispering about over here?”
Brody dropped my hand, and we both took a step away from one another. Before I could say anything, Brody spoke first. “Bachelor and bachelorette parties. What else?”
My dad let out a laugh and gave Brody a slap on the back. “You’re next, Brody. Any special girl you’ve got your eye on?”