Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Nothin’!” I shouted. “I don’t gotta figure out nothing.”
“Why wouldn’t you want a woman like Lacey Prichard?” Dad countered.
I turned to Sutton, took in those eyes that were now intense on me. Thought about the way it felt to be held by him, how he watched me when he didn’t know I was looking, the way he smiled at me when he told me he loved me, and…he deserved better. He deserved more.
“Because I’m in love with Sutton,” I said, the room going deadly quiet. “I’m in love with him. Always have been and always will be. We’re together. He’s my…boyfriend,” I said, voice shaking, but at least the words were still coming out.
Mama gasped, and I knew she was crying. I felt the rage coming off Dad, the anger, but even worse, the disappointment.
Sutton wasn’t speaking, but he wasn’t turning away either. He looked…damn, he looked in awe of me. Proud. And I wanted that, to make him proud.
“I didn’t mean to tell you this way, but tonight wasn’t fair to Sutt. I don’t ever want to put him through that again.”
“Sutton, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave. I’d like to have a word with my family,” Dad said, voice hard and unwavering. You could feel the anger rolling off him.
“No, sir,” Sutton replied. “I don’t mean no disrespect to you in your home, but I’m not leavin’ unless Jasper wants me to go.” And then he walked over and stood beside me, shoulder to shoulder.
“What did you do to my son?” Dad snapped, taking a step closer to us. “First Sammy and that murderer, and now the two of you.”
I said, “Emerson’s been proven innocent, which you know, and Sutton didn’t do nothin’ to me. I’m in love with him, Dad, and I know…” Fuck, this hurt. My eyes welled with tears. “I know this ain’t what you had in mind for me, but he makes me happy. He treats me right. He’s my best friend. Ain’t that supposed to be what matters?”
“But you’re not… You haven’t… Have you been hidin’ this the whole time? Were you lyin’ about Lacey the way Sammy did Molly?”
“No. I like women a whole lot. I just love Sutton. Didn’t even admit it to myself until a couple’a months back. But he’s it for me, and that’s that. There ain’t no changin’ it.”
“What will everyone say?” Mama asked. Because that was what mattered. To her and to some other people, we were something to be ashamed of.
“I want you out of my house,” Dad said to Sutton.
“If he’s not welcome, then I ain’t either. I—”
“Mr. Finch, the last thing I want is to come between you and your family. That’s never been my intention. Jasper loves you and his mama more than anything. If you don’t want me in your house no more, I won’t come. And, Jasp, that don’t mean you never come either. They’re your folks, and they love you. I don’t want you to lose your relationship with them over me.” Sutton turned back to them. “There’s not a person in this world that’ll love him like me, that’ll treat him as well as I do. There’s not a thing in this world I wouldn’t do for your son. I’ll do everything in my power to make him happy every day of my life. Hate me all you want, but don’t ruin your relationship with him because of me. He’s a good son, a good man. He don’t deserve that.”
Dad didn’t acknowledge Sutton, didn’t say a damn word to him. He just looked at me with an open disappointment that broke my heart. “This ain’t how I raised ya. I raised ya to be a man.” He shook his head. “This is family business, and it should stay in the family. Don’t go flauntin’ your lifestyle choice all around town. I won’t have it. You do that, and you’re not welcome here anymore either, Jasper.” He meant not to tell anyone. He meant to keep lying.
Then, without another glance in my direction, he walked outside to the backyard.
That was that, then.
“Give us some time to deal with this ourselves, Jasper. I just… We need some time to make sense of all this and figure out how to move forward.” Mama wiped the tears from her face, tears because of who I loved. Why did it matter? Why couldn’t I love Sutton and they just be happy for me? Why did we have to be something they needed time for or to figure out?
I nodded, took his hand, and we went out the front door, heading for home.
“Jasp,” Sutton said, but stopped when I held up my hand.
“I can’t right now. Wait till we get home.”
I wasn’t proud of the fact that my hand was shaking in his, that my face was wet, and with each step we took, it got that way even more.