I arched an eyebrow. "Being pawed by middle-age men? What do you think? I think you owe me one." I jabbed my key in the lock.
Still nothing. Okay, I got the message. It was depressing, but I got it. I turned the key. "Goodnight."
He caught my elbow as the door swung open. "See you tomorrow at the tailgate?"
"Partying in the field house isn't really tailgating, is it?" Two could play the disinterested game. I slid into the house and closed the door before he could see how disappointed I was. That blog had it all wrong. Former hookups gone friends were absolutely the pits.
I was doing it again—falling for a guy who was unobtainable. Alexis' warning rang in my ears: "Dakota isn't who he seems to be."
Maybe he wasn't.
Chapter Eleven
Morgan
Dad and Grandma arrived on Saturday just in time for coffee and cookies at the house before heading out to pre-game at the VIP university tailgating party. I was surprised by how tired and frail Grandma looked. She walked so slowly, it was like she wasn't even moving. But her mind was sharp again. She'd been out of it the last time I'd seen her, too tired to lift her head and talk. Seeing her doing any kind of walking, no matter how slowly, was encouraging. And made me crazy happy. I was suddenly Little Miss Optimist. Grandma was one of my favorite people. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
Making small talk at the house kept the focus off me and the queasy way I felt. Part of it was nerves. I hoped all of it was nerves, but I feared worse.
"We have dinner reservations right after the game with a friend and his dad," I told Dad and Grandma between sips of coffee, not making a big deal of it.
To my pleasant surprise, he didn't question me further. Grandma was in her element. She winked at me. I couldn't stop smiling at her. I was thrilled she'd come.
"I'm sorry there aren't more girlie things to do." I handed her another cookie. "You'll have to come back on Mom's Weekend. It's much more fun. We could get matching pedis. I know the best place in town. The girls there paint the best flowers on your toes for no extra charge." I grinned at her.
"Have you seen my old toes! No amount of flowers will save them." She laughed. "I couldn't wait for Mom's Weekend, Morgan. I wanted to see my favorite granddaughter at school now. At my age, the future is almost a foreign concept. Live for the moment." She squeezed my hand.
We both knew what she was saying. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind.
"You're all better now." I gave her a shaky smile, unable to imagine my world without her.
"Yes, all better." She smiled, but it looked tired.
Dad looked at his watch. "Time to be going. Sure you're up to this, Mom?"
"You'd have me in my grave." She took the arm he offered her. "My heart may only be working at half capacity. But I've always had enough verve to live on less."
Dad drove us as close to the field house as he could, and parked in the lot at the top of the hill. He'd arranged for a motorized cart to pick Grandma up and drive her to the pre-game function. It was waiting for us. He helped her in. He and I walked down together as the cart pulled away from us.
"Tell me about dinner. Why are we dining with an unnamed boy and his dad?" He paused, like the silence would pull the truth from me.
I wasn't playing. "I called around and all the good places were booked solid." I shrugged. "I wanted us to have a nice dinner. This guy had reservations he said he could add us to."
Dad frowned. "I see, a mysterious friend with connections. Why haven't I heard you mention him before?"
I glanced away. "Maybe you weren't listening." That was an intentional dig at Dad. To let him know he hadn't been paying attention to me lately. I'd noticed the distance between us.
"This friend has a name, I assume?" Dad was always straight to the point. And scary when he used his firm voice.
I lifted my chin and faced him. "Dakota Bradley."
Dad stopped short and stared at me, his face a mask. You'd think a mask would be good. In this case, he was hiding his fury. "Dakota." He stared at me like I was crazy, and in deep trouble. "The boy who almost ran over you? And got you in all the trouble?"
He didn't know the half of the trouble Dakota might have gotten me in. I bit my lip and looked at the ground like a chastened child.
"Morgan? Answer me."
I forced myself to meet his eye. "Yes, Dad. That Dakota Bradley." Like there was more than one on campus. "To be fair, he didn't get me in trouble. He didn't ply me with alcohol and force me to lie down behind his car where he couldn't see me. We became friends at Alcohol and Drug Information School."
I explained to him about Dakota and me meeting in ADIS and becoming buddies to keep each other from drinking and getting in trouble. I thought Dad would appreciate that.
Instead, he looked blatantly unhappy and