[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/32wr8Dg.jpeg[/img]

[sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img]
[color=808080][color=3c6c6b][b]#3c6c6b[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/01/99/7d/01997de7aaa5c14fd5e659a0d8c95324.jpg][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [color=fcb9c1][b]#fcb9c1[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://imgur.com/bxaOSvN][color=808080][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]boone's garage[/b][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]

[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]It only took a minute or two to walk anywhere along Main Street, and the diner was no different. As they started in that direction, Warren immediately slowed his pace to match Sutton’s stride, placing himself on the roadside edge of the sidewalk instinctually, without making a show of it as they slipped back into their easy conversation. They walked side by side, shoulders occasionally brushing as the soft thud of boots and click of heels beat in sync along the concrete. Their warm laughs and soft smiles preceded them as they neared Harv’s Diner. 

Even with Main Street closed, the parking lot was packed at the height of lunchtime, with more cars lining backroads and alleyways. The bright neon lights shined like a beacon against the backdrop of the Black Hills and the ever present gloom that hung in the air around Pine Ridge like fog. The scent of grilled burgers and fresh brewed coffee hit them first before the soft ding of a bell and the murmuring wave of chatter that slipped out the door as an unfamiliar group of tourists left with wide smiles and full bellies. Sutton couldn’t help but watch them as they crossed her path, picking up small pieces of their conversation as they pointed at the various stalls and booths that littered the street with an enthusiasm that made all the hard work feel a little more worth it. 

The walk to the diner passed far too quickly for Warren's liking. He matched Sutton's pace without thinking about it, long strides shortening naturally until they moved together down the sidewalk. Every so often their shoulders brushed, fleeting points of contact that somehow felt more significant than they should have. He found himself listening more than talking, content to hear her voice drift between them while the town bustled around the festival preparations. Somewhere along the way he realized he was smiling so much his face actually hurt.

By the time they reached the diner, he was already moving toward the door ahead of her. The motion came automatically. His hand caught the handle before it could swing shut and he stepped aside, the familiar grin returning the moment she looked up at him. [color=3c6c6b]"After you."[/color] The words came easily.

Sutton followed him up the stairs, her smile never once fading even as her gaze watched every step she took, if only to prevent her from making a fool of herself. When she reached the small landing, her eyes lifted until they met his gaze, smile softened as she whispered a quiet, [color=fcb9c1]"Thank you."[/color] When she went to take a step forward, she was stopped dead in her tracks by a small kid in a pumpkin costume, that was twice as wide as he was, waddling through the open door. Her smile widened at the sight, taking a small step back, drifting closer to Warren to make enough room for him to walk by. 

Too focused on the overwhelming cuteness as it scurried past her, Sutton didn’t notice the parent trailing after him until a shoulder clipped sharply against her own. The force made her stumble back a step until she bumped into the broad plane of Warren’s chest. Her hand reflexively rubbed her shoulder with a muffled, [color=fcb9c1]"[i]Ow,[/i]"[/color] as her brows furrowed and her gaze trailed after the woman. [color=fcb9c1]"Excuse you,"[/color] Sutton called after her with a scoff, already half writing her off before the words left her mouth. 

The moment shattered when another figure pushed through behind the boy. Warren recognized Heather instantly. The collision happened before he could say anything. Sutton stumbled backward and he reacted on instinct, one hand settling firmly against her arm while the other found her waist to steady her before she could lose her footing entirely. His smile vanished. The warmth that had followed him all the way from the garage cooled several degrees as his gaze lifted from Sutton to Heather's retreating back. [color=3c6c6b]"You alright?"[/color] he asked first, attention returning immediately to Sutton. His thumb brushed once against her arm before he looked back toward Heather again, jaw tightening. Whatever apology Heather should have offered never came, and the absence of it irritated him far more than it should have. Warren shifted subtly closer to Sutton, broad shoulders squaring. He didn't say anything else, but the protective edge settling beneath his skin remained.

[color=fcb9c1]"Yeah…"[/color] Sutton’s voice was quiet and confused like she was trying to put together a puzzle she didn’t have all the pieces for. Her cheeks grew warm, but for an entirely different reason than they had at the garage. She was embarrassed for reasons she couldn’t even explain. It was like being caught redhanded doing something she shouldn’t, but she didn’t have a clue what she did in the first place. Her hand rubbed her shoulder as she slowly turned back toward the door. [color=fcb9c1]"Let’s just go."[/color]

Heather stood near the bottom of the stairs with her arms crossed over her chest, like she waited for the retaliation that never came. She almost looked disappointed before her expression shifted more to a bored lack of surprise. Of course, a woman like her was never satisfied until she had the last word. [color=d6d6d6]"You did always like my sloppy seconds, Lockwood,"[/color] she mocked with a familiarity that tinged her words, twisting them into venom.

The irritation he'd been holding back since that morning snapped taut inside his chest. Heather had spent years finding ways to make everything uglier than it needed to be, and somehow she'd managed it again. His arm remained steady around Sutton as he turned his head toward his ex, eyes hard enough to cut glass.

[color=3c6c6b]"You don't get to say that shit to her."[/color] His voice wasn't raised. Somehow that made it worse. [color=3c6c6b]"Not when you're the walking embodiment of sloppy seconds after you cheated and lied to me, if you want to go I can go lower, or is that not why Jack’s father left you?"[/color] The words landed flat and final. Warren didn't wait for a response. He'd spent years listening to Heather's excuses. He wasn't interested in hearing another one. 

The words cut deep, as they often did, but Sutton had learned to mask her discomfort years ago, and this was no different. Her gaze focused on nothing in particular across from her, almost pretending as if she didn’t hear rather than humoring Heather with a reaction. She had intended on dragging Warren into the diner and acting as if nothing happened, but then he spoke, drawing her attention toward him as she craned her head to the side to look up at him. It only took a second for her to realize what this could quickly devolve into, and no matter how terrible Heather was, Jack was just a kid. 

She gave Warren’s hand a gentle tap, reassuring him without words that she was fine before slipping from his protective hold. She descended the stairs as if Heather wasn’t standing just out of arms reach, staring daggers at her the entire time. Having enough situational awareness to not block the entire staircase, Sutton stepped to the side and lowered herself into a poised crouch. [color=fcb9c1]"Hey Jack,"[/color] she called out to the boy, seeking to distract him before his mother caused a scene. She held out her hands toward him, beckoning him over with a friendly gesture and a warm smile. [color=fcb9c1]"Come here."[/color]

Jack spun around, tilting his head back to look beneath the heavy hat. Once he noticed it was Sutton his smile widened, bright and toothy as he quickly waddled back over to her, having completely missed her a moment ago being too focused on navigating the giant pumpkin. He tripped on the hem of the costume a step or two away, but her hands were there for him to grab and to help steady his fall. [color=d6d6d6]"Hi, Ms. Sutton!"[/color]

Sutton had managed to distract the young boy before the tailend of Warren’s words could reach his ears. She tried her best to keep her smile warm and happy as she looked down at Jack, but when she spared a glance back over her shoulder toward Warren, the corners of her mouth fell and her brows creased. It felt like she had stumbled in at the end of a conversation years in the making. Questions and concern flashed across her face briefly before her smile returned effortlessly as she looked back at Jack. [color=fcb9c1]"Let’s see if we can fix this hat."[/color] 

Her fingers gently ran along the strap of the hat, finding the clasp, and working the elastic tighter with a slow diligence, being sure not to pinch his skin but also keep his attention focused on her. While she worked, Sutton tried not to fixate on what Warren said, but it nagged at her thoughts regardless. [i]Cheated. Lied.[/i] She had no clue that they had dated, but it had to be the truth. Heather didn’t contradict him. She didn’t even argue the cheating accusation… So that had to be true too. Then the comment about Jack’s dad… Sutton’s expression saddened as her hands stalled and she studied the young boy’s bright face. Her heart ached for the pain that would follow those truths when he was old enough to understand. 

Jack’s head tilted slightly to the side as he looked up at her confused. [color=d6d6d6]"Are you ok, Ms. Sutton?"[/color] he asked with that gentle earnestness that only a child could possess.

Sutton’s smile returned almost immediately as she met his gaze and gave the hat a playful tug. [color=fcb9c1]"Your hat’s just being a little difficult,"[/color] she mused with enough confidence in her voice to fool him. Even after fastening the strap as tight as it would go, it did little to keep the pumpkin top in place on Jack’s blond curls. Instead, she tied a small knot in the elastic and tucked it up beneath the hem. [color=fcb9c1]"There."[/color] She adjusted it back out of his face, along with straightening the felt stem and leaf. [color=fcb9c1]"Best costume at the festival."[/color] Her smile widened before leaning in to share a hushed secret with just him. [color=fcb9c1]"Don’t tell Ollie."[/color]

After giving Jack a gentle boop to his nose, Sutton shooed him, then pushed off her knees, standing back up right. Her hands ran along her skirt, brushing away dirt, and straightening out any wrinkles. The boy’s smile stretched nearly ear to ear as he bounced around enthusiastically before scurrying off down the sidewalk. Through the whole interaction Heather had been surprisingly quiet, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she watched Sutton choose kindness over cruelty. She had always avoided conflict since she was little. It often painted her as a pushover or a doormat, someone who was too gentle or docile to raise her voice and defend herself. It may have been true, but she saw no point in playing into Heather’s immature games, especially when her child was still lingering nearby, bright eyed and innocent. 

She slowly turned her head to look over at Heather, trying to find an ounce of compassion beneath her sharp gaze, but only saw envy and greed. [color=fcb9c1]"He’s a good kid,"[/color] Sutton offered genuinely, like an extended olive branch the other woman didn’t necessarily deserve, but should take anyway. [color=fcb9c1]"You should be a better role model."[/color] With nothing else to say, she turned around and climbed back up the stairs to where Warren waited.

Heather scoffed the second Sutton turned her back to her, rolling her eyes with the sort of disgust only a mean girl who peaked at sixteen could possess. [color=d6d6d6]"You haven’t changed since high school,"[/color] she called after her, the words landing like she thought they were the sharpest insult she had thought up in days.

Sutton sighed softly, not because the comment hurt, but more out of frustration at how a single interaction could somehow sour what was turning out to be the first halfway decent day she had in months. [color=fcb9c1]"Sadly, neither have you,"[/color] she replied without looking back, ending the conversation there because it wasn’t worth the effort.

Warren's anger lingered for exactly as long as it took Sutton to crouch down in front of Jack. The sharp edge of it dulled as he watched her call the boy over, watched those careful hands steady him when he stumbled, and listened to the easy warmth in her voice. She never hesitated. Heather had thrown a stone into the middle of an otherwise good afternoon and Sutton's first instinct had been to protect the child standing between them. A knot tightened unexpectedly in Warren's chest as he watched her adjust the crooked pumpkin hat with the same patience she seemed to offer everyone. He wasn't sure whether the ache came from guilt over the words he'd thrown at Heather with Jack nearby or from the simple realization that kindness like Sutton's was rarer than he'd allowed himself to admit.

The noise of the diner faded around him while he stood there, and he found himself studying the little details instead. The way she tied the elastic carefully so it wouldn't pinch, the way she immediately noticed something was bothering the kid and fixed it without making him feel foolish. The way her smile reached her eyes when she leaned in to whisper a secret meant only for him. Warren had spent most of his life around loud personalities, stubborn people, and problems that required force to solve. Watching Sutton work through the world with gentleness felt strangely powerful by comparison.

When she finally stood and brushed the dirt from her skirt, Warren already knew how the exchange would end. Heather's expression had taken on that familiar pinched look she always wore whenever someone else's goodness made her look smaller. Sutton offered an olive branch anyway, but she didn't do it because Heather deserved it, she did it because it was who she was. Warren felt something settle heavily and comfortably inside him as he watched the interaction unfold, as though another piece of the puzzle had quietly clicked into place.

Heather's final jab followed Sutton, and Warren stepped forward before he consciously decided to move, placing himself between the two women as naturally as drawing a breath. His gaze settled on Heather for a brief moment, cold and openly disgusted, before he dismissed her entirely. No argument followed. No cutting remarks. She wasn't worth another second of his attention. Instead he turned his back on her, fell into step beside Sutton, his focus returning wholly to the woman who had somehow managed to make him forget everyone else around him.

The tension eased from his expression almost immediately. [color=3c6c6b]"Ignore her. I do."[/color] His tone softened, the protective edge still there but directed elsewhere now. [color=3c6c6b]"She doesn't have anything worthwhile to say."[/color] He tried to smile, but it was a little more forced now. He didn’t regret snapping at her, but a small part of him did feel sorry for the kid. Having a mom like that would make his life hell. [color=3c6c6b]"Did you want a booth or a table?"[/color]

[color=fcb9c1]"It’s ok,"[/color] she reassured him quietly, meeting his smile with one of her own, even if it took more effort than it had a few minutes earlier and sat a little heavier across her face. Sutton stepped through the doorway, stopping just inside the diner as the wave of scents, chatter, and curious glances hit her all at once. She drew in a sharp breath, trying not to focus on how the locals stared at them in that way that said Sutton and Warren had already made their way to the top of the gossip charts for the day. Her gaze drifted around the cramped restaurant before settling on what appeared to be the only available booth that was nestled in a back corner and bathed in a small glimmer of sunlight that crept in through the blinds. 

