“You can do this. You did it the night we met and you can do it again.”
Lauren took a deep breath and looked into Sutton’s encouraging eyes. “I was in a mask,” she muttered, but followed him inside anyway.
“It’s just a drink. One drink. And if you’re uncomfortable after we’re done, then we’ll go. But I think you’ll find that what you’re worried about is just a shadow of the past. The club itself is nothing more than a rustic hangout for rich cowboys.”
She hoped he was right. Even so, she could feel her stomach churning as they went inside. When it wasn’t done up for a party, the club had a very different feel to it. The music playing in the background was low with a country twang and the late afternoon light poured in the large windows. It gave a warm glow to the oakwood paneling on the walls and floor and highlighted the stacked stonework around the fireplace. As her first daytime visit, she now noticed the details that the dim party lighting of the night hid away, like the deer trophies and old photos of past club members that dotted the walls.
There weren’t scores of people around today, but there were a few. Most of them were sitting around the bar, enjoying an early beer and a good view of the football game on the television. Others were seated at one of the tables in the dining room, eating. Off in a corner seating area, maybe even the one she’d been hiding in when she met Sutton, a couple men in Stetsons were gathered around chatting about something. They turned to give Lauren and Sutton a cursory glance as they came in, and then they returned to what they were doing.
It was very different from what she remembered. And yet her eyes went instantly to the dark hallway that lead to the club exercise facility, locker rooms and, of course, the indoor pool room. She turned instead to the other hallway that lead to the billiard room and much happier memories.
“Do you want to sit at the bar or at a private table?” Sutton asked.
“I don’t care.”
He didn’t seem to believe her. “I’ll get us a table. Less pressure to talk to strangers.”
A hostess took them to a table for two by a window. Outside, she could see the tennis courts and the large Olympic-size pool that spread out beyond it. There were a few people playing tennis doubles, but no one was in the pool with the cooler weather.
She turned away from the water and focused on Sutton across the table from her. He was the only thing that mattered right now. He was here to support her. To celebrate her. To help her face the demons of her past. For his efforts, she would gladly follow him anywhere, even to the club. Especially when he sat across the table from her looking like the tastiest dish she’d ever had in her mouth.
The waiter approached, bringing them both glasses of water. “Welcome back to the club, Mr. Wingate. What can I get you and your guest today?”
“We’ll have a Manhattan for me and...an extra dirty martini for the lady.” He smiled, no doubt remembering the first time he’d ordered her favorite drink.
The server nodded and disappeared to retrieve their drinks from the bar.
“I hope you don’t mind me ordering for you,” he said. “Did I get it right?”
“You did. I would’ve corrected you if not.”
Sutton smiled suggestively. “I’ll never forget that my lady likes it extra dirty.”
The server returned a moment later with their drinks and Sutton raised his glass to her. “I’d like to propose a toast, although this one will have to end differently than the last,” he drawled.
Lauren raised her own cocktail to join him.
“To the most talented chef I’ve ever met and her new, amazingly successful restaurant!”
She smiled and clinked her martini glass against his before taking a sip. “Thank you. I appreciate how much faith you have in me. I still can’t believe it’s happening. But I deposited Gracie’s check this morning and it cleared, so I guess I can stop pinching myself. I’ve never had that many zeroes in my business account before. Or my personal account. Or ever.”
Sutton matched her smile. “It’s nice, isn’t it? You’d better get used to it, though. I think your success is inevitable. Before long you’ll have that much and more in your account all the time. You’ll have plenty of staff to help you, and things will be easier. You’ll even be able to sell the food trucks and just focus on becoming the greatest chef in central Texas.”
Lauren stiffened slightly in her chair and took a large sip of her martini to disguise it. He mentioned it again. Selling the food trucks. They really did seem to bother him. She wondered how he would respond to finding out a sale sign wasn’t going up any time soon. She wanted to share her feelings with him, but not when she felt so insecure in their relationship. Not when she felt like he was constantly grooming her to be better and more successful.
“I may be able to hire some more staff and keep the trucks running. They’re fairly low overhead and do pretty good business. If nothing else, having them out at lunchtime and weekend evenings would be good advertisement for the restaurant.”
She expected him to react to her words, but instead he seemed to be focused on a group of men that had just come in the front door. They were chatting amongst themselves, but then they saw the two of them by the window. One nudged the other in the ribs and said something Lauren couldn’t hear. The three men laughed and went off in the other direction.
