Sunshine’s Reviews > A Little Too Close > Status Update

“Thank you,” she replied softly. “We were high school sweethearts. Dated all through junior and senior year. Then we went off to USC together, and he got cancer and I got pregnant.”
“Holy shit.” I set my pint down on the counter.”

“We live together. We might as well know the basics,” she said, digging back into her pint with focus. “And I’d never want you to think Sutton wasn’t loved. Gavin died our freshman year in college when I was three months pregnant with Sutton.”
“I’m so sorry.” My stomach hit the floor, and I immediately regretted asking. Hadn’t I just been thankful she hadn’t gone digging into my past?

“No, they don’t. They like to think they do, but people who show up are rare.”
I lifted the spoon to my mouth twice but didn’t take the bite, weighing the option of asking, with the respect of, well…not. Curiosity won out. “Sutton’s dad?”
“No.” Surprise flared in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly, looking away. “Not Gavin. He was always…dependable, until he wasn’t.”

There was always something I should be doing—running numbers, learning about new ways to advertise, thinking up promotions to get bookings. If I was this stressed out after a week, I wasn’t sure how I was going to have any hair left after the season.