[color=fcb9c1]"Seems the choice was made for us,"[/color] Sutton replied, making a weak attempt at a joke to try and find some levity given everything. Then, for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she slipped her hand into Warren’s with a subconscious sort of determination, and started leading him through the diner. Her fingers curled around the side of his hand, using the touch like an anchor in a sea of crazy, giving compassion, sympathy, and security without having to speak a word. She could feel the eyes following them, but ignored them as they weaved through tables and stepped out of the way of passing waitresses carrying trays full of hot food. 

It was only when they reached the booth that Sutton’s hand slowly went slack before releasing her hold, letting the tips of her fingers run along the coarse roughness of his palms as she pulled away. She tucked her hair behind her ears, then slid onto one of the sun-warmed vinyl seats with a soft sigh. The golden chain of her purse fell from her shoulder as she took the bag and set it on the banquette beside her. There was a heavy silence that fell between them as they got settled in the booth. She slowly leaned back against the cushion, resting her hands on top of the table as she lightly pressed her thumb into the opposite palm. [color=fcb9c1]"Sorry,"[/color] she whispered, finally breaking the silence to look over at him from across the table. It was one word, simple, but weighed down by countless meanings she didn’t dare speak. Sorry for the whole situation. Sorry for the part her presence played in it. Sorry that it shattered the warm illusion that had curled around them since she set foot into his garage… But more importantly, sorry for the pain that Heather had caused him. He didn’t deserve that.

The moment Sutton's hand slipped into his, Warren forgot entirely about the looks following them through the diner. Something warm and embarrassingly boyish fluttered through his stomach, the sensation so unfamiliar that it caught him off guard. A crooked smile tugged at his mouth before he could stop it, and he let her lead him through the crowded room without the slightest protest. His thumb brushed absent circles over her knuckles as they walked, committing the shape of her hand to memory, the softness of her skin standing in quiet contrast to the calluses roughening his own palms.

He followed her into the back booth, reluctant to surrender the contact when she finally released him. Her fingers slipped from his hand slowly, grazing across his skin on the way out, and Warren found himself staring after the motion for half a second longer than was probably reasonable. The booth creaked beneath his weight as he slid into the opposite seat, sunlight catching along the worn edge of the table between them. The noise of the diner faded into a distant blur of clinking dishes and conversation. His attention stayed fixed on Sutton, on the way she tucked her hair back, on the tension lingering around her shoulders despite the smile she'd worn all the way inside.

When the apology left her lips, Warren's expression softened immediately. He leaned forward without thinking, drawn toward her in the same unconscious way a sunflower turned toward light. His hand found hers atop the table, settling over it gently, loose enough that she could pull away whenever she wanted. [color=3c6c6b]"You have nothing to apologize for,"[/color] he said quietly, his voice carrying none of the gruffness it usually did. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm sorry for putting you in that position."[/color]

His thumb brushed once across the back of her hand as he glanced down at their joined hands before looking back up at her. A faint frown tugged at one corner of his mouth, more reflective than upset. [color=3c6c6b]"I was young and dumb when I was with her."[/color] The admission came with a soft exhale. [color=3c6c6b]"I thought..."[/color] He shook his head once, dismissing the thought before it could gather any weight. [color=3c6c6b]"Well, it doesn't matter now. I was a moron."[/color] Despite the self-deprecation, a small smile returned as he looked at her. 

Sutton’s heart skipped subtly in her chest as she felt his hand rest on top of hers after leaning closer. When she had taken his hand not a moment ago, she was offering quiet comfort. It was simple, something that came to her as naturally as breathing, just like distracting Jack outside the diner. But there was something about Warren doing the same for her that caught her off guard, like she had forgotten how to accept kindness. College and working under the Mayor had left her unknowingly jaded. That wasn’t to say she expected everyone to be cruel, but friendliness and kindness were not the same thing, and had a habit of being mutually exclusive more often than not. 

Her gaze fell to their hands, studying how Warren’s hand engulfed both of hers in a protective warmth. Sutton couldn’t help the weak laugh that escaped at his own self-deprecation. A single finger rose, lightly tapping her knuckle against his palm with a gentle chastising. [color=fcb9c1]"Don’t be so hard on yourself,"[/color] she said softly, keeping her voice quiet so it didn’t drift beyond their booth. [color=fcb9c1]"We all have shitty people from our past. You’re just unlucky and live in the same small town as yours."[/color] Her head tilted to the side slightly, offering him a small, sympathetic smile. 

Her attention drifted out the window as she caught a glimpse of the excited little pumpkin bounding down the sidewalk followed by his frustrated witch of a mother who occasionally kept glancing back over her shoulder toward the diner, like she was waiting for Warren to chase after her. Sutton’s brows creased as she tried to remember ever hearing about the two of them together. [color=fcb9c1]"I had no idea the two of you ever dated,"[/color] she confessed, her words quiet like it was a thought that slipped free rather than something intentionally spoken. [color=fcb9c1]"Must have been when I was away at college,"[/color] she added before slowly looking back over at Warren with a faint smile and a small shrug. [color=fcb9c1]"If I had known I might have warned you about her."[/color]

Warren's expression softened further at her gentle reprimand. The warmth of her hands remained beneath his own, grounding him more effectively than he cared to admit. A faint chuckle rumbled in his chest at the mention of shitty people from the past, and he shook his head once as his thumb brushed absent circles across the back of her hand. [color=3c6c6b]"Yeah,"[/color] he admitted quietly. [color=3c6c6b]"It was after you left."[/color] His gaze drifted briefly toward the diner window before returning to the table between them. [color=3c6c6b]"I wanted to find the right person. I wanted to build a life with somebody, but..."[/color] He lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"It didn't work."[/color] The words felt simpler now than they once had. Time had worn down most of the sharp edges, leaving behind lessons and scars instead of open wounds.

[color=fcb9c1]"Well… I think you dodged a bullet as far as Heather’s concerned,"[/color] Sutton mused with a warm, sympathetic smile. [color=fcb9c1]"You still have time,"[/color] she added, gently nudging her hands into his as if it took more than words to get the message across. [color=fcb9c1]"I always thought of the shitty people as life’s way of showing us what we don’t want out of a partner. So then when the right person shows up, it’s hard to miss."[/color] Her head tilted slightly to the side while her shoulders raised in a small shrug. [color=fcb9c1]"It’s a steep price to pay. But, in theory, it’ll all be worth it in the end when you find that person."[/color]

While it could seem like Sutton was trying to paint herself as the perfect candidate, it had nothing to do with her. She wanted everyone to find happiness, especially someone as nice as Warren. Both him and his brother worked so hard to take care of everyone else in town, that he deserved someone who would take care of him, someone worth coming home to. There was no knowing who could give him that happiness… it could be her, it could also be someone else. And that was ok. To her, everyone else’s happiness was more important than her own. It was a sacrifice she made over and over again. Sometimes it hurt, but she always persevered.

Warren listened without interrupting, his thumb continuing its slow path across the back of her hand while she spoke. The diner hummed around them with the scrape of forks against plates, distant laughter, and the steady murmur of conversations blending into comfortable background noise. He found himself watching her more than listening to anything else, catching the quiet conviction behind her words and the way she instinctively nudged her hands against his, as though reassuring him came as naturally to her as breathing. A small smile settled across his face, softer than the one he'd worn walking into the diner, touched by something quieter than amusement.

[color=3c6c6b]"I think you're right,"[/color] he admitted after a thoughtful moment. [color=3c6c6b]"Heather taught me a whole lot about what I [i]don't[/i] want."[/color] A breath of a laugh escaped him, more self-aware than bitter. His gaze drifted down to where their hands rested together before lifting back to hers. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd rather come home to someone kind than someone exciting."[/color]

His expression grew thoughtful again, not heavy, but deliberate. [color=3c6c6b]"The only part I don't like..."[/color] he began, his thumb pausing briefly against her knuckles. [color=3c6c6b]"...is the way you talk about everyone else's happiness like it's more important than your own."[/color] There wasn't any accusation in his voice. If anything, it carried quiet concern. He held her gaze, the warmth in his eyes steady and unwavering. 

[color=3c6c6b]"Whoever that right person is for you..."[/color] he said quietly, a faint smile returning to his lips, [color=3c6c6b]"...they'll be lucky as hell."[/color] His fingers gave hers a gentle squeeze before relaxing again. [color=3c6c6b]"Because the way you care about people..."[/color] He shook his head once, searching briefly for words that felt big enough. [color=3c6c6b]"You don't find that every day, Sutton. Especially not in a town like this. I just hope, when they finally show up, they take half as good care of you as you already seem determined to take care of everyone else."[/color]

Sutton wanted to respond with a joke or something else equally dismissive to lessen the weight of what he said, but she couldn’t bring herself to cheapen his words, not when he seemed to believe them so wholeheartedly. Her gaze remained fixed on their hands, only peeking up at him occasionally until the conviction and warmth behind his smile made heat spread along her cheeks all over again and she had to look away. She didn’t understand how someone she talked to once every handful of months could see through her so easily. It was disarming, yet also comforting, like she was trying to find stable footing on uneven ground, but Warren could see her missteps before she did and was offering her a hand before she had to ask.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a long moment, then sighed softly and conceded, if only moderately, to some of what he said. [color=fcb9c1]"I… I’ve always preferred taking care of other people. It’s easier and less disappointing."[/color] There was less room for error when she was in control. Helping people put the power in her hands, so she could see the outcome. It was tangible and obtainable. Sutton relied on her family, when she was allowed to see them, but friends were fleeting, and the few partners she had been with were far too much like Heather to care about anything beyond their own happiness. 

Beneath Warren’s hands, her fingers anxiously tugged at the cuffs of her turtleneck, like fidgeting might help the uncomfortable reality settle a little easier. [color=fcb9c1]"There’s a reason I haven’t dated since returning to Pine Ridge,"[/color] Sutton confessed quietly. While the uncertainty of what Samuel would do if she found herself in a relationship was a scary enough reason to avoid dating, no one had been interested, and she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t been trying to remain off of most people’s radars. Apparently that only lasted so long. Loneliness had a way of chipping away at a person until they abandoned logic, and Sutton was only human… and Warren was easy to talk to. 

A beat passed and her fingers stilled before her gaze slowly raised to meet his with a lopsided sheepish smile and a small shrug. [color=fcb9c1]"You seemed pretty determined to break that streak,"[/color] she mused with a quiet chuckle.

Warren's smile came easily, brightening with a quiet sort of delight that reached his eyes the moment she admitted he'd been trying to break her streak. There wasn't any triumph in it, only genuine happiness that she'd been honest with him. He'd noticed it from the beginning, the way Sutton instinctively stepped around herself whenever the conversation drifted too close to what she wanted. Hearing her acknowledge it felt less like she'd lowered a wall and more like she'd opened a window, just enough to let him see inside.

His fingers shifted slightly against hers, not to hold on tighter, but to reassure her he was still there. [color=3c6c6b]"I am,"[/color] he admitted with the same steady confidence she'd already come to recognize in him. [color=3c6c6b]"I don't know what the reason is,"[/color] he continued, his voice softening as he searched her face instead of the words. [color=3c6c6b]"But I don't scare easy, and I don’t think I’m going to give up anytime soon."[/color] The statement carried no bravado. It was simply true. Whatever had convinced Sutton that she was safer alone, whatever disappointment or hurt sat behind the careful way she rationed pieces of herself, it wasn't enough to make him turn around.

A small breath of laughter escaped him before he shook his head. [color=3c6c6b]"Besides..."[/color] His grin returned, warmer now than mischievous. [color=3c6c6b]"You've got this habit of making me want to know what you're thinking before you've even finished the sentence."[/color] He leaned back just enough to study her with quiet affection. [color=3c6c6b]"Most people spend the first date trying to impress somebody."[/color] The corner of his mouth tugged upward another fraction. [color=3c6c6b]"I just keep finding more reasons to like you."[/color]

Sutton’s gaze fell to their hands as he spoke, taking in his every word as she watched the way his fingers reflexively curled around hers whenever he was open and raw with her. That sort of honesty was rare, the kind that came without strings, simply given because she gave it in return. There was something about the way Warren shared his feelings openly, while leaving room for her to speak without ever prying that made him feel safe. It was like he said, most people spent the first date trying to impress each other, like they’re trying to sell themselves. But she wasn’t like that, and neither was he. Warren didn’t fill the silence talking about himself, if anything he filled it with compliments and kind words that she felt severely unequipped to handle gracefully.

The tip of her thumb absently brushed the callus hewn skin of his palm, tracing the rough edges molded through years of hard work, unable to meet his gaze. A bashful smile remained persistently curled into her faint dimples, reluctant to fade while sitting across from him. Sutton didn’t receive praise well, yet Warren kept offering it freely like he was personally determined to keep her blushing for the remainder of lunch… Which had hardly even started. She didn’t know how to respond, first laughing softly while words eluded her, before finally forcing her gaze to lift from their hands and drift back across the table to meet his. 

[color=fcb9c1]"No one’s ever been as interested in getting to know me as you are,"[/color] Sutton confessed in quiet bewilderment. [color=fcb9c1]"Everyone thinks they’ve got me pegged, and that’s enough for them… but not [i]you.[/i]"[/color] For a long moment she simply looked back and forth between his eyes, studying the dark hazel as if it held some secret answer she was missing. If she were asked to guess the type of person Warren would be interested in, she would have been the last person on that list. Yet there she sat across from him as his smile widened ear to ear and his hands remained stubbornly wrapped around hers. He seemed like a man that was exactly where he wanted to be, and Sutton, for the life of her, was incapable of accepting the simple truth of it. 

