Sutton laughs, snorting, and covers her mouth as her eyes bug open. Pink colors her neck and cheeks as she looks at me. I chuckle and shake my head.
Fuck, she’s cute.
The thought freezes me, wondering where the hell that came from. Wide-eyed, I go to drink my coffee until I remember the cup is empty. We should leave.
“It’s a contraction of you all. Us southerners use it all the time,” Sutton explains once she gathers herself.
I remain still, trying to catch-up with the thoughts swimming in my brain. Sure, Sutton is beautiful, but I’m not looking for anyone. I’ve already had someone in my life, and that’s enough to last me.
“What do you think, Daddy?” Penny looks up at me from her lashes and a dangerous smile.
“About?” I sheepishly admit I wasn’t paying attention.
“Can we help Sutton find a dress for the sock hop?” I curse Penny’s bright smile.
“I’m sure she doesn’t want us in the way while she’s shopping,” I search for an excuse.
“She said it’d be okay. Honest.” Penny twists her lips while she anxiously waits for my response.
I look at Sutton, her eyes fixed on Penny, and her teeth gnawing at her lower lip. When she looks over at me, she whispers, “You don’t have to. I felt bad telling her no.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
“How about I think about it and make sure we have time while Sutton’s still in town?” I give my daughter a bullshit excuse, and she nods softly, disappointment evident on her face.
“Maybe Abbie will let me go with her.” Her soft whisper kills me, and I rub my forehead.
“Hey, don’t be sad.” Sutton wraps her arm around Penny’s shoulders and pulls her into her side. “I’ll still be around town.”
“You’re not leaving?” She peers up at Sutton in admiration.
“Not for a couple of weeks. I’ll have to go back to Nashville, but I’ll be back.”
“Really?” Penny sits up.
“Yeah, kiddo.”
I watch their interaction, observing the way Penny looks at Sutton, and I know I’m in trouble. There’s no way I’ll be able to easily keep Sutton at a distance. Not when my daughter thinks she’s the best kind of hero, and I don’t have the heart to take that away from her.
“We should go,” I interrupt their giggle fest.
“Oh yeah, school night, right?” Sutton looks up at me. “Thanks for the company and the cupcake. I appreciate it. This beat going back to the B&B early.” She stands and collects our trash, throwing it out as I get Penny and our box of leftover cupcakes.
“I’ll see y’all around. Say hi to Singy for me,” Sutton winks at Penny, who laughs wildly.
“He isn’t real.” Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head in disbelief.
Sutton simply smiles and waves at us as Penny calls out, “Bye, Famous Singer,” before blowing her a kiss. Sutton pretends to catch it from across the street. When I lock eyes with her, a shy smile appears on her face, and she nods once before walking away.
“I like her,” Penny sighs.
“Yeah.” I nod, guiding her back to my truck and buckling her in.
I remind myself a woman like Sutton isn’t for me. She’s worldly, talented, and meant to travel the globe to share her music. I’m a small-town boy with a daughter and a ranch to tend to. We’re from two different worlds, and our collision is just temporary.
Sutton
I stare out of the window as Knox drives to Boise for a show tonight. Watching the road fly by from the back seat, I lean my head against the cool glass and sigh.
“What’s going on, buttercup?” Harris elbows me.
“Nothing,” I shake my head, but his question catches Ainsley’s attention, and she turns in her seat to look at me. The lines between her eyebrows are deep grooves.
“Are you sick?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just tired.” I shrug and roll my eyes, playing it off.
The real problem is that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Gavin since I saw him on Thursday at The Mad Batter. Although I spoke mostly with Penny, the man next to me did not go unnoticed.
Watching the way he is with Penny made me smile. It’s clear he’s a great father and adores her, but that’s all I can tell about him. He gives nothing away, a steel guard protecting him. Leave it to me to fall for the unavailable man.
When we finally arrive at Boise, I step off the truck and stretch. The six-hour drive dragged on, my mind warring with my heart and bringing me down in the process. I need to perk up before my set.
After a quick soundcheck with the band, who met us here since they don’t live in Everton, I stand off to the side of the stage in the small auditorium and watch Knox do his soundcheck.
“What’s really going on?” Ainsley moves next to me, eyeing me with scrutiny.
I look at her out of the corner of my eye and shrug. “Nothing.”
“Does this have to do with Gavin?” She lifts her eyebrows knowingly.
I sigh and shake my head. “I saw him and Penny the other day at The Mad Batter, and they invited me to sit with them and have a cupcake. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to get to know him better, but he was just…quiet,” I search for the right word. “He barely spoke to me. Thankfully, Penny was a chatterbox. It’s silly, and I shouldn’t let it affect me, but there’s somethin’ about him.”
Wrapping her arm around my shoulder, Ainsley comforts me. “He’s a dad. That can’t be easy, let alone allow for dating to be a priority. Who knows what happened with Penny’s mom that may keep him distant.”
I nod. “I’ve thought about all of this.” I shake my head. “Maybe I’m getting my period, and I’m just overly emotional,” I chuckle.
Ainsley smiles. “Maybe.”
“Anyway, tonight is about performing and making sure people like my music enough that they help me rise in the