When she turned back to Sutton, it looked as though the blood had drained from his face. His easy smile had faded and he looked almost rattled for the first time since she’d known him. “What’s the matter? Who were those people?”
His jaw tightened and he shook his head. “They used to be friends of the family.”
“And now?” she asked.
“And now they’re not. Everyone wants to be your friend when you’re at the top. But when you get knocked to the ground...that’s when you find out who your friends really are. Those guys turned on Sebastian and me at the first opportunity. They almost seem to enjoy our suffering. Sick bastards.”
Lauren winced at his words. She supposed she was lucky to never have been in a position to have the kind of friends that used her up and left her when she was no good to them any longer. All she ever had to offer was friendship and the occasional home-cooked meal.
“I’m sorry, Sutton. At least you finally got to see their true colors.”
“Yeah,” he said, but she could tell his mind was far-off in thought.
“Sutton?”
He snapped his attention back to Lauren. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I’m going to run to the men’s room. Will you be okay alone?”
She wanted to say no, she wouldn’t be okay, but if he needed a minute to compose himself, she wouldn’t deny him that. “I’ll be fine. Go ahead.”
He nodded and finished off the rest of his drink before pushing back his chair and heading back toward the restroom. She watched him go, noticing that more than a few of the club patrons whispered to each other as he went by. She was beginning to think maybe she was right about the club and he was wrong. The people didn’t seem very friendly at all. At least not when your back was turned.
“Dunk Tank? Is that you?”
Lauren’s blood went icy cold in her veins at the mention of that horrid childhood nickname. She slowly turned in her seat toward the sound of a familiar woman’s voice. Just behind her, to the right, a couple women were sitting together at a nearby table.
She knew instantly which one of them had spoken. She was older and a little heavier with a shiny, Botox forehead, but Lauren would’ve known Kaylah anywhere. She wouldn’t soon forget the face of her tormentor, or the sound of her laughter as it mingled and echoed in the pool room with all the others.
Regrets flooded her mind instantly. She shouldn’t have turned at the sound of that stupid nickname. She should’ve worn a nicer outfit. Did more with her hair or her makeup before she came to a place like this. Sutton didn’t seem to care, but those sorts of things were like a woman’s armor sometimes, deflecting arrows fired by her enemies.
And Kaylah Anderson was definitely her enemy. Time hadn’t changed that one iota despite what Sutton seemed to think.
Lauren opted not to respond, but looked blankly at the woman. She didn’t want her to think she’d made as large of an impact on her as she had. “I’m sorry, were you speaking to me?” she asked.
“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.
“She left. Ordered a car to pick her up, I think.”
Sutton turned toward a group of women sitting nearby and the one that had spoken to him. “She left the club?”
“Yes. A few minutes ago. She seemed pretty upset, too.”
He narrowed his gaze at the unfamiliar brunette. She seemed pleased and perhaps all too eager to tell him what happened. He had no clue who she was or why that would be the case. Ignoring her, he rushed over to the front door and flung it open to see if he still had time to catch her.
He saw her standing on the curb as a white sedan with an Uber sticker in the front window pulled up to her. “Lauren!” he shouted as he ran down the stairs to her.
She didn’t turn his way, instead scrambling to get into the car before he could reach her. He was able to reach out and grasp her wrist, tugging her back to her feet.
“What’s going on?” Sutton implored. “Why are you leaving?”
Lauren looked up at him with eyes near overflowing with tears. He could see hurt and conflict dancing across her face. She opened her mouth to say something, then shook her head. Leaning in to Sutton, she pressed a heated kiss to his lips. There was a finality in the way she touched him, and it made his chest ache.
“You need to let me go,” she whispered against his mouth and pulled her wrist from his grasp.
Sutton stood, confused and heartbroken, as Lauren got into the car and it drove away. He watched the Uber disappear down the highway and wondered what the hell had just happened.
Picking his phone from his coat pocket, he dialed Lauren, but it went immediately to voicemail. He didn’t understand how things had soured so quickly.
The sound of those same men laughing in the far corner of the room caught his attention as he hung up and stepped back into the club’s lobby. “I hope he looks good in orange!” one of them said to another loud round of laughter.