Warren couldn't help but smile, the expression softening into something quieter as she admitted no one had ever tried to know her the way he had. He watched her thumb wander absentmindedly across the rough skin of his hand, tracing old calluses that had long since become as familiar to him, and found himself wondering if she realized she did little things like that whenever she was thinking too hard. It wasn't rehearsed or cautious. It was simply Sutton, gentle without trying to be, and he doubted she had any idea how much those small moments gave away.

A warm laugh escaped him as he tipped his head ever so slightly to one side, his eyes never leaving hers for very long before they drifted back to where their hands still rested together. [color=3c6c6b]"I guess everyone else is just dumber,"[/color] he said brightly, as though that truly settled the matter. The answer came without hesitation or irony, carrying the same matter-of-fact certainty he'd used when insisting she was the prettiest girl in town. To Warren, the conclusion was obvious. If people thought they'd already figured Sutton out after a passing conversation or a handful of assumptions, then they simply hadn't been paying attention.

His thumb brushed lightly over the back of her hand before settling again, the movement absent and reassuring rather than possessive. [color=3c6c6b]"You know what I've figured out so far?"[/color] he asked, his smile tugging a little higher. [color=3c6c6b]"You think everyone deserves patience except yourself."[/color] There wasn't any judgment behind the observation, only quiet fondness. [color=3c6c6b]"You notice when people are hurting before they say a word, you apologize for things that aren't your fault, and every time somebody says something kind about you, you look like you're trying to find the nearest exit."[/color]

He chuckled softly, giving her hand the faintest squeeze before relaxing his grip again. [color=3c6c6b]"Seems to me I've barely scratched the surface,"[/color] he admitted, the warmth in his eyes settling on her with unwavering sincerity. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd be a fool to stop asking questions now."[/color]

Sutton’s head tilted downward slightly, hiding her face behind a curtain of blonde waves as a quiet laugh fell from her lips. [color=fcb9c1]"I never realized I was that transparent,"[/color] she mused with a guilty smile. Either she wasn’t as elusive as she imagined—which wasn’t that much, to be fair—or Warren was far better at reading people, or perhaps just her, than he had let on. Regardless of how much of an open book she claimed to be, there was something that resonated with her in the way he noticed the small things that were meant to go unnoticed, instead of commenting on the obvious. It was disarming the way he took his time reading each page thoroughly, wanting to take in everything he could, rather than skipping over the boring pieces to get to the good parts... He seemed to be full of surprises. 

One of her hands slowly slipped free from beneath his, lifting to brush her hair back out of her face, tucking it behind her ears. She studied her empty palm for a long moment, rubbing her fingertips together like she was trying to come to terms with the strange, cold sensation that lingered along her skin where his touch once was. She blinked once, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze for a second before hesitantly slipping her hand back beneath his while warmth settled back across her cheeks. 

Before Warren could notice, or perhaps to hide the honesty of the gesture beneath something else, Sutton cleared her throat and lightly tapped her finger against the table. [color=fcb9c1]"To be fair, you don’t seem to be the best at accepting compliments either,"[/color] she commented with a knowing gaze that was nothing but warmth and unspoken endearment. Her left brow rose slightly in a silent gesture that said she saw things too, even if he thought she didn’t. She noticed the subtle ways he wanted to skirt around her gentle compliments in the garage, how his gaze found more important things to fix on than her, the minute shift of his weight, or the way his shoulders straightened, just a fraction. It wasn’t a bad thing, if anything it showed that he wasn’t a narcissist, because he didn’t expect kindness or flattery. So no matter how sincere they were, they still sat uneasily like a shirt that was one size too big. It fit, but felt like it was meant for someone else. 


Warren watched her slip her hand back beneath his, the movement small enough that someone else might have missed it entirely. He certainly didn't. The corners of his mouth softened into something quieter as his thumb settled instinctively against the back of her hand once more, as though it had belonged there all along. Whatever reason she'd found for returning it, he wasn't about to question his good fortune.

Her observation earned a short laugh and a slow shake of his head. She'd caught him just as thoroughly as he'd caught her. Warren looked down at their joined hands for a moment before lifting his gaze back to hers, a faint flush warming the tops of his ears despite the easy smile tugging at his lips. [color=3c6c6b]"I guess you've got me there,"[/color] he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. [color=3c6c6b]"Though, if I'm being honest..."[/color]

His eyes settled on her again, steady and unhurried, carrying the same openness that had marked every conversation they'd shared that afternoon. [color=3c6c6b]"I only seem to have that problem when the compliments are coming from you."[/color] The confession arrived so matter-of-factly that it took away any chance of mistaking it for flirtation alone. [color=3c6c6b]"Anyone else says something nice, I can usually nod, say thanks, and move on with my day."[/color] A sheepish smile crept back onto his face as he gave the smallest shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"You say it..."[/color] He glanced away for barely a heartbeat before looking back at her. [color=3c6c6b]"...and suddenly I don't know where I'm supposed to look."[/color]

Sutton couldn’t fight the blush that warmed her cheeks. She had expected some deflection or perhaps an easy admission that [i]everyone[/i] gets a little bashful when they are bombarded with compliments, but once again his candor left her speechless. How Warren managed to take something about him and spin it so effortlessly back onto her like it took no thought at all, she didn’t know. She had never met someone so naturally adept at making nearly everything he says land in that flustering, bashful way that left her constantly red faced and struggling to form sentences. Whether she wanted it to or not, her smile curved bright and unbidden into her cheeks as she shook her head in quiet disbelief. 

She lightly picked at a small scratch in the table, laughing softly before looking up and meeting his gaze. [color=fcb9c1]"You know,"[/color] Sutton mused, tilting her head to the side like she was pondering a deep thought, although the slight smirk to her smile betrayed her. [color=fcb9c1]"With how people talk about you around town, I just assumed that you were probably used to it."[/color] She playfully rolled her eyes before giving her own dramatic rendition of the things she heard, even batting her eyelashes for extra effect. [color=fcb9c1]"[i]‘Warren’s so kind, and generous, and considerate.’ ‘How is he that hot and single?’[/i]"[/color] Her smile widened, not out of contradiction, but in that quiet unspoken way that said she related to the sentiments, more than she cared to admit. She just never said them out loud. 

[color=fcb9c1]"Most of the single women—[i]and some not[/i]—whisper among themselves over which of them will be [i]‘the one’[/i] to nail down one of the Boone brothers."[/color] Sutton’s left shoulder rose in a small, lopsided shrug as her gaze fell to where his hand rested securely on top of hers. [color=fcb9c1]"I assumed flattery would lose its charm if it was all you heard day in and day out."[/color] It wasn’t like she could relate or knew what it felt like. Perhaps he just sort of became immune after a while? Or maybe the only people bold enough to say it to his face were women like Heather who felt disingenuous before speaking a word. Still… It was somehow her, over everyone else, that made Warren bashful. That fact made her stomach knot with an anxiety she couldn’t name, but it also felt strangely powerful, like she was capable of doing something that no one else could.  

Sutton leaned forward until her chest pressed lightly against the edge of the table. She held his gaze as her voice lowered to barely above a whisper like she was about to share a secret. [color=fcb9c1]"Does this mean I have a superpower?"[/color] she mused. [color=fcb9c1]"I can make Warren Boone [i]blush.[/i]"[/color] A mischievous glint sparked behind her eyes as her brows rose and her smile carved deeper into her cheeks. [color=fcb9c1]"I feel like this is where someone tells me ‘with great power comes great responsibility,’"[/color] she added, before quickly tucking her lips between her teeth to try and keep herself from smiling too wide or letting a laugh slip free.

Warren laughed quietly, shaking his head as though the whole thing sounded far stranger when someone else said it out loud. A faint flush still lingered around the tips of his ears, refusing to disappear no matter how much Sutton seemed intent on drawing attention to it. [color=3c6c6b]"It's been like that for so long,"[/color] he admitted with an easy shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"But it's... kind of dumb when you're the person they're talking about."[/color] His gaze drifted toward the front windows where festival volunteers and tourists wandered up and down Main Street beneath strings of decorations. [color=3c6c6b]"You hear people talk in circles about how amazing they think we are, about how much they'd love to be with one of us..."[/color] He snorted softly, the sound carrying more amusement than pride. [color=3c6c6b]"But hardly anybody actually tries, you know? They don't really want to know either of us."[/color]

The smile faded into something more thoughtful as his thumb traced an absent circle against the back of her hand. [color=3c6c6b]"Most people would rather ask strangers about my brother's or my past than just ask [i]us[/i] themselves."[/color] He shook his head, a quiet scoff escaping before he could stop it. [color=3c6c6b]"It's ridiculous. They've already decided who we are before they've ever had an actual conversation with us."[/color] He let the thought settle for a moment, drawing in a slow breath that eased some of the frustration from his shoulders before his attention found Sutton again.

The heaviness left his expression almost immediately when he looked at her. [color=3c6c6b]"You're different, though,"[/color] he said, his voice softening into something warm and certain. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd like to say it's because you went away to college and came back more mature..."[/color] A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he gave the slightest shake of his head. [color=3c6c6b]"But I honestly think it's just who you are."[/color] His eyes held hers with an easy steadiness that never felt demanding. [color=3c6c6b]"You don't seem interested in who people tell you someone is. You'd rather find out for yourself, and..."[/color] He smiled a little wider. [color=3c6c6b]"I think that's one of my favorite things about you."[/color]

Sutton’s smile softened, laughing quietly as her gaze lowered, fixating on a small bit of fuzz that clung to the cuff of her sweater. Warren handed out compliments so easily that she hardly knew what to do with them or how to accept them without continually spiraling into her bashful shell. She didn’t know if that’s how he was with everyone or just her. It wasn’t like she had much to compare it to, but it was like every time he found something new about her he liked, he couldn’t keep it to himself… He had to tell her. And each new gentle flattery rooted itself somewhere in her chest, knotting so stubbornly around her ribs that she feared if she ever tried to remove it, it would cause more damage than good. It was ridiculous. One man’s words shouldn’t have such an effect on her, especially not the first time they shared a meal together. Yet, as she sat there, she could feel it weaving its way through her, inch by inch. 

She inhaled, slowly dragging her bottom lip between her teeth before speaking. [color=fcb9c1]"I just… like to give people the same respect and consideration that I want."[/color] Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug, as if there was no simpler way to describe it than that. [color=fcb9c1]"Town talks,"[/color] she added. A fact that anyone who’s been in Pine Ridge for more than a week would know. [color=fcb9c1]"I hear what they say, but I also know that there’s more to you than a mechanic with a nice face that everyone wants to sleep with."[/color] Some of the flush returned to her cheeks, but it didn’t dull her conviction as her eyes slowly lifted until she met his gaze. [color=fcb9c1]"I knew that before today. I knew that before… [i]Well,[/i] I don’t know. I guess I always knew."[/color] A frayed laugh slipped out as one corner of her mouth curled a little higher. [color=fcb9c1]"I figured… If I’m more than the goody two-shoes everyone thinks I am, then there’s more to you too."[/color]

Her thumbs strummed against the table beneath the steady weight of his hand. [color=fcb9c1]"I think some people are just too focused on the [i]idea[/i] of something, rather than making it a reality,"[/color] Sutton continued as her head lulled to the side in thought. Blonde hair fell from behind her ear at the subtle movement, resting against her cheek as she pursed her lips. [color=fcb9c1]"They delude themselves with fantasies about you, or your brother, because they like the Hallmark image of it."[/color] Then her smile slowly curled into something bashful and faintly guilty as her head tilted the other way. [color=fcb9c1]"And then some, [i]maybe[/i], are just too shy to try… College didn’t seem to solve that one,"[/color] she confessed, her words so soft that they were nearly lost beneath the constant roar of the diner around them. 

His eyes drifted toward the window where festival volunteers wandered past carrying bundles of decorations before settling back on Sutton. [color=3c6c6b]"I think a lot of folks forget that getting to know somebody takes work,"[/color] he said thoughtfully. [color=3c6c6b]"It's easier to fall in love with an idea than a person."[/color] A quiet laugh escaped him as he shook his head. [color=3c6c6b]"Ideas don't disappoint you. Real people do. They make mistakes, say dumb things, have bad days."[/color] His gaze softened again. [color=3c6c6b]"I guess I've always figured those parts are worth learning too."[/color]

Sutton's shy confession settled warmly somewhere beneath his ribs. He could picture her younger somehow, standing at the edge of a conversation she wanted to join but convincing herself not to, quietly watching instead. It fit her far too well. [color=3c6c6b]"You know..."[/color] he began, a faint grin returning as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, [color=3c6c6b]"I probably would've been too shy too."[/color] His shoulders lifted in an easy shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"I don't think I would've had the nerve to ask you out back then."[/color]

She laughed softly, shaking her head in slight disbelief with a sheepish smile. The thought of Warren being too shy to ask [i]anyone[/i] out was hard to imagine, let alone her. Sutton was probably one of the least intimidating people in town: quiet, soft spoken, and often keeping to herself. She had a difficult time believing anyone would struggle approaching her. It was easier assuming people overlooked her, or maybe forgot she existed entirely. The idea of him being bashful and trying to build up the courage to talk to her felt so stark in comparison to his shameless flirting that it just didn’t add up. [color=fcb9c1]"I don’t know if I believe you,"[/color] she teased quietly as her grin grew a fraction wider. 

