I swallowed hard. It was a big part, but something I wasn’t going to tell her anytime soon. She might’ve realized her marriage was over years ago, but it was still fresh to me. “I’m not entertaining anything until the season is over and the ink on your divorce papers is dry.” She was still smirking at me and I panicked. “Even then, who knows, maybe Ruby and I will give it a shot.”

Her blue eyes narrowed angrily. “You’ve been hot and cold with me. Sometimes you flirt with me, and other times you act as though I don’t matter anymore. Which one is it?”

I felt powerless and weak-kneed this close to her, but I needed to be the responsible one. “We’re different people now. I’m not the same lovestruck teenager that I was fifteen years ago. You made sure of that. You have children, a mortgage, a whole different life.”

“Some things never change, Sutton. I know you’re still attracted to me. Maybe we are very different now, but don’t you think it’s worth pursuing?” she asked.

I wanted to succumb to her logic, but I knew if I did, my whole life would unravel and I wasn’t ready to let go. “It’s not fair. You don’t get to live out this avenue of your life and then when it’s dead, jump into my lane. That’s selfish and cruel.”

“I promise that’s not what I’m doing. My marriage has been dead a long time. Seeing you again was no small part of me realizing that.”

She touched my face. I automatically leaned into her hand and closed my eyes for half a second. I wanted this so much. My past and present were colliding and for half a moment, I felt euphoric. Nothing else mattered but right now. I should’ve pushed away when I felt the soft whisper of her lips against mine. It was an invitation. I let my heart have this moment. The image of Grayson and Matt in the other room flashed in my mind and I pulled away.

“I’m not ready to do anything right now. You have to respect that.”

She gave me a soft smile. “I understand, but I hope you’re open to something in the future.”

I didn’t know how I didn’t crumble. Years of hardening my heart and throwing myself into my job came through in the moment I needed it most. “I don’t know what to say. You have to give me time. And you need to get this settled before anything can happen here.” I motioned my finger between us even though I knew the moment she beckoned, I would call. “I need to go. Crowbar’s in the car and I still have films to study. Are you good? Are you okay with Matt here?”