And yet… she traced her fingers lightly over the arm thrown over her waist, revelling in Charlotte’s soft skin.
She was grateful when her phone buzzed repeatedly on her bedside table, keeping her grounded in reality as much as was possible in this moment.
Turning on her side, Charlotte’s arm still over her waist, she checked the messages she’d gotten that morning.
Mom—7:02 a.m.
Good morning, honey, and merry Christmas.
I know it’s hard right now without Lucy with you, but you will have her and all of us with you soon. I can’t wait to see you! I’d have called, but I sincerely hope that you are able to sleep in.
Also, your father says Merry Christmas and that he is excited to talk to you later tonight.
We love you
Little did her mother know that Sutton was grappling with far more this morning than not having Lucy. And her mother wouldneverknow because Sutton knew very well that her mom did not approve of what she was doing with Charlotte.
She had no idea they were sleeping together, but she wasn’t pleased with Charlotte being Sutton’s friend. At all.
Her mother had her best interests at heart, but, Sutton reminded herself as she typed out a reciprocal holiday message, she had this all well in hand.
She was enjoying herself with Charlotte. They were both having a good time. They had, as evidenced by the previous night, incredible sex. They treated each other fairly. They respected one another. They were—this time around—on the same page about what they were expecting from the other.
Charlotte hummed in her sleep as Sutton was halfway through her text response, her fingers stroking absentmindedly at Sutton’s hip, and she shivered at it, squeezing her eyes closed before she made herself stay focused.
She then scrolled through the other similar messages from her siblings, then to Regan’s.
Regan—7:55 a.m.
Ho ho ho, Sutton Spencer!
Don’t mistake me for being Santa. I’m calling you a ho ho ho, with your sexcapades with a certain senator
And don’t mistake my calling you a ho ho ho for me being anything less than encouraging
Anyway, Emma wanted me to remind you that “dinner” will be ready by 1. I wanted to remind you that you should come over even earlier so I can give you some presents and shower you in holiday affection—do not try to get out of it, I will not let you have a lonely Christmas
Sutton couldn’t help but laugh, rolling her eyes affectionately. Shenearlytyped backif you think I’m already a ho ho ho, wait until you hear what happened last nightbut refrained from doing so; she’d tell Regan all of the details later.
Sutton—8:07 a.m.
I will be over before dinner
She rolled her lips, unable to dispel the warm feeling she’d woken up with. Unable to totally shake the feeling that lodged inside of her last night. Unable to stop herself from adding into the message for Regan?—
Sutton—8:08 a.m.
And I’m not having a lonely Christmas morning… Charlotte’s here.
She laughed as she saw Reganimmediatelystart writing a response, but she left the text thread anyway. Regan could live with a little bit of anticipation.
She opened Layla’s message thread then, more than excited to see the videos of Lucy on Christmas morning even though the feeling of it all happening without her was bittersweet.
Before she watched the videos Layla had sent to her, though, she set her jaw at the last message Layla had sent her this morning.
Layla—6:49 a.m.
For the record, we will be discussing your apparent “relationship” with Senator Thompson when you pick up Lucy tomorrow.