Sutton’s shoulders lifted in a small shrug. [color=fcb9c1]"That was a long time ago,"[/color] she commented while her head lulled to the side in thought. [color=fcb9c1]"I was barely an adult and preparing to move to the other side of the country. And you were—"[/color] her eyes squinted, [color=fcb9c1]"—[i]older.[/i]"[/color] She laughed softly, holding his gaze as she shrugged a second time. 

A laugh escaped Warren before he could stop it, warm and unguarded as he shook his head. The tips of his ears betrayed him first, a faint blush creeping into them despite the grin tugging comfortably across his face. [color=3c6c6b]"Hey now,"[/color] he protested with mock offense, pointing a finger at her across the table. [color=3c6c6b]"I wasn't [i]that[/i] much older."[/color]

He rubbed the back of his neck, the gesture oddly bashful considering how confidently he'd spent the better part of the day flirting with her. [color=3c6c6b]"Besides..."[/color] he admitted with an easy shrug, his smile softening as his eyes settled back on hers, [color=3c6c6b]"Pretty girls have a way of making a fella second guess himself, no matter how old he is."[/color]

His smile faded into something more contemplative as his attention dropped to the grain of the tabletop, his jaw shifting thoughtfully while the murmur of conversations drifted around them. [color=3c6c6b]"Honestly, when you left for college, I never thought you'd come back."[/color]  The confession slipped out before he could reconsider it. He finally lifted his eyes to hers again, a crooked half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.


[color=3c6c6b]"I'm glad you did."[/color] The words carried an easy sincerity that left little room for doubt. [color=3c6c6b]"I just figured there was so much more out there for you than Pine Ridge."[/color] His gaze lingered on her face as he spoke. [color=3c6c6b]"You were smart, driven, ambitious, kind. You could go places I never could."[/color] There was no bitterness in the admission. If anything, there was a quiet pride in it, as though he'd always expected her to outgrow this place and had been rooting for her the entire time. His fingers tightened slightly around her hand, the motion small enough to go unnoticed by anyone except the person sitting across from him. 

Sutton’s smile softened as her gaze fell to the table beneath their hands. She had never been the best at accepting compliments, and while she heard those words thrown around countless times between her parents or family friends… It was different hearing him say them. Warren wasn’t obligated to placate or push her to strive for bigger and better things. He simply observed. She had no idea that he knew much about her back then, let alone noticed her enough to have thoughts and aspirations for the trajectory of her life. Pine Ridge was small, sure, but she had just assumed she never crossed his radar until she started going to the garage. The realization to the contrary made it difficult to meet his gaze as something stirred within her chest. 

Her thumb ran along the laminate tabletop, catching on a small knick from decades of wear and tear. [color=fcb9c1]"Connecticut wasn’t for me,"[/color] Sutton admitted, slowly lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. [color=fcb9c1]"I always felt like I was ten steps behind everyone else. I never really fit in."[/color] She could still remember how overwhelming it all was the first time she set foot onto Yale’s campus. While she never considered herself a big fish in a little pond, she did feel like an ordinary pond fish that was dropped into the ocean and told to figure it out. It was a reality shock that she struggled through for six years and never quite found her footing. [color=fcb9c1]"People out there are loud and powerful. They don’t ask to make room, they demand it."[/color]

She laughed softly and shrugged her shoulders, having come to accept that wasn’t the life for her a long time ago. [color=fcb9c1]"I learned a lot of life lessons the hard way out there."[/color] No one had really noticed how much college had changed her. They all chalked it up to her being older and wiser, or whatever other bullshit reasoning they thought of to explain no longer knowing her after six years. But the truth was far simpler, she had changed. Her experiences made her guarded, it chipped away at her optimism, and made it difficult for her to trust what people say at face value. She no longer felt like she quite fit into Pine Ridge anymore, like she had been forced to outgrow it, but she never filled the shoes of the outside world either. She hovered in limbo between the two.

Warren had spent most of his life while she was gone believing Sutton had gone out into the world and found exactly what someone like her deserved. Hearing that she'd never truly belonged there quietly dismantled a belief he'd carried for years. It wasn't satisfying that she had come home, it was the realization that she'd been lonely somewhere he'd always imagined she'd been thriving.

He stayed silent, not because he didn't know what to say, but because for the first time since they'd sat down, Sutton wasn't deflecting with humor or concern for someone else. She was talking about herself. [i]Really[/i] talking. Warren had the distinct feeling that if he rushed to fill the space, she'd retreat behind another polite smile and change the subject before she ever reached whatever she was actually trying to tell him.

His gaze never left her, steady without being intense, the corner of his mouth lifting into the faintest smile as if to reassure her she didn't need to hurry. He gave a single, almost imperceptible nod when she mentioned learning life lessons the hard way, inviting her to continue without pressing. Whatever those lessons were, whatever Connecticut had taken from the bright, optimistic woman sitting across from him, he wanted to understand them—not to solve them or argue with them, but because they had shaped the person she had become, and he found himself wanting to know every version of Sutton Lockwood that existed between the girl who had left Pine Ridge and the woman who had found her way back.

[color=fcb9c1]"College is overrated anyway,"[/color] Sutton amended with a warm smile while playfully rolling her eyes. There was a second or two of silence as her expression softened into a gentle seriousness. [color=fcb9c1]"You could accomplish anything you wanted if you set your mind to it. You don’t need college or whatever else to do it."[/color] She knew when he said that she could go places he couldn’t that it wasn’t to undermine himself, but from where she was sitting Warren seemed plenty accomplished and determined enough to achieve anything. [color=fcb9c1]"It might not seem like it, but you’ve already done a lot with your life. You run the garage, help people around town…"[/color] Her voice trailed off as her gaze drifted around the diner, snagging on the familiar faces that watched them out of the corner of their eyes with a knowing smirk. 

Sutton’s cheeks flushed faintly at the attention. She shifted slightly in her seat and cleared her throat before continuing. [color=fcb9c1]"But if Pine Ridge feels too… [i]constricting,[/i] you can always get on your bike and leave. Go to a different place where no one knows who you are and build that life you wanted."[/color] If there was a dating rulebook, telling Warren to leave town was probably a big [i]hell no.[/i] Sure, the thought of it made something small in the pit of her stomach ache, but it wasn’t about her. There was a sincerity to what she said that reflected in her eyes as she looked at him, but there was also something heavier hidden beneath the gentle words and warm smile. [color=fcb9c1]"It worked for my brother,"[/color] she offered. 

[color=fcb9c1]"Plus, you’re kind, outgoing, charming, and good looking, you’ll thrive anywhere you go."[/color] The words came so naturally that it didn’t register that Sutton had actually said them until a few seconds later. Then her eyes widened slightly while her cheeks grew a shade darker. Her hands reflexively tensed beneath his as her attention quickly found its way back out the window again. 

Warren's smile lingered through her praise, quiet and genuine, until she told him he could always leave. The words settled somewhere deep inside him, stirring a longing he'd taught himself years ago was safer left untouched. For the briefest moment he imagined it anyway. Miles of highway stretching beneath the tires of his bike, a town where no one knew his last name. A garage with his name on the sign and nothing heavier waiting for him at home than tomorrow's work. The picture lasted only a heartbeat before reality folded neatly over it again.

He couldn't leave. It wasn't fear that kept him in Pine Ridge, or complacency, or a lack of ambition fueled dreams. The further a wolf wandered from these mountains, the weaker they became. Their senses dulled first, then their strength, until eventually something inside them began to unravel. The wolf grew restless, unstable, like it could feel the distance between itself and whatever ancient thing beneath Pine Ridge had first given it life. Warren had watched older pack members test that boundary before. Every one of them came home thinner, sicker, quieter than when they'd left. Some never made it back at all.

Even if that curse had never existed, there was still the pack. There were children learning to live with wolves beneath their skin, elders whose bodies could no longer survive the full moon without help, families who looked to him whenever something went wrong because Harlan had placed that responsibility squarely on his shoulders. There were human lives and his duty to protect them wrapped up in that promise too, whether they knew it or not. Warren had long ago stopped thinking about what he wanted in favor of what everyone else needed from him. It wasn't resentment. It was simply the shape his life had taken, until duty fit him more comfortably than freedom ever could.

His gaze settled back on Sutton, affection warming the sadness that lingered there. She believed every word she'd said. She truly thought the world was still wide enough for him to climb onto his motorcycle and disappear toward a better life, and he found himself wishing, just for her sake, that she was right. His mouth parted as he searched for a way to explain a truth he wasn't allowed to tell, wanting her to understand that it had never been about courage or ambition. [color=3c6c6b]"Actually, I—"[/color]

[color=d6d6d6]"[i]Sutton Lockwood,[/i]"[/color] a warm, familiar voice called out as one of the waitresses drifted up alongside their table. Corina Anders beamed down at her with a bright smile just like she always did since her and Nelthea were far younger, bouncing back and forth between sleepovers at each other’s houses rather than saying goodbye. Time had weathered the woman’s face, adding smile lines and gentle creases beside her eyes, but she hadn’t lost an ounce of her easy, comforting aura. [color=d6d6d6]"It’s so good to see you, sweetie."[/color] The woman leaned over, pulling Sutton into a tight hug, with all the love of an aunt by choice, not by blood. 

Sutton’s attention had been solely and intently focused on Warren and whatever he was about to say, that the new voice took a second or two for her to register, and another beat still for her to reluctantly pull her gaze away from him. There was some point in the transition between looking at him and up at their waitress, that her smile faltered, only to be quickly replaced by something wide and warm that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She barely got a chance to notice who it was before she was pulled into an embrace. Her hands slowly slipped from beneath Warren’s to wrap around the woman and gently stroked her back. [color=fcb9c1]"Hi, Mrs. Anders,"[/color] she muttered into the woman’s shoulder, hardly able to pull her head back enough to speak. [color=fcb9c1]"It’s good to see you too."[/color]

After a moment or two of Corina Anders squeezing her tighter and rocking back and forth, she let go. She stepped back just enough to keep her hands on Sutton’s shoulders, looking her up and down with the kind of concerned scrutiny reserved for family members who always worried and wanted to make sure the people they loved were happy and healthy. [color=d6d6d6]"It’s been forever since you stopped in here for a proper bite. Always coming and going like you’re running late,"[/color] she commented, lifting one of her hands to wave it back and forth as she spoke. 

Sutton's smile became tight-lipped and strained as the familiar guilt that always lingered just out of sight crept into view and clawed at her chest. [color=fcb9c1]"I know… The Mayor keeps me busy."[/color]

Corina blew a soft raspberry and waved the notion off like it was a pesky fly. [color=d6d6d6]"Busy or not, a young girl like you has gotta eat. Put some meat on those bones."[/color] She reached up, pinching Sutton’s cheek in that way people who cared always loved to annoy the younger people in their lives. The woman’s hand slowly fell to take her chin, gently tilting her head up to catch the light and meet her gaze as her voice quieted and her tone grew more grave. [color=d6d6d6]"When’s the last time you visited your parents? They talk about you all the time. They really miss you."[/color]

The knot twisted tighter in Sutton’s stomach as she looked away, fixating on a stain on Mrs. Anders’s apron rather than meeting her inquisitive gaze. There was a heaviness that settled behind her eyes as the silence grew. It was a sadness she had struggled to hide for years, only managing to repress it when she was able to push the thoughts and memories away. She cleared her throat, trying to fight the lump that was forming in her throat and keep control of her emotions. [color=fcb9c1]"I know…"[/color] she replied sheepishly, the faintest hint of strain tingeing the edge of her words. [color=fcb9c1]"I—I really need to go see them."[/color]

The older woman ran a work-worn thumb along Sutton’s cheek, concern knitting her brows, but she did not pry. After a second or two, her attention drifted toward the other person at the table like she had almost forgotten. Her hand fell, lightly slapping her leg as she chastised herself. [color=d6d6d6]"[i]Ah,[/i] where are my manners?"[/color] She shook her head before resting her hand against Warren’s shoulder with a warm smile. [color=d6d6d6]"It’s good to see you too, Warren dear."[/color] 

Warren sat quietly through the exchange, his hand retreating from Sutton's only when Corina swept in and claimed her in a hug. A small smile lingered at the corner of his mouth as he watched the older woman fuss over her. It was familiar. Half the town had raised each other's children in one way or another, and Corina had spent decades collecting strays beneath her wings whether they belonged to her or not. The sight should have been comforting. Instead, Warren found himself paying closer attention to Sutton than the conversation itself.

He noticed the moment her smile tightened, the change was subtle enough that most people would have missed it entirely. Her shoulders drew in slightly, her eyes lingered a fraction too long on the table, the wall, anywhere except Corina's face. When her parents were mentioned, something heavier settled across her expression before she hurried to tuck it away. Warren didn't know the details. He only knew guilt when he saw it, and sadness had a way of recognizing itself in others.

His jaw shifted slightly as he watched her struggle through the conversation, and there was a familiar feeling in it. Not the circumstances themselves, but the way people carried things they didn't talk about, letting them grow heavier with every passing year. Warren had spent enough time doing exactly that. His gaze lingered on Sutton for a moment longer before Corina's attention finally turned toward him and pulled him from the thought.

A warm chuckle escaped him as her hand landed on his shoulder. [color=3c6c6b]"Good to see you too, Mrs. Anders."[/color] His smile returned easily for her sake, though his eyes drifted briefly back toward Sutton. [color=3c6c6b]"Looks like you're feeding half the town today, we were lucky to get a free table."[/color] The teasing came naturally, but a protective concern remained tucked beneath it as he watched Sutton from the corner of his eye, wondering what burden she was carrying that made the mention of home hurt so much.

