I sighed, wishing she could see the way he looked at her when she wasn’t paying attention. Then maybe Jasmine would realize that where she was concerned, he might be willing to put in the work.
“Here you go,” Shane said as he placed our drinks in front of us. His tone was still friendly, but I noticed that he was no longer grinning, and I worried that he’d heard what Jasmine said.
He was such a nice guy, I hated for him to have his feelings hurt.
“Thanks, Shane,” I said softly, and his lips lifted a fraction before he walked off to help someone else.
“To us, the hottest singles in Cherry Springs,” Jasmine said, raising her shot glass.
“To us,” I mimicked, then we both downed our shots.
The burn of tequila down my throat reminded me of the burn left by Dillon, so as soon as I slammed my shot glass on the bar, I said, “Another.”
“Really?” Jazzy asked, and when I nodded, said, “Gonna be one of those nights, huh?”
Shane put two more Patron shots in front of us, gave me what looked like a concerned look, which I promptly ignored, and walked away.
“To freedom,” I toasted. “Freedom to be who we want, live the way we want…”
“And, have sex with who we want,” Jasmine added with a laugh, then we kicked back the second shot.
“Another?” I asked, wanting to drown out all the reasons why I couldn’t have sex with who I wanted.
“Nah, let’s take our margaritas by the pool table and break some hearts.”
Thinking that sounded like a fantastic idea, and vowing that starting right then I’d put my feelings for Dillon in the past and move on to someone who actually wanted me, I said, “Let’s do it.”
7
Dillon
I woke up feeling refreshed.
A night of great sex and sleeping in your own bed will do that to you.
Luckily, Karen, the woman whose hotel room I’d gone to the night before, had an early flight, so there was no awkward morning after. Just, thanks for a good time and have a safe flight, then I went home and crashed.
I’d slept in later than usual, but hell, it was Saturday, and after being on the road, I deserved it. Plus, I didn’t have to be anywhere until lunch at Gabe and Zoey’s, so I’d allowed myself a rare morning of sleeping in.
Normally I was up at five to hit the gym, grab breakfast, and get to the office. And on the weekends, I was usually still up by six to hit the gym and grab breakfast, sometimes heading into the office, but more often than not, doing something with the family.
This weekend, it was Gabe and Zoey hosting a get-together, but with my family, there was always something going on, and that’s the way I liked it.
“It’s Uncle Dillon!” Zoey cried when I walked into the living room. I wasn’t technically Evie’s uncle, but because Gabe and I had grown up together, and felt like brothers, Zoey kept telling Evie I was Uncle Dillon.
Evie was only a few months old, so she didn’t really care either way, but Gabe’s older son, Christopher, who was his with Reardon’s soon-to-be wife, Chloe … Don’t ask … had taken to calling me Uncle Dillon as well.
I got a kick out of it, especially since I wouldn’t officially be an uncle until Jazzy had kids, and who knew when, or if, that would ever happen.
“What’s up, Evie?” I called out, bending to kiss Zoey on the cheek and then taking Evie out of her hands. “How’s my best girl?” I cradled her in my arm and walked to the recliner, where I sat and promptly began to rock as I cooed at my baby cousin.
“Hello to you, too,” Zoey said with a laugh, not caring in the least that I was more excited to see Evie than her. Not that I didn’t love Gabe’s wife, she was the best. Funny, smart, and sexy in that quirky way that was uniquely Zoey. But, when Evie was around, she was the only girl who caught my attention.
“Hi, Zo,” I said, not looking away from Evie, who was blowing spit bubbles at me.
“How was your trip?”
“I think it’ll be worth it in the end, but I’m happy to be home,” I replied. “How about you? Writing anything new yet?”
“No,” Zoey muttered, and this time I did look up, because she sounded forlorn. “I’m still stuck. Ever since I finished Zombie Girl, nothing has come to me. I’ve tried to sit down and write, but everything that comes out is crap. I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry, Zo, you’re a brilliant writer. Just give it time. Enjoy this break, hang out with Evie, and wait for inspiration to strike again. I’m positive it will.”
