Read Keeping What's His: Tate (Porter Brothers Trilogy Book 1) for Free Online Page A

idolized her jock boyfriend in high school.
    “You warned me he was cheating on me before you left town, and I didn’t listen. I should have.”
    Sutton’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “I didn’t take any of your advice, either, so we’re even.”
    “Which one was the reason you left town? Tate or Cash?”
    “Neither.” Sutton leaned back in her chair so the waitress could set their coffees down. “I left for college. Anything I had with Tate and Cash was over before I packed my suitcases.”
    Cheryl gave a short laugh. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when you showed up at prom with Cash in that green dress. You two looked like you were made for each other.”
    “Hardly. Cash and I never went out again after that night. He had moved on to another girl by Monday.”
    “Well, he’s settled down now. He’s married to Rachel Porter.”
    “I can’t imagine Cash settling down with one woman.”
    “Believe it. Besides, how can he get away with cheating? Her brothers would kill him, and Rachel is just as good with a shotgun.”
    “I’m happy for them,” Sutton said truthfully.
    “Wish my marriage had turned out as well, but my divorce is working out much better. I quit working at the hardware store when I found out Jared was cheating on me. It was hard with him owning the store, but after the divorce, he offered me my job back. There aren’t a lot of jobs around, and he promised to keep our personal life out of it. So far, it’s worked out well. We’re getting along better than when we were married. We’ve even gone out a couple of times.”
    Sutton narrowed her eyes at Cheryl’s expression. “Be careful you don’t fall down that rabbit hole twice, Alice.”
    She waved away her concern. “I’m not as innocent as I was in high school. After I found out Jared was cheating, I had a little payback of my own.”
    “Really?” Sutton couldn’t imagine Cheryl taking that route.
    “Really. I almost joined a biker club, but I screwed up, and they tossed me out.”
    “A biker club is in Treepoint?” The small town had changed since she left.
    “Yep, and a pretty big one, too.”
    From the look on Cheryl’s face, Sutton was sure she was more upset about losing the biker club than Jared.
    “Have they been keeping the judge busy?”
    “Nope. The Porters have, though. Greer was caught selling some of his weed to an undercover cop, and Tate went to court not too long ago for getting in a fight with Lyle Turner.”
    Sutton kept her expression neutral. “What happened?”
    “With Lyle or court?”
    “Both.”
    “Lyle towed Greer’s truck when he broke down on the road home. When Tate took him to pick it up at Lyle’s garage, he charged him twice the tow charge. It started an argument, but Lyle was drunk and swung first, so your father threw the case out.” Cheryl’s head tilted to the side. “Your dad didn’t tell you any of this?”
    “He must have forgotten to mention it,” Sutton said evasively. She already knew much of what Cheryl had told her, since she read the Daily Herald online every day, but she figured, if Cheryl was gossiping about everyone else, she wasn’t questioning her. Of course, no sooner did the thought pop into her head than Cheryl turned the conversation in her direction.
    “Enough about me and the town. What about you?” She nodded at her hand. “Who did you marry? How long have you been married?”
    “I’m a widow.”
    Cheryl paled, her hand reaching out to cover Sutton’s on the table. “I’m so sorry.”
    Sutton moved her hand away, not wanting the gesture of sympathy. “Thank you. He died six years ago. I’m over the worst of it.” She told the partial truth. She would never recover from Scott’s death.
    She reached for her purse. “You better get back to work. You’ve been gone for twenty minutes.”
    “Dammit. I’ll catch you later. I’ll drop by your parent’s—”
    “I’m not staying there. I’m staying at Pap’s cabin.”
    “Why? No one’s