Corina took a small step back, looking back and forth between the two of them as the dots slowly connected behind her eyes. She lifted her hand from Warren’s shoulder to motion her finger back and forth between them. [color=d6d6d6]"I had no idea you two were seeing each other. How long has that been going on for?"[/color]

Sutton’s eyes widened and her face immediately turned as bright as the red vinyl beneath her. [color=fcb9c1]"[i]Oh my god,[/i]"[/color] she muttered under her breath, completely mortified. They couldn’t avoid people staring and gossiping at the diner, town was like that and there was no avoiding it. But ignoring lingering glances and whispers was significantly easier than being asked out right. She slowly sunk further into her seat until her knee accidentally bumped against Warren’s. Her gaze met his for a fraction of a second, somehow becoming more embarrassed, before quickly looking out the window and finding someone struggling to park [i]far[/i] more fascinating. 

Warren felt the heat climb into the tips of his ears almost immediately. He ignored it with the same stubborn determination he'd used his entire life whenever someone pointed out something embarrassing. Sutton, meanwhile, appeared ready to sink straight through the booth and disappear beneath the diner floor. The sight alone nearly undid him, and he was trying to hold in the laughter when her knee bumped against his beneath the table, her gaze collided briefly with his, and whatever composure he'd been attempting to maintain vanished beneath a widening grin.

A dangerous spark lit behind his eyes. It was the exact expression that usually preceded Harlan developing a headache and Charlie looking for an escape hatch. Warren leaned back against the booth, looking entirely too pleased with himself as he folded one arm across his chest. [color=3c6c6b]"We've only just started,"[/color] he admitted easily, amusement threading through every word. [color=3c6c6b]"I believe I'm currently in the trial period."[/color] His grin widened another fraction as he glanced toward Sutton, who seemed determined to become one with the window.

Corina's smile immediately grew brighter, which only encouraged him. [color=3c6c6b]"I've got at least three more dates before she falls head over heels in love with me."[/color] The confidence was entirely theatrical. [color=3c6c6b]"If I fail, I suppose I'll have to accept defeat."[/color] He let out a dramatic sigh and shook his head like a man contemplating a truly tragic future. [color=3c6c6b]"The odds are against me, but I'm choosing to remain optimistic."[/color]

His knee nudged lightly against Sutton's beneath the table, equal parts reassurance and playful provocation. Warren's smile softened slightly as he looked at her again, though the mischief remained firmly intact. [color=3c6c6b]"What do you think?"[/color] he asked, directing the question toward Sutton while somehow managing to include Corina in it too. [color=3c6c6b]"Think I've got a shot?"[/color]

Sutton heard every word of it with an acute clarity. If it was possible for her cheeks to darken further, they would have, but her face was already reaching critical redness. She quickly started regretting wearing a turtleneck. The cotton was suffocating, the way it clung to her skin and crept up her neck nearly to her jaw. She curled two fingers beneath the collar and gave it tug just before she felt Warren’s knee bump against hers. The touch jostled a frayed gasp loose, followed by a wry laugh as her gaze reluctantly met his from across the table. While she tried to remain stubborn in her embarrassment and not feed into whatever game he was playing, the brightness behind Warren’s smile and the way it lit up his eyes was hard to ignore. 

Her eyes narrowed as her nose and lips scrunched in that way they always did whenever she was trying to fight a smile. She shook her head in silent disbelief and lightly returned the bump against his knee. [color=fcb9c1]"Jury’s still out,"[/color] Sutton rebutted, holding his gaze as something subtly challenging sparked behind her eyes.

Corina laughed, shaking her head as she fished her order pad and a pen out from a pocket in her apron. [color=d6d6d6]"Warren Boone, you are full of it."[/color]

Sutton’s smile instantly returned, wide and toothy and all too pleased with herself. [color=fcb9c1]"That’s what I’ve been saying."[/color] She motioned her hand toward him, palm upwards, before crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the booth’s cushion. [color=fcb9c1]"We both know [i]you’d[/i] be the one to fall in love first anyway,"[/color] she mused, holding his gaze for a second or two longer before looking up at Mrs. Anders. [color=fcb9c1]"He practically [i]begged[/i] me to come to lunch with him,"[/color] she whispered the playful confession like it was a secret, sparing Warren a single sidelong glance, punctuated with a slight curl to her smile.

Warren laughed, the sound full and unguarded as Sutton nudged his knee in return. The challenge behind her eyes caught him immediately, and his grin only broadened as he held her gaze across the table. There it was again, that quiet little streak of stubbornness she'd been revealing piece by piece all morning. He liked it far more than he probably should have. It made her smile brighter, her teasing sharper, and something about earning that look from her felt strangely satisfying. Corina's accusation only earned another chuckle. Warren tipped his head back for a second before looking between the two women, entirely too pleased with himself to be embarrassed. 

[color=3c6c6b]"Sutton's got this one right,"[/color] he admitted without the slightest hesitation. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd absolutely be the one to fall in love first."[/color] There wasn't an ounce of reluctance in the confession. If anything, he sounded almost proud of it, like he'd already accepted the outcome long before anyone else had considered the possibility. He turned his attention fully back to Sutton, the corners of his eyes creasing with an easy warmth as he gave her a conspiratorial wink. [color=3c6c6b]"I've never claimed to be a patient man, but for you I could be."[/color]

Somehow, through the rising heat that climbed up her neck beneath the turtleneck all the way up to her cheeks, Sutton didn’t look away. She held his gaze unwaveringly… through the effortless confession that made something in her chest constrict, through the wink, and even through the relentless flirting that made it [i]very[/i] hard for her not to smile. A quiet laugh she couldn’t quite muffle slipped out as she shook her head. Her eyes narrowed in slight disbelief. [color=fcb9c1]"I’ll believe that when I see it,"[/color] she mused.

[color=d6d6d6]"I can’t say I blame him for striking while the iron is hot,"[/color] Mrs. Anders retorted with a mischievous smirk of her own. 

There was a pause as Sutton’s brows knitted together and her jaw dropped slightly in bewilderment. [color=fcb9c1]"Ok, that backfired,"[/color] she mumbled while the flush only darkened. [i]Traitor.[/i]

[color=d6d6d6]"You’re kind, smart, and pretty,"[/color] Corina stated it simply, like that was common knowledge. [color=d6d6d6]"It’s only a matter of time before someone snatches you up."[/color]

[color=fcb9c1]"That’s not exactly—"[/color] Sutton started to argue, but was cut off when Mrs. Anders lightly patted her on the cheek, in a lovingly chastising sort of way.

[color=d6d6d6]"Take the compliment, sweetheart."[/color]

Sutton’s brows furrowed more, creasing her forehead as she scoffed and tightened her arms across her chest. [color=fcb9c1]"Two against one isn’t fair,"[/color] she lamented with little to no conviction, all of her frustration and huffing more for show to mask the embarrassment and barrage of compliments she didn’t know how to accept. [color=fcb9c1]"I want sweet tea."[/color] It almost looked like she was pouting and lasted for little more than a second before she looked up at Corina with an apologetic, lopsided smile. [color=fcb9c1]"[i]Please,[/i]"[/color] she added sheepishly, unable to keep up the ruse as her manners and kindness won out. 

Warren watched Sutton's expression unravel beneath the combined effort of Corina's praise and her own failed attempt to turn the conversation back around. Every new compliment seemed to deepen the color in her cheeks until she looked ready to hide beneath the table, and he found himself smiling before he even realized he was doing it. There was something endlessly endearing about how hopelessly bad she was at accepting praise. She gave it away freely, yet the moment it was directed back at her she looked as though she'd much rather be anywhere else.

He made a quiet decision then and there, it settled somewhere in the back of his mind with surprising certainty. If making Sutton blush looked like this, he was going to make it his personal mission to see that smile and those rosy cheeks as often as she would allow. It wasn't about embarrassing her. It was the way her entire face seemed to brighten when she forgot to guard it, the way every genuine reaction she had felt honest in a town where so many people wore masks.

The corner of his mouth tugged higher as he glanced between Sutton and Corina before looking back toward the waitress. [color=3c6c6b]"I'll take a sweet tea too, please,"[/color] he said politely, his voice warm with an easy smile. His eyes drifted back to Sutton a heartbeat later, the unmistakable glimmer of mischief still lingering there, as though he was already wondering how long it would take before he earned that next brilliant blush.

The silence was filled with the quiet scratch of scribbling on paper and the consistent roar of life that filled the diner around them. With a click of her pen, Corina’s smile widened as she looked between the pair of them. [color=d6d6d6]"Two sweet teas for the [i]lovebirds[/i], coming right up,"[/color] she mused, all too happy with herself. She tucked her pen into her hair, turned away, and disappeared back into the chaos before either of them could respond or argue otherwise. 

Sutton’s face scrunched up in that uniquely telling way it did when she was trying to hide a mix of embarrassment and a smile. She reached out her hand, grabbing one of the old menus tucked behind the napkin holder. Her gaze lifted from the outdated [i]Harv’s Diner[/i] logo to look back across the table at Warren, whose deviousness still glimmered brightly behind his eyes like he was simply waiting for another opportunity to fluster her more. The plastic of the menu stuck together slightly from years of spilled syrup or sticky toddler fingers as she peeled it open with a faint grimace. She laid it open on the table in front of her, not because she particularly needed it. LIke everyone in town, she knew what every page said and probably tried it all at least once. It gave her something else to focus on besides Warren’s maddening smile that kept her stomach constantly twisting to the point that she didn’t know how much she’d [i]actually[/i] be able to eat. 

After the third or fourth time Sutton looked up at him from beneath long lashes and wild blonde hair that wouldn’t stay tucked behind her ear, she shook her head slightly, trying her best to fight a smile that widened with every glance… and failing. [color=fcb9c1]"You’re trouble,"[/color] she muttered under her breath as she flipped over the menu, as if the back had anything to offer beyond senior specials and kids meals. 

Warren's grin only deepened as Corina wandered away, entirely unapologetic about the title she'd assigned them. He picked up one of the old plastic menus himself, his thumb running absently over cloudy streaks left behind by someone who had started wiping it down before getting pulled away to another table. The pages clung together until he peeled them apart with a quiet crackle, though he spent far more time watching Sutton over the top edge than he did reading anything written inside. Every time she looked up at him only to duck her head back down again, he found himself smiling a little wider.

[color=3c6c6b]"I've heard that before,"[/color] he chuckled when she declared him trouble. He flipped another page before his brows drew together in exaggerated concern, his attention settling somewhere beyond the menu entirely. [color=3c6c6b]"You..."[/color] He looked back up at her with all the seriousness of a man delivering terrible news. [color=3c6c6b]"Aren't allowed to talk to my brother or Charlotte until at [i]least[/i] the fourth date."[/color] He nodded once, as though that seemed perfectly reasonable. [color=3c6c6b]"They're both shameless. They'll tell you every embarrassing story they've got, and I'd like to preserve what's left of my dignity for a little while longer."[/color]

Sutton was in the middle of flipping the menu for the fifth time when Warren’s tone turned grave, drawing her attention entirely. Her hands froze just where they were as her brows tugged together and lifted in concern. She had expected some dire, earth shattering news based on the way he looked at her… until he spoke. She paused, before exhaling deeply, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, then took her menu and smacked the back of his hands with it. [color=fcb9c1]"Oh my god, [i]Warren,[/i]"[/color] she drawled, before burying her face into her palms. A second later a muffled laugh slipped free as she peered out at him from between her fingers while shaking her head. 

After a moment or two, her hands slowly slipped from her face and fell to rest on top of her menu. Sutton looked across the table at him with narrowed eyes and an expression that said she was two seconds away from bumping her knee against his just for good measure. She lifted one hand, aggressively jabbing a finger in the air at him with all the ferocity of a ferret. [color=fcb9c1]"I should go find one of them and ask, on principle now."[/color] Whatever threat was supposed to lace her words was gone entirely by the time she finished talking, replaced with a playful tease that lacked all conviction. [color=fcb9c1]"Give me a fucking heartattack,"[/color] she muttered under her breath while snatching back up her menu and peeling open the pages… [i]Then,[/i] she bumped her knee against his, because she could, and he deserved it.

The sound of Sutton's laughter washed over him, bright and warm enough that Warren found himself smiling before he even realized he'd started. It settled somewhere deep in his chest, chasing away the lingering bitterness Heather had left behind outside and filling the empty space with something lighter. He could feel warmth creeping into the tips of his ears, the corners of his face pulling higher despite every attempt to appear at least a little dignified. She looked beautiful when she laughed. Not simply because she smiled, but because every careful wall she carried seemed to disappear for those few fleeting seconds until all that remained was the woman underneath.

The playful smack of the menu against the backs of his hands earned another laugh, and he made an exaggerated show of pulling them back as though she'd dealt a grievous injury. The sight of her peeking through her fingers, cheeks flushed and trying so desperately to look annoyed instead of amused, only made the fondness in his expression deepen. Warren had spent years fixing engines, rebuilding transmissions, and solving problems with grease beneath his fingernails. Making Sutton laugh, though, felt suspiciously like discovering he'd stumbled into something far more worthwhile than fixing cars.