“Thanks, Dillon, I hope you’re right,” she said, then forced herself to brighten as she added, “We’re having your favorite, apple pie ala mode.”
“Yes! Did you hear that, Evie, pie for dessert? I bet you can’t wait until you get some chompers and can eat real food like your Uncle Dillon. I’ll make you the best steak you’ve ever had in your life.”
“That’s because she won’t have a frame of reference,” Reardon said as he walked into the room. “Until Uncle Reardon makes her one, then all bets are off.”
“Nope,” I said when Reardon tried to take Evie from me. “Get your own baby.”
“Mine’s still cooking,” Reardon countered. “Now, gimme.”
“No, I just got her. And don’t think I didn’t catch that challenge you just threw down, either. When Evie turns ten, we’re having a steak off, and she will decide who grills the better cut of meat.”
“You’re on,” my good-natured cousin said. “Now quit being a baby hog and give her over.”
“Take a walk, Viking,” I ordered, using the nickname Zoey had given him when they’d met. “I’ve got her for at least thirty more minutes, unless she poops, then you can take her.”
I chuckled as Reardon grumbled and walked toward the kitchen.
“Grab me a beer while you’re at it,” I called after him.
“Fuck off,” came his reply.
“Reardon Lewis,” I heard my Aunt Annabeth chastise from the kitchen, and really started laughing.
“Busted,” I told Evie, who smiled at me.
“Quit being so mean to him,” Chloe said with a grin as she walked in holding her pregnant belly. “And don’t even think about telling me I can’t hold my niece.”
I pouted, but handed Evie over, because Chloe being her actual aunt trumped my fake uncle status. Plus, Chloe was pregnant, and had become very emotional during this pregnancy. The last thing I needed was to make her cry and actually piss off the Viking.
“Fine, but I want her back,” I said grudgingly, standing to give up the comfortable seat and follow Reardon to the kitchen.
“Your wife stole the baby,” I complained as I walked inside, totally unprepared for the woman who jumped into my arms unexpectedly as I rounded the corner. “Whoa.”
“Hi,” my cousin Serena said after she gave me a bear hug.
“What are you doing here? When did you arrive? I didn’t know you would be back already!”
I took in the happy smile on my pretty cousin’s face, and returned it when she replied, “I was able to move my plans up. I’m home to stay!”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” I said, thinking how great it would be to finally have all my cousins back in Cherry Springs where they belonged. “I don’t need to rearrange anyone’s face or anything, do I?”
Serena shook her head and replied, “No, I don’t have a Laurel situation or anything.” She left my arms to jump into Reardon’s, leaving me wondering what the heck my cousins kept alluding to about Laurel.
8
Laurel
I always loved spending time with the Lewis family, probably because they were the polar opposite of my own family.
Whenever they were together, there was lots of laughter, some arguing, and always tons of love. I’d spent every moment possible with Jazzy and her family growing up, and it had turned my lonely existence into a very happy childhood.
I’d be forever grateful for Jasmine for that
, for sharing her family with me.
Luckily, they welcomed me with open arms, well, everyone but Dillon, and still included me in their functions to this day. When I lived in Houston, theirs were the houses I’d gone to visit over holidays, not my parents.
This was why I was at Gabe and Zoey’s house, ready to partake in brunch, when Dillon looked up at me from the conversation he was having with Gabe and frowned.
I shifted, uncomfortable under his stare, especially with thoughts of him leaving with that woman still fresh in my mind, and changed course to go back into the kitchen where I’d seen Jasmine talking with Serena.
“Hey,” I called as I walked inside.
Chloe and Zoey were at the stove arguing over whether to use garlic salt or garlic powder, and Serena and Jasmine were pouring mimosas. I walked toward the latter, holding my finger in the air, indicating I’d like one as well.
