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I knew I needed to look away I didn’t want hi Really, it was pathetic Completely ridiculous and sad Asher Sutton had destroyed me I shouldn’t react to him anymore, and I most definitely shouldn’t care anymore that his face was still chiseled perfection and his body that of every wos, control my reaction to him, self-preservation kicked in, and I instinctively took a step out of his line of sight His truck door swung open, long jean-clad legs stepping onto the paveh was cut short, highlighting his stone cut face, the stubble covering his jaw el The flannel shirt he earing was faded and tightly joined across his chest A chest I knew all too as so there, Dixie" Scarlet North, my best friend since middle school, whispered in ed h to snap me out of my foolish stupor

"Evil Remember that, Dixie That ht to be on the planet But he’s the devil You know that Besides, don’t forget about Steel You’re now dating Asher’s little brother" Her last six words were a murmur Only I could hear what she said

Gossip in a small toas bad In Malroy, Alabaossip Everybody knew everything and everybody was in everyone’s business There was a very good chance, right there on Main Street, that people were peeking from their s to see if I would look Asher’s way There had been enough talk about us in Malroy to last a lifetie a thing

"I didn’t knoas co to slonAsher for the very first time in years He didn’t co suotten about Malroy

"He’s probably just here to see his h, you’ll see Steel would’ve told you if Asher was coed to nod while grippingin front of me like a shield Asher was back and I didn’t kno to react What was I supposed to expect? Would he keep pretending like I didn’t exist? Could he even do that now that I ith his brother? Would Steel tell him? Would Asher care?

No, he wouldn’t I knew that all too well Asher wouldn’t care at all He had made it very clear to the entire town that he didn’t want me anymore He didn’t care who hadone half of the "golden couple" to the discarded girl who surelyhorrible for Asher to throw her away and never look back It happened so quickly, it still made no sense to me

He had been avein my heart he would beht were ivable that I did, and quickly turned their backs on lehandedly put our town on the map, the boy who led our team to a State Cha in their eyes They had wasted no ti his side Everyone except Scarlet She was iant asshole Full of hihty Sutton," she snarled his way

I rolleda Sutton boy is a bad thing You’re so in love with Brent Sutton you can’t see straight," I pointed out

She grinned, then shrugged and giggled "Yeah, well, all Sutton boys ain’t bad Just that particular one there"

I agreed with her The Sutton boys were a part of my life They always had been and alould be Our farms sat beside one another and our families remained intertwined

The tiny diaht as I lifted it "No, they aren’t all bad," I said "One or two are decent enough"