Her finger jabbed accusingly toward him, and he met it with the solemn expression of a man about to negotiate international peace. [color=3c6c6b]"Veto'd,"[/color] he declared brightly, shaking his head without an ounce of hesitation. The knee she bumped against his earned no complaint whatsoever, only another grin that refused to leave his face. [color=3c6c6b]"Give me at least two more dates, and then I'll give Charlie permission to wrangle us all together for dinner so they can take turns humiliating me to their hearts' content."[/color]

He leaned back just enough to study her over the edge of his menu, amusement still dancing behind his eyes. [color=3c6c6b]"Besides,"[/color] he added, entirely too pleased with himself, [color=3c6c6b]"If you hear all the embarrassing stories now, you'll figure out how weird I am before I've had a fair chance to convince you it's endearing."[/color] His smile softened into something quieter as he looked at her across the table, still riding the warmth of her laughter. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd like to keep that advantage for another couple of dates if I can."[/color]

Sutton’s smile remained bright and warm, making something unguarded glint behind her eyes as he negotiated more dates before she had dinner with his family, like that was an entirely normal conversation for a first date. And no matter how strange that might be, for whatever reason, it didn’t even register for her. It wasn’t the blind optimism that this was the first of many dates, or how he was already convinced it wasn’t a “maybe” but a “when.” It was simply the adamant way he wanted to defend his honor before embarrassing stories and naked baby pictures somehow tainted it. She laughed with an airy fondness she didn’t notice weaving its way through her, one smile at a time. [color=fcb9c1]"Maybe I like weird,"[/color] she countered with a conspiratorial smirk and a small shrug.

Warren's grin spread so quickly it was almost impossible to believe he'd even attempted to hide how pleased he was by her answer. A laugh escaped him as he leaned comfortably against the booth, his eyes bright with unmistakable delight while he looked at her across the table. [color=3c6c6b]"Well,"[/color] he said with an approving nod, [color=3c6c6b]"You're in the right place with the right fella then."[/color] The confidence lasted exactly one heartbeat before his expression shifted into thoughtful concern, as though he'd suddenly realized he ought to define his terms.

He lifted a hand, pointing a finger at her with exaggerated seriousness. [color=3c6c6b]"Now hold on,"[/color] he amended quickly. [color=3c6c6b]"I should probably clarify what kind of weird we're talking about."[/color] His brows lifted as he tried to look as official as possible. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm not 'I've got a basement full of taxidermied roadkill' weird."[/color] He gave a decisive shake of his head. [color=3c6c6b]"Or 'collect my toenail clippings in a mason jar' weird. Those people are beyond saving."[/color]

A laugh that nearly turned into a snort slipped free as he all but wagged his finger at her. Sutton’s smile never once faded, settling into a natural brightness and warmth that seemed to linger persistently since she first set foot into his garage. Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she lifted her own finger and lightly pushed his away while raising her brows curiously. [color=fcb9c1]"So then what kind of weird [i]are[/i] you?"[/color] Her fingertip remained gently pressed against his in the space between them, like some strange thumb war, as her eyes narrowed. [color=fcb9c1]"Are [i]you[/i] beyond saving?"[/color] she asked, turning his words against him as her nose scrunched playfully.

Warren laughed, the sound easy as her fingertip nudged his aside, though he made no effort to reclaim the tiny contest she'd started between them. Instead, he left his finger where it was beneath hers, looking down at the point where they touched before lifting his eyes back to her face. [color=3c6c6b]"I don't know,"[/color] he admitted with a crooked smile. [color=3c6c6b]"I don't think I'm any weirder than half the people in this town."[/color] He gave one shoulder an absent shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"Pine Ridge's always had a way of collecting… interesting folks."[/color]

The smile lingered for another heartbeat before her second question settled somewhere much deeper than she could have known. [i]Are[/i] you [i]beyond saving?[/i] The words echoed quietly through him, brushing against a part of himself he kept carefully buried beneath easy smiles and steady confidence. He'd lived with the answer for years. Every full moon, every scar earned beneath fur instead of skin, every secret carried for the sake of people who would never understand reminded him of what he was. Warren had long since accepted that monsters didn't stop being monsters simply because they tried to be kind.

His thumb absently rubbed against the edge of the table as the thought passed through him, familiar enough that it no longer startled him. If Sutton ever learned the truth, she'd see claws instead of calluses, teeth instead of smiles, blood instead of grease beneath his fingernails. He wondered, not for the first time, whether every good thing he'd tried to build in his life was simply an attempt to balance scales that could never truly be even. The pack needed him, the town trusted him, those things mattered. They just didn't always quiet the voice that whispered there were some things a person couldn't outrun, no matter how many engines they fixed or neighbors they helped.

When he finally looked back at her, none of that turmoil reached his face beyond a gentleness that settled into his eyes. A small smile returned, quieter than before but no less sincere. [color=3c6c6b]"I guess..."[/color] he murmured, letting her fingertip remain where it rested against his. [color=3c6c6b]"That'll be up to you to decide."[/color]

For a brief second, Sutton’s finger curled around his gently. It was meant to be playful, more like an odd interlocking like a pinky promise, but instead it settled in that unspoken way that felt comfortable through the faint touch. Her gaze absently focused on the small point of connection before lifting to study his face as the silence stretched for a beat longer. [color=fcb9c1]"I don’t know,"[/color] she mused quietly, taking a moment to consider the statement more seriously than the teasing implied. [color=fcb9c1]"You seem like the type to try and save everyone… but then who saves you?"[/color] Her question settled heavily between them, landing with more severity than she intended. But she didn’t take it back, instead lightly squeezing his finger with her own in a small gesture of understanding, and maybe some concern that he spends so much of his time helping others while no one does the same for him. They seemed far more alike in that regard than she cared to admit. 

Warren's smile softened, the playful glint in his eyes settling into something quieter as her finger curled around his. He returned the gentle squeeze without thinking, his rough callused finger resting comfortably against hers while he considered the question. It wasn't one he'd ever really asked himself. [color=3c6c6b]"It doesn't matter to me if there's no one around to save me,"[/color] he admitted softly, the words carrying the simple honesty that seemed to define him. There was no martyrdom in them, no expectation of praise. To Warren, it was simply the truth.

His gaze never left hers, but his thoughts wandered through the faces that had shaped him. He remembered Harlan after Savannah, watching his brother try to convince everyone he was fine while something fundamental inside him had broken. He remembered Charlie standing at her father's funeral, shoulders rigid beneath the weight of grief, fighting so desperately to keep the tears from falling because she thought everyone else needed her to be strong first. Then there was the pack. Every man and woman who carried the same burden beneath their skin that he did, bound together by something older than memory, something that demanded loyalty without ever asking permission. They carried one another because there had never been another choice, and Warren had long ago accepted that being their Alpha meant giving pieces of himself away whenever they needed them.

His thumb brushed lightly against the side of her finger before he let out the quietest breath through his nose. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm just happy if the people I care about are safe and happy,"[/color] he said, his voice steady despite the tenderness that lingered beneath it. [color=3c6c6b]"If that means I have to carry a little more so somebody else doesn't have to..."[/color] A small shrug followed, almost sheepish in its simplicity. [color=3c6c6b]"That seems like a pretty easy trade to me."[/color]

[color=fcb9c1]"[i]Hmm,[/i]"[/color] Sutton hummed quietly behind her closed lips. It sounded like something she would say, almost verbatim. Yet, for some reason she couldn’t quite put her finger on, it didn’t sit right with her. The thought of him giving everyone [i]everything[/i] but not receiving the same consideration in return landed so heavily and uneasily in her chest that it stole her breath. She sat there in silence for a long moment, simply studying the unwavering conviction behind his eyes until her own stubbornness bubbled out before she could stop it. [color=fcb9c1]"Well, this may need to be our last date… Because if you think I’d let you get away with that with me, then you are sorely mistaken,"[/color] she mused with a playful sharpness that said she was deadly serious and dared him to challenge her. 

For one awful heartbeat, Warren's smile vanished. His stomach dropped somewhere around his boots as he stared back at her, already trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong. Then the rest of her sentence caught up to him, and the relief that washed over his face was so immediate it broke into a warm, breathless laugh.

[color=3c6c6b]"Well, I know better now,"[/color] he said, perhaps a touch too quickly, his ears faintly pink as he shook his head at himself. [color=3c6c6b]"So it doesn't have to be the last date."[/color] Hope brightened his grin as he looked at her across the table. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd be a fool to argue with you anyway."[/color]

Sutton’s brows rose, her smile softening into something amused and apologetically fond after seeing the way he seemed so heartbroken for the entire second or two where he thought she was serious. [color=fcb9c1]"I’m sorry,"[/color] she whispered, slipping her finger from his. She slowly extended her left arm across the table and lifted her hand so she could gently cup his face. Her thumb lightly stroked from the top of his cheek and down along his beard, just once, in a quiet apology that went beyond words. [color=fcb9c1]"That was a mean joke,"[/color] she added with a quiet chuckle. She then slowly withdrew her hand to pick back up her menu and busy herself before the redness in her face overwhelmed her again. 

Warren leaned ever so slightly into the lingering warmth of her hand before she pulled it away, a soft smile settling across his face so naturally it almost seemed effortless, though he felt a bit like a kid again, uncertain and fumbling with his words for a moment. [color=3c6c6b]"You're forgiven,"[/color] he said quietly, giving a small shrug as though the moment of panic had already been forgotten. [color=3c6c6b]"Besides..."[/color] His grin returned, warm and just a little crooked. [color=3c6c6b]"If that's the meanest joke you've got, I think I'll survive."[/color]

He mirrored her, flipping the menu over only to find the senior specials and children's meals staring back at him. He set it aside with a small shake of his head. Warren ordered the same thing nearly every time he came to Harv's. Biscuits and gravy had never let him down, but shoveling gravy into his mouth on a first date suddenly felt like a poor strategic decision. His eyes drifted back to Sutton, curiosity replacing the mischief as another thought occurred to him.

[color=3c6c6b]"Favorite book?"[/color] he asked abruptly, the question arriving without any transition whatsoever. His smile returned, smaller this time, easy and genuine. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm adding to my compatibility questionnaire."[/color]

Sutton looked up from the menu, brows raising incredulously as she held his gaze. [color=fcb9c1]"Now wait just a damn minute,"[/color] she chided, while wagging a finger at him. [color=fcb9c1]"That’s the [i]third[/i] ‘compatibility question’ you’ve asked me and you haven’t answered a single one."[/color] Her head tilted slightly to the right as her smile shifted into more of a challenging grin. [color=fcb9c1]"That hardly seems fair, [i]Mr. Boone.[/i] I won’t be answering anything until I know [i]your[/i] comfort movie and favorite flavor of ice cream."[/color] She pursed her lips before dramatically flipping a page in the menu and letting her gaze fall back down to the list of various burgers and sandwiches. [color=fcb9c1]"And then I get to ask my own question,"[/color] she amended, sparing him a quick glance as she barely managed to keep herself from laughing.

Warren looked up from his menu with the unmistakable expression of a man who had just been caught cheating at his own game. A crooked grin spread across his face as he slowly lifted both hands in surrender, palms toward her as though she had him squarely in her sights. Rather than looking embarrassed, he seemed thoroughly entertained by the fact she'd finally called him out. Watching Sutton grow bolder with him was becoming one of his favorite parts of the day.

[color=3c6c6b]"Fair enough,"[/color] he conceded easily as his hands dropped back to the table. [color=3c6c6b]"Die Hard. It's great because it's a Christmas movie you can watch at any time of the year."[/color] He nodded once with complete confidence in his answer before pausing to think, one finger tapping thoughtfully against his chin. [color=3c6c6b]"Ice cream..."[/color] he murmured. [color=3c6c6b]"Cherry vanilla, but it has to be the one from Blue Bell."[/color] He looked back at her with a small shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"Everything else is just pretending."[/color]

His brows lifted again as another answer came to mind, though this one carried noticeably less certainty. [color=3c6c6b]"I guess for books..."[/color] He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile that looked strangely boyish on someone his size. [color=3c6c6b]"Does Narnia count?"[/color] A quiet laugh escaped him before he shook his head. [color=3c6c6b]"I don't read too often, I have to admit. I should probably read more, so hopefully I don't lose points for that."[/color]

He leaned back against the booth, folding his menu shut entirely as though it had become far less important than the conversation. His eyes stayed fixed on Sutton, bright with genuine curiosity and completely invested in whatever she'd come up with next. [color=3c6c6b]"Alright,"[/color] he said with an encouraging grin. [color=3c6c6b]"Hit me with your best questions."[/color]

Sutton’s menu found its way to the table, losing any and all interest as her attention focused solely on Warren and his answers. She scooted forward slightly, her knee unintentionally brushing his once again as she rested her chin in her palm attentively. There was an all too pleased smirk that curled at the corners of her mouth while she listened to him navigate his own questions. Honestly, unless his answers were something like The Human Centipede or bubble gum ice cream, she doubted he could say anything that would make her write him off. But there was something oddly wholesome about learning the silly little things about him, like a comfort movie and ice cream flavor, that somehow painted a more vivid picture than the bigger questions. Life goals were important, but knowing the little things that no one else paid attention to felt… [i]special.[/i]

With every answer, Sutton marked them down on a little list somewhere at the back of her mind, like it was important information she’d need in the future. Die Hard. [i]Check.[/i] Blue Bell Cherry Vanilla. [i]Check.[/i] Then her attention snagged on the bashful way Warren smiled and rubbed the back of his neck before admitting his favorite book was The Chronicles of Narnia. While he showed faint concern about losing points, Sutton’s smile only softened while a quiet chuckle hummed from behind her rosy lips. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something incredibly cute about a guy willing to admit that he hasn’t read since he was in school.