They were belittling him and his family again. They didn’t even try to pretend like they weren’t. He was used to it, even before the scandal people were always talking about his family. But it was new to Lauren. Maybe she’d overheard their ugly jokes while he was away from the table. He’d told her everything there was to know about the situation with Wingate Industries, but perhaps being here and having to face his scandal head-on was too much for her. It was one thing to say he was being investigated and plead his innocence. It was quite another to hear men joke about the man she was dating going to federal prison. Who wanted to carry on a relationship that might consist of Sunday afternoon visits through Plexiglas and parole hearings?
His declaration of innocence didn’t mean he wouldn’t end up in prison anyway. He wasn’t that naïve. They had good lawyers, expensive lawyers, but whoever had set them up had done a thorough job. With the evidence they had and the right jury, Sutton, Sebastian and countless other executives at the company could spend the next year or so behind bars.
The idea bothered him, of course. No one wanted to go to prison. But now the thought of it really ate at him knowing he would have to leave Lauren to build her new restaurant without his help and support.
All of that was a lot to process and might be hard for her to face. And more trouble than she needed right now in her busy life. He didn’t blame her for running, if that was what she’d done. She was an up-and-coming star in Royal, whether she knew it or not. She didn’t need Sutton’s drama dragging her down and tarnishing her reputation before she’d had a chance to build one.
That didn’t mean it wasn’t a punch to the gut he wasn’t expecting. He didn’t think she was the kind of woman to run out when things got tough.
Without glancing back at the men he’d once called friends, Sutton let the door swing shut behind him and walked to his car. He drove back to his rental house faster than he should’ve, inviting more trouble with the law, but he didn’t care. He just wanted away from the club. Away from those people he’d defended to Lauren, but now, wondered why. Perhaps she was right to avoid them all. He might need to take a page from her book and let his own membership lapse for a while. It was one less expense piling up with the others.
Once back in the safety of the house, where he could stick his head in the sand and ignore the troubles he’d had to face today, he threw his keys down on the kitchen counter. Sutton pulled a beer from the fridge and popped off the top with enough angry force to send the metal disk flying through the air.
It landed at his brother’s feet.
“You’re back early,” Sebastian said as he came around the corner into the kitchen and looked down at the silver disk on the tile. He stopped short when he looked at Sutton, the beer in his hand and the scowl on his face. “Uh-oh. What happened?”
Sutton relayed his experience at the club as briefly as he could. “She ran out on me.”
“Did you try calling her?”
He pulled out his phone and dialed again, only to have Lauren’s voice mail announcement tell him to leave a message. Again. “She’s not taking my calls at the moment.”
“I wonder what happened while you were in the restroom.” Sebastian settled into a barstool with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Whatever it was, it happened fast.”
“It’s got to be about the investigation. The Kennedy brothers and Mark Swenson were being jackasses about it when we were there. Joking about us in orange jumpsuits.” He shook his head. “As much as I hate to say it, it was probably best that she left. I would’ve bailed if I was her. No one wants to be in a relationship with a criminal if they can avoid it. Maybe she decided to make a run for it while she still had the chance. Things haven’t gotten too serious yet.”
“For one thing, you’re not a criminal and I’d like to think Lauren knows that. For another, if you think things aren’t too serious, you’re blind.”
Sutton swallowed his sip of beer and set the bottle down on the granite countertop. “What are you talking about?”
Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Really? You don’t think that what you two have going isn’t serious? It’s the most serious relationship I’ve seen you in, Sutton. Like, ever. You’ve fallen hard for that woman, whether you’ve admitted it to yourself or not.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but stopped short. The more he thought about his brother’s words, the more he realized that they were right. Sutton had never had feelings for a woman like he had for Lauren. She hadn’t just been a distraction from his problems. She had become the reason he had to fight through them and come out the other side stronger. She was the first thing he thought of when he woke up in the morning and the last thing on his mind as he drifted off to sleep. When he wasn’t with her, he felt like there was a hole in his gut and no amount of antacids could fix it. Only holding her in his arms again did the trick.
And it wasn’t just about sex, for once. Relationships with him had always centered around physical gratification and having fun. And when he grew bored with either, he moved on. It was completely different with her. Sex with Lauren was mind-blowing, no doubt, but he was also content to just snuggle with her on the couch. He liked to draw the scent of her shampoo into his lungs and try to memorize it. He felt like the world was instantly better when he saw her smile.
There was no longer any doubt in his mind. He hated to admit it, but Sebastian was right. He was in love with Lauren. She just had to bail on him to reveal the truth of it.
And now that he knew, he just had to figure out what he was going to do about his runaway lover.