“A little hair of the dog?” Jazzy joked, but I wasn’t laughing.
I had waaay too many shots of Patron last night.
“Yes, please,” I begged.
“What’d I miss?” Serena asked, shifting her gaze back and forth between Jasmine and me.
“Just a night out at the bar, but this time it was Laurel pushing the drinks…”
“And Jasmine taking strangers home,” I added with a smirk. She’d probably thought I was too drunk to remember, but I’d definitely seen her slipping out the back with one of the guys who worked at the local auto shop.
“Ohhhh,” Serena sang, grinning at her cousin.
“He’s not a stranger,” Jasmine argued. “This was actually a repeat performance.”
“Really? Is it serious?” Rena asked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Pshaw, you know better than that.”
“What does that mean?” Jasmine asked, feigning offence, then shrugged and replied, “No, it’s not serious. He’s just a guy who’s good with his hands.”
“What are you ladies talking about?” I heard Dillon ask from behind me. I stiffened up, but didn’t turn, opting instead to play opossum.
“My love life,” Jasmine answered with a smirk.
“Gross. Stop it,” her brother said with a gag.
“I’m so happy to be back,” Serena said as she watched them. “Next time, I’m going home with a stranger. I can’t wait.”
“What? No, you aren’t,” Dillon argued.
Serena stuck out her tongue, picked up her mimosa, and walked over to Chloe and Zoey.
“What’s up, bro?” Jasmine asked, cocking her hip as she sipped on her mimosa.
“Not much, but I was hoping to talk to Laurel alone for a minute,” he said, causing my body to jolt and my stomach to clench.
Jasmine looked from Dillon to me. “You’re not going to ask her out, are you? Cause, not only did I see you leave with some woman last night, but the last thing I want is your skeezy hands on my best friend.”
“I think we all know Laurel’s virtue is safe with me,” Dillon answered dryly, and my heart plummeted to the ground.
God, when am I going to stop being hurt and surprised by the fact that Dillon doesn’t want me? Time to move the fuck on.
“It better be,” Jazzy replied, then told me, “I’ll be in the living room, listening really closely to the monitor for Evie to wake up.”
Needing the courage before turning around, I grabbed the mimosa Jasmine had left me on the counter and took a sip.
I turned slowly and took a deep breath before looking up into Dillon’s brilliant green eyes. God, I just wanted to look in those eyes all day. It was like rolling around in the grass, or gazing on a perfect gem stone.
Stop it, I ordered myself, then asked, “Did you want to talk about the business plan?” Because really, what else could he want to talk to me about?
“Ah, no, actually,” Dillon replied, running his hand through his auburn locks in what I knew was a nervous gesture, although I couldn’t for the life of me think of why talking to me would make him nervous. “Both Reardon and Serena made comments to me recently, and they both made it sound like you came home for more than just opening your business. Did something happen in Houston? I mean, is everything okay with you?”
I blinked as I looked up at him, knowing he was being totally sincere. I’d seen the way he protected Jasmine and Serena, and how he always had Gabe and Reardon’s back. He was extremely loyal, and would throw down in defense of his family.
Dillon’s reaction told me in no uncertain terms that he would tear Travis apart if I told him why I’d really come home, and I felt my heart finally shatter in two.
He thought of me like his sister, or cousin. Like family. And I needed to get it through my thick skull that he would never, ever, think of me as anything else.
It was time to let it go.
9
Dillon
The week had flown by.
I’d had the breakfast meeting with Jasmine, held meetings to let the employees know where we were at with the expansion, and had the meeting with the board. I was pretty well caught up and was feeling satisfied. It always felt good to be ahead of the game.
I was looking at my calendar… I had Chloe and Reardon’s housewarming, a callback to San Francisco, and my trip to Chicago coming up … when my phone buzzed and Carol’s voice came over the speaker.
“Ms. Turner is here,” Carol announced.
“Send her in,” I replied, shutting my calendar as I thought of the last time I’d seen her. At Gabe and Zoey’s brunch.
I’d just asked her if she was okay, curious over the hints Reardon and Serena had been dropping, and Laurel had sighed, a myriad of emotions crossing her face, before she’d replied, “Yes, I’m fine,” then walked away.
It had irked. There I was, holding out an olive branch and trying to make sure she wasn’t in any trouble, and I’d been rebuffed. That’s what I got for forgetting, even for a second, who Laurel was to me and all of the things she’d done.
Resolving to keep this meeting strictly business, I sat up straight in my seat and put on my business face.
Laurel knocked softly, then opened the door and peered around it.
I lifted my hand and gestured for her to enter, then watched as she moved gracefully to the chair she’d occupied on her previous visit, clutching a file to her chest.
“Let me see what you’ve got,” I requested, holding out my hand.
If she flinched at my brisk request, and lack of greeting, I chose to ignore it.
I took the file and opened it, reading through her notes and writing comments in the margins. After a few minutes of reading, and rereading, I looked up into her expectant face, then allowed a small smile of approval.
“This looks great,” I assured her, watching her face light up and her body sag with relief. “Very thorough. Your reasoning is sound and your request feasible. It sounds like it’ll be a successful business and a great addition to Cherry Springs.”
“Really? I was worried it wouldn’t be enough,” she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“This is a great start,” I said, reaching for a folder marked, Laurel Turner, and handing it to her. “Here’s a template for a business plan. Input what you’ve got here and flesh it out until you’re satisfied with it.”
“Great, thank you.”
“That’s not all. We still have to talk marketing. Once you’ve finished the first step, I want you to do some research, asking yourself the following questions: What is your message? Who is your audience? What media outlets will fit your business, and what is your marketing budget? Then, once you have all of that together, we will meet one last time to finalize your plan. By the time you leave our next meeting, you will have a solid plan to take to your loan officer.”
“And, my parents.”
“And your parents,” I agreed, and although I thought her parents were being unfairly selfish, I kept those thought to myself. It was obvious she only wanted my business advice, not anything personal. “So, I think that’s it
…”
Laurel took her plan back and placed it on top of the folder I’d given her, then hugged them both to her chest.
“Thank you so much, really. It’s hard to do something like this when you don’t know where to start, and don’t have someone who knows what they’re doing, to find out if you’re heading in the right direction. This means the world to me, Dillon, thank you.”
“It’s not a problem, now Jasmine owes me one and it’s always good to have her on the hook,” I replied.
Laurel’s face fell and she nodded, which was confusing. The girl had always sent mixed messages and seemed to often flip the switch on her moods quickly, but I had no idea what was going on with her lately.
Since she’d been back I’d found myself feeling disconcerted around her. And after that moment at the bar, when I’d thought she was hot, before I knew it was her, I was even more unsettled.
Which was why I’d gone to her, trying to forget about the past and get to know her, and how she was doing now, as an adult, but she’d shut me down.
“Right, well, thanks anyway. I do appreciate it, and I’ll make an appointment with Carol and get this information to you,” Laurel said softly, her posture stiff once more.
I was usually pretty good at reading women, having been tied to Jazzy since conception, but Laurel had always been a bit of a mystery, and it looked like that hadn’t changed over the years.
“Just tell her to make sure it’s before my Chicago trip. I’d like to leave knowing you’re squared away and your plan is perfect, that way you’re not waiting around for me to get back.”
I rose from my chair and walked around the desk as Laurel stood as well, then I walked her to the door and said, “And I’d like you to tell me when it’s all approved.”
“Okay, Dillon,” Laurel said softly, tilting her head back to look up at me. “And, I meant it, I really do appreciate your help, no matter how it came about. It feels great to have someone say my idea is a viable one, especially you.”