Once he finished, Sutton sat a little more upright, letting her hands rest on top of the menu as she laced her fingers together. [color=fcb9c1]"Die Hard and Stardust will be a [i]very[/i] interesting movie marathon,"[/color] she mused, her smile widening at the thought but no less discouraged. [color=fcb9c1]"I don’t have much time to read,"[/color] she confessed, shrugging while tilting her head slightly to the side. [color=fcb9c1]"So I won’t hold that one against you."[/color] Her lips pursed in thought as she lightly tapped the tips of her thumbs together, racking her mind for every book she read and which one stuck out more than others. There was a brief moment where her cheeks turned a little more pink before she met his gaze sheepishly. [color=fcb9c1]"I think mine would be The Princess Bride… I like romance and happily ever afters,"[/color] she confessed like it was the most basic answer in the world, but it was the truth, regardless of how predictable it might be. 

Then the reality set in that it was her turn to ask a question. While, logically, it made perfect sense that she should also be allowed to ask her own [i]compatibility questions[/i], Sutton didn’t actually take the time to consider what those would be. She blew out a breath, puffing up her lips as she looked up at the ceiling like it might hold the answers. There were the easy ones like favorite song or color, but as much as she liked the simple questions, she wanted something deeper, something to counterbalance all the lighthearted flirting… if only for a moment. 

After another long pause, Sutton rapped her fingers along the table and then found Warren’s gaze. [color=fcb9c1]"What are three things on your bucket list?"[/color] Rather than waiting for him to answer, she drew in a small breath then continued, offering up her own first before he had the chance to ask. [color=fcb9c1]"Mine are kind of boring,"[/color] she confessed, raising one shoulder in a small shrug. Her attention fell to her hands, the words catching in her throat for a second, like they were somehow more basic or more honest than she had mentally prepared for. [color=fcb9c1]"I umm… I would like to be Mayor of Pine Ridge someday, build a family of my own… And, I want to fall in love."[/color] She let her answers rest between them for a long moment before her gaze slowly rose to meet his, uncertain of the expression that would await her. 

Warren tucked The Princess Bride away the moment she said it, committing it to memory with the same quiet certainty he'd given everything she’d said thus far. He'd have to find a copy before their next date. Maybe the little bookstore in town carried it. If not, he'd order one. The thought of surprising her by actually reading her favorite book, then listening to her talk about all the parts he'd inevitably missed, settled warmly in his chest. He doubted she'd expect him to remember something that small, which only made him want to do it more.

[color=3c6c6b]"That's a good question,"[/color] he said, his smile widening with easy approval. It felt like he'd done little else since she'd sat down across from him. The muscles in his cheeks almost ached from it, yet he couldn't seem to stop. Sutton had a way of making every answer feel worth giving, not because she demanded them, but because she listened as though each one mattered.

He leaned back thoughtfully, his gaze drifting toward the window for a moment while he sifted through years of half-forgotten dreams. [color=3c6c6b]"I'd like to go to Greenland someday,"[/color] he admitted, a wistful note slipping into his voice. [color=3c6c6b]"There's an old man who comes through every summer. He's from there, and every year he brings another stack of pictures."[/color] Warren chuckled softly, shaking his head as snow-covered mountains and blue glacial water drifted through his memory. [color=3c6c6b]"I swear that man has spent the last ten years trying to convince me it's the prettiest place on earth."[/color]

His eyes returned to Sutton, and the faraway look disappeared beneath the quiet certainty that always seemed to find him whenever he spoke from the heart. [color=3c6c6b]"Other than that..."[/color] He shrugged one shoulder, as though the answer were the simplest thing in the world. [color=3c6c6b]"I want to get married... and start a family."[/color] A small smile lingered on his face as he held her gaze. [color=3c6c6b]"Truth be told, I don't think my bucket list has ever been all that adventurous."[/color] He laughed under his breath, warmth softening the edges of his expression. [color=3c6c6b]"Most of the things I've wanted have always felt a whole lot closer to home than they have the other side of the world."[/color]

[i]Greenland.[/i] Sutton had no clue what the country even looked like beside the old joke kids always shared that Greenland was icy, and Iceland was green. There was something wholesome about his desire to travel there stemming solely on the interactions with a single man and his love for his home. She could understand the appeal. Whenever she thought about traveling abroad it wasn’t to tourist hotspots like Paris or London, but to countries that other people didn’t talk about, places where she could immerse herself in the culture rather than going on tours through historical landmarks or museums. There was a brief moment where her mind wandered to what it would be like traveling to Greenland… with Warren. The thought came to her before she could stop it and was quickly followed by the returning flush that teased beneath the collar of her shirt and up the back of her neck. 

Thankfully her overactive imagination was interrupted by the rest of his answer, but it did little to calm the warmth that now settled across the tops of her cheeks as if it had no intention to leave. Warren’s answers were easy, simple even, but Sutton couldn’t ignore the way they aligned with hers to the point where it made her breath hitch in her chest. She could see it plain as day, just like everyone else in town… He seemed every part the man that had lived his life with the goal of someday being a husband and a father. For whatever reason, she never noticed it before, like the town’s rumors somehow tainted the obvious truth right in front of her. The way he went out of his way to help others, his kindness, playfulness, and his unfiltered honesty… It all reminded her of her dad. 

That thought sat with her for a long moment, stealing her breath and stirring something startling warm in her chest. Before her mind could grab hold of logic and stop her from speaking, Sutton’s lips parted and quiet words settled between them. [color=fcb9c1]"I think you’d be a great dad,"[/color] she confessed while holding his gaze with a gentle sort of certainty. [color=fcb9c1]"You listen, and you’re not afraid of emotions. You seem like the type of man who’d just want them happy and healthy… Whatever that looks like."[/color] Her head tilted slightly to the side as she rapped her fingertips along the edge of the table. [color=fcb9c1]"That’s incredibly endearing,"[/color] she added almost sheepishly. 

Then her gaze immediately fell to her hands as if reason finally caught up a little too late. Sutton’s face somehow managed to redden further, warmth stretching from the collar of her turtleneck, across her face, all the way to the tips of her ears that shined like little pink beacons beneath her blonde hair. She cleared her throat and quickly picked back up her menu, peeling the pages apart once again like her food decision was far more dire than it was two seconds ago. This time she didn’t look up or steal quick glances over at Warren, instead focusing on the faded images of food that were older than she was. [color=fcb9c1]"I don’t know if I want pancakes or a burger,"[/color] she muttered more to herself and to fill the silence than anything. [color=fcb9c1]"Both have bacon, [i]which is the important part,[/i]"[/color] she added with a small nod before her eyes narrowed. [color=fcb9c1]"Savory [i]or[/i] sweet?"[/color] The question floated between them like a nervous diversion, anything to distract from what she said or how she looked like a blonde strawberry.

The compliment caught Warren so completely off guard that, for once, he had absolutely nothing clever to say. His ears warmed first, followed quickly by the color rising into his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck with a quiet, almost embarrassed laugh. He'd been called dependable, hardworking, generous, even handsome more times than he cared to count, but none of those ever reached him quite the way those simple words had. [i]A good dad.[/i] Somehow, of everything Sutton could have chosen to say, she'd managed to find the dream he'd carried quietly for most of his adult life. He ducked his head for a moment, smiling to himself before looking back across the table at her, still hidden behind a menu she was very obviously using as a shield.

[color=3c6c6b]"Thanks,"[/color] he said softly, sincerity carrying every syllable. [color=3c6c6b]"I... I really hope I get the chance someday."[/color] His gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks, the corners of his mouth lifting despite himself as she very determinedly studied a menu she already knew by heart. Warren had the distinct feeling she'd rather debate lunch for the next hour than look him in the eye again, and somehow that only made her more endearing. [color=3c6c6b]"For what it's worth..."[/color] he continued gently, careful not to tease her out of the moment, [color=3c6c6b]"I think you'd be an incredible mom."[/color]

His smile softened as he settled back against the booth, not looking away from her even when she refused to look at him. [color=3c6c6b]"You make people feel safe without even realizing you're doing it."[/color] His voice remained quiet beneath the steady hum of the diner around them. [color=3c6c6b]"You listen first, you lead with kindness, and you don't seem to think twice about putting yourself between someone else and a bad day."[/color] His thoughts drifted briefly to Jack outside the diner, to the way she'd knelt on the ground without hesitation while his mother threw insults over her shoulder. 

[color=3c6c6b]"Watching you with that little boy..."[/color] A fond smile tugged at his lips. [color=3c6c6b]"You didn't even stop to think about yourself. You just wanted to make sure he walked away smiling. That's the sort of thing kids remember, even if they don't realize it until they're grown."[/color]

The thoughtful warmth gradually gave way to another grin as he glanced down at the menu in front of him. [color=3c6c6b]"As for your crisis,"[/color] he said, mercifully accepting the change in subject without calling attention to it. [color=3c6c6b]"Order the pancakes."[/color] He tapped his own menu decisively before looking back up at her, excitement brightening his expression once again. [color=3c6c6b]"I'll get the burger, and we'll split them."[/color] The solution seemed perfectly obvious to him. [color=3c6c6b]"That way we both get sweet, savory, and bacon. Seems like the only reasonable compromise."[/color] His grin widened another fraction. 

Sutton caught the subtle ways Warren grew bashful at her comment. She watched color flood his cheeks more brightly than it had the entire afternoon as he rubbed his neck in that sheepish way she had only seen him do around her. A smile curled traitorously across her lips, even as her own flush clung persistently to her cheeks from behind the menu. For a moment she just let herself watch the way her words struck him more true than anything else she had said, as if it was something no one had ever taken the time to tell him, even if the truth was obvious… at least to her. It was definitely [i]not[/i] something she should have said on a first date, but for a selfish second she was almost grateful she did, if only for his reaction. 

Then she noticed him lifting his head.

Just before Warren was able to meet her gaze, her eyes darted back down to the menu in front of her, hiding in the comfort of something familiar. It felt safe, even as her heart raced so violently in her chest that Sutton struggled to draw in steady breaths. Then he did it again… Taking something else she said and somehow finding a way to turn it on her as well. [i]Damn him.[/i] Her eyes threatened to betray her, drifting toward the top of the menu as he spoke. She only managed to catch it just before she looked at him, and then her gaze quickly fell to the sunbleached picture of the breakfast burrito or pot roast. 

Sutton didn’t know how he did it, how he managed to see things in her that even she hadn’t fully discovered. She wanted to be a mother and have a family of her own, sure. Hell, she said as much. But the rest? Half of the time she didn’t even realize she was doing it. For whatever reason she had just assumed that if it was subconscious to her, then it was unlikely anyone else would notice. Sutton had been part of Pine Ridge her whole life, always present to the point where she was woven into the fabric of town. But her existence was never loud, nor did it demand attention. She was there like a permanent fixture, consistent but easily overlooked, no different than the clock above the library or the ghost town at the base of the mountain. And then there was Warren. He didn’t just notice her, he somehow managed to see her more clearly in a single afternoon than others did spending years around her. She had no clue how to handle that. 

Words eluded her, but before she had to try and muster up something—[i]anything[/i]—to say, Warren graciously took her sad attempt at bait and let the conversation drift elsewhere, if only for a few minutes. Her heart had started settling into a more normal rhythm by the time he suggested she should order the pancakes. Sutton folded her menu closed and started tucking it behind the napkin dispenser when his reasoning followed. She paused, arm still stretched across the table and fingertips lingering on top of the peeling laminate corner as she looked over at him. Her brows rose in quiet disbelief, followed by a soft scoff that teased on the edge of a laugh. [color=fcb9c1]"You can’t [i]actually[/i] want pancakes [i]and[/i] a burger?"[/color]

Before Warren had a chance to answer one way or the other, Corina sidled up to the side of their booth, sliding two iced sweet teas onto the table. [color=d6d6d6]"Have you two stopped flirting long enough to figure out what you want?"[/color] she mused, shamelessly goading them with a cheeky grin. 


Sutton had to fight the urge to sink into her seat as she felt the warmth return to her cheeks. She adjusted slightly, which made her knee bump against Warren’s…[i]again.[/i] How she managed not to die from embarrassment was a miracle. Rather than meeting either of their gazes, she cleared her throat and grabbed one of the straws, busying herself with removing the paper wrapper. She conceded to Warren’s suggestion rather than devolve into another round of playful bickering that would almost certainly end poorly, at her expense, once again. [color=fcb9c1]"I’d like pancakes, with maple syrup and bacon."[/color] She balled up the paper and set it aside, then slipped the straw into her drink. [color=fcb9c1]"[i]A lot[/i] of bacon,"[/color] she added with a faint smile. [color=fcb9c1]"Please."[/color]

Warren opened his mouth, already halfway to explaining that, yes, he absolutely wanted both. There was something deeply satisfying about the combination of fluffy pancakes drowning in maple syrup alongside a greasy cheeseburger and salty fries. It was the sort of meal that probably shaved a year or two off a person's life, but every now and then it was worth it. Before he managed more than the first syllable, Corina appeared at the edge of the booth with two glasses of sweet tea, rescuing Sutton from his answer and him from having to defend his questionable culinary decisions.

A grin spread easily across his face as he looked up at the waitress. [color=3c6c6b]"Actually,"[/color] he replied, all traces of seriousness evaporating beneath a mischievous smile, [color=3c6c6b]"I'm very good at multitasking."[/color] His eyes flicked briefly toward Sutton, amusement dancing behind them before returning to Corina. [color=3c6c6b]"I'll take the double bacon cheeseburger with fries,"[/color] he said, handing over his menu. [color=3c6c6b]"But could you put the lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and mayo on the side?"[/color]

He waited until Corina finished jotting everything down before glancing back across the table at Sutton with a small, almost sheepish shrug. [color=3c6c6b]"Figured that way you can build your half however you like,"[/color] he admitted simply. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm not about to assume everybody wants the same burger I do."[/color] His thumb idly traced the condensation gathering on his glass of tea before he looked back up at her, a crooked smile settling comfortably across his face. 

Sutton held his gaze as the corners of her mouth curled a little higher into her cheeks. She slowly reached out for her glass, one hand curling around it gently while she pinched the straw between the thumb and index finger of her other hand. [color=fcb9c1]"Contrary to how I look, I’ll eat just about anything,"[/color] she confessed with a quiet chuckle. [color=fcb9c1]"I’m not that picky."[/color] She swirled the tea around once before pressing her lips to the straw and taking a sip. 

Warren's attention followed the small, absentminded motion of her hand as she lifted the glass. He'd been listening, he really had, but the moment her lips settled around the straw his train of thought derailed so completely it took actual effort to remember how breathing worked. She had very pretty lips. That was an entirely innocent observation... until his imagination decided it didn't particularly care about staying innocent. He cleared his throat and reached for his own tea with perhaps a bit more urgency than was strictly necessary, taking a long drink while firmly redirecting his thoughts somewhere safer.

[color=3c6c6b]"I'll remember that,"[/color] he said after setting the glass back onto the table, a crooked grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. [color=3c6c6b]"Makes cooking for you a whole lot easier if I don't have to negotiate around a list of foods you won't touch."[/color] His eyes met hers again, warm and quietly amused. 

[color=fcb9c1]"Cooking for me already?"[/color] Sutton mused with a soft chuckle and a warm smile. She slowly spun the straw around in her glass, causing the ice cubes to quietly clink against the sides. [color=fcb9c1]"Brussel sprouts,"[/color] she offered, looking over at him after she set down her glass. [color=fcb9c1]"That’s the only thing I won’t eat… So far, anyway."[/color]

Warren's brows lifted in pleasant surprise before a grin spread easily across his face. [color=3c6c6b]"That's it?"[/color] he asked, sounding almost relieved. [color=3c6c6b]"I can work around brussel sprouts."[/color] He nodded once with quiet confidence, as though he'd just overcome some monumental obstacle. His smile lingered as he looked at her across the table, already filing the information away with the same importance he'd given her favorite movie and ice cream. 


Just as Warren promised, the moment their food arrived, he claimed both plates, sliding them to the center of the table before Sutton could protest. He shot her a triumphant grin that was impossible to deny. While she wanted to put up a fight, she couldn’t bring herself to dampen the genuine spark in his eyes. With a dramatic, exaggerated huff, she made a show of picking up her fork and skewering a bite of pancake, surrendering to his definition of a compromise… Just this once.

The remainder of the lunch followed a familiar, winding trajectory of heavy, meaningful conversations balanced by playful barbs, random compatibility questions, and the kind of thinly veiled flirting that made the air between them hum.

When they weren’t talking, they quickly devolved into a war over food. Warren strategically seemed to want anything and everything she was reaching for, to the point where it no longer seemed accidental, but intentional, if only to get a rise out of her. If Sutton went for the burger, he managed to snatch it just before her fingers curled around the bun. If she went for bacon, he got it first. And one time he even caught her wrist mid-air and stole a bite of pancakes right off her fork, earning himself a sharp, playful kick to the shin under the table. 

Their laughter erupted in the back corner of the diner, vibrant and unbidden, drawing curious glances from the nearby booths. But for the two of them, the rest of the diner had blurred into insignificance. They were entirely lost in a bubble of shared warmth, their cheeks aching from smiles that never once faded and their eyes bright with the kind of tears that only came from breath stealing laughter. They quickly lost track of time and if it hadn’t been for Sutton sneaking a glance at her phone after it vibrated for the third time in a row, they might have stayed there until the beginning of the festival. 

The walk back to the garage was slow, neither one of them in a rush for their time together to end. Their strides were steady and unrushed, standing close enough that their shoulders bumped and knuckles brushed with every step. By the time the Mercedes came into view they were both too lost in conversation to care or notice. Warren was animated, waving his hands around as he shared a story from his youth alongside his brother, no doubt embellishing it to favor him and make himself look good in Sutton’s eyes. She didn’t stop him, laughing and smiling brightly as she looked up at him, hanging on his every word, enraptured with the tale. 

[color=fcb9c1]"What did you do?"[/color] she asked curiously as laughter laced every syllable. 

[color=3c6c6b]"Well,"[/color] Warren began, already laughing at the memory before he'd even reached the good part, [color=3c6c6b]"It's not my fault I lost the bet, I swear it was rigged."[/color] He pointed a finger toward Sutton as though that alone might sway the verdict in his favor. [color=3c6c6b]"Harlan and Charlie swear I agreed to the terms beforehand. I maintain they were explained very poorly."[/color] His grin widened shamelessly. [color=3c6c6b]"Anyway... dog-napping isn't one of my prouder moments. The agreement was I'd either dye Mrs. Peterson's poodle pink, or I'd have to dye my own hair pink for the Harvest Festival."[/color]

He shook his head with all the conviction of a man who still believed he'd made the sensible choice. [color=3c6c6b]"Now, I like Mrs. Peterson well enough, and that little poodle looked ridiculous for about three baths, but I stand by my decision because there wasn't a chance in hell I was pulling off pink hair."[/color] Warren chuckled to himself, already preparing to launch into the part where Mrs. Peterson had chased him halfway across town with a broom when his eyes drifted toward the garage. The laughter faded from his face almost instantly. Standing beside the open bay, leaning far too comfortably against a motorcycle Warren knew better than his own reflection, was a man he hadn't seen in a long, long time.

Every muscle in Warren's body tightened. His easy stride slowed to a stop as recognition settled heavily in his chest, his jaw clenching hard enough that the muscles jumped beneath his skin. That motorcycle should have been sitting inside his shop. Instead, it stood beside the man who'd stolen it. A low, involuntary growl rumbled deep in Warren's throat before he caught himself, drawing in a measured breath that did little to ease the tension gathering beneath his ribs.

Sutton’s smile was bright, stretching nearly ear to ear as her lips parted, preparing to make some playful comment about how she liked pink, but then everything fell apart in an instant. The light faded from her eyes as she watched his entire demeanor change before following his gaze over toward the garage. Near the bay doors stood a man that looked [i]vaguely[/i] familiar, but she couldn’t begin to place his name or where she had seen him even if she wanted to. Presumably he had been around town at some point, but the mystery of it was far less concerning than the effect it had on Warren. 

Her pace slowed to match his until they came to a complete stop in the middle of the sidewalk. Sutton’s brows furrowed as she looked up at him. The questions were painted plainly across her face, but she did not ask. There was a moment where she wondered if she should leave, but if she saw someone who drained the happiness from her that quickly, she’d hope whomever she was with would remain by her side in quiet support. So that is exactly what she did. Then she heard Warren’s quiet growl and her hand moved subconsciously, drawn by instinct rather than thought. Her fingers gently curled around his forearm, attempting to catch his attention and offer him some comfort. [color=fcb9c1]"Hey,"[/color] she whispered.

He turned toward Sutton, and although the hardness remained in his eyes, his expression softened the moment it found her. Genuine regret settled across his features as he offered her a small, apologetic smile. [color=3c6c6b]"Looks like I'll have to finish that story another time,"[/color] he said quietly. [color=3c6c6b]"I'm sorry."[/color] The apology lingered for only a heartbeat before he managed to coax another grin back onto his face, warmer now despite everything waiting a few yards away. [color=3c6c6b]"Before I go..."[/color] he asked, hope slipping easily into his voice, [color=3c6c6b]"Do I get that second date?"[/color]

Sutton’s eyes had been locked on him before he turned to face her, only shifting to meet his gaze as he looked down at her. A sad smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, the inevitable [i]end[/i] having finally caught up to them in just about the least enjoyable way possible. Her hand that still lingered on his arm gave him a gentle squeeze before slowly falling back down to her side. [color=fcb9c1]"It’s ok,"[/color] she offered quietly with a small shrug. [color=fcb9c1]"There are still a lot of last minute festival things I need to take care of."[/color] She sighed softly as the list came to the forefront of her mind, already trying to figure out how she was going to squeeze in time to change into her costume before seven. 

Warren’s final comment and surprising grin pulled her out of the spiral of work before it could fully take over. The flush Sutton thought she had finally beaten returned to her cheeks as she laughed softly and looked down at a crack in the concrete beneath her feet. She adjusted the golden chain of her purse against her shoulder, delaying her response even though an answer came to her immediately. [color=fcb9c1]"[i]Only[/i]... If you keep your word and I get to pay,"[/color] she teased while peeking up at him from beneath her lashes. [color=fcb9c1]"Although, knowing you, you’ll find some way to cheat."[/color] She rolled her eyes dramatically before jabbing him in the chest with her index finger. 

A few more seconds passed, but Sutton didn’t step away, still lingering with an unspoken reluctance to go back to the real word. She sighed and looked up at him with a lopsided smile. [color=fcb9c1]"I would give you a hug, but uh—"[/color] She pinched a small bit of his grease-stained jacket, rubbing it between her fingers with a chuckle. [color=fcb9c1]"—I don’t think my clothes would survive."[/color] Then, as if something else seized control of her body, her hand curled tighter into the fabric, using it to guide him a little closer as she shifted to the tips of her toes. Being sure not to accidentally brush up against his clothes, she pressed her lips softly against his cheek. 

The kiss lasted little more than a second and then sense came crashing back into Sutton like a tidal wave. She pulled away slowly, her gaze meeting his as they lingered close enough to feel each other’s breaths. A beat passed, then she quickly released her hold on him. She took a step back, and then another, before looking up at him with a bashful smile and cheeks the brightest they’ve been all day. [color=fcb9c1]"Bye, Warren,"[/color] she whispered, then turned around and headed toward that damn black Mercedes. 

The moment she caught hold of his jacket, Warren forgot about Vinny entirely. His breath stalled somewhere in his chest as she guided him the smallest step closer, every instinct in him suddenly focused on the woman standing on the tips of her toes in front of him. Then her lips brushed against his cheek, impossibly soft and gone almost before he could comprehend they had been there at all. The world narrowed to that single point of warmth, the faint floral scent that always seemed to linger around her, and the quiet rush of his own heartbeat pounding so loudly he was certain she had to hear it. He didn't move. He wasn't entirely convinced he still remembered how.

By the time his thoughts caught up with reality, she was already pulling away. Warren found himself staring into her flushed face with an expression so openly smitten it would have embarrassed him if he'd possessed the presence of mind to care. A slow, helpless smile spread across his face, the kind that reached his eyes without permission and settled there as naturally as breathing. [color=3c6c6b]"Bye, Sutton,"[/color] he murmured, though he couldn't remember whether she'd still been close enough to hear him or not.

The soft sound of Sutton’s heels clicking along the concrete preceded her as she crossed the drive. Her gaze remained fixed on the ground in front of her, blonde hair framing her face as she toyed with the cuff of her sweater. Her face ached from the smile that stretched from cheek to cheek, bashful and impossibly bright. Somehow she managed to make it the entire way to the car and open the driver’s side door before giving into the temptation to look back. When she met Warren’s gaze, her smile softened into something quietly fond as she lifted her hand and gave him a small parting wave.

After lowering herself into the seat and closing the door, her fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel and she let out a breath she had been holding in since she was temporarily possessed by God knows what. While she would likely spend the remainder of the day trying to unpack everything that happened, she couldn’t very well do it parked in his driveway. She had the amount of time it took her to take off her shoes and buckle her seatbelt to get her shit together before it got weird. Once she was as settled as she could be, she started the ignition, sparing Warren one last glance before pulling out into the alley way. Sutton spent the drive back to the municipal building with a stupid grin plastered stubbornly across her face, trying [i]desperately[/i] to make it fade before the mayor could ask questions. 

Warren remained rooted where he stood, watching her disappear into the Mercedes with the same quiet fascination he'd carried throughout the afternoon. When she looked back one last time and lifted her hand, his own came up instinctively, returning the wave with a grin that bordered on boyish as he watched the car ease out into the alley and disappear from sight. Only after the sound of the engine had faded and the empty stretch of pavement settled back into its usual stillness did a thought strike him squarely between the eyes. [color=3c6c6b]"...Fuck,"[/color] he muttered beneath his breath, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. He'd spent half the day planning a second date and somehow forgotten to ask for her phone number.

A laugh escaped him despite himself as he shook his head. He'd find her at the festival. Pine Ridge wasn't exactly big enough for someone like Sutton Lockwood to disappear for long, and besides, he'd already promised her another date. The smile lingered as he turned back toward the garage, only to find Vinny exactly where he'd left him, leaning against the stolen motorcycle with that same infuriating familiarity. Warren sighed through his nose before fixing the man with a flat look. [color=3c6c6b]"You always did have horrible timing, you ugly bastard."[/color]

[b][i]End of part 2[/i][/b][/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[center][sup][img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img]
[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] samuel, charlie, harlan & vinny [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] [@Mjolnir][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/9qIY4OK.jpeg[/img][/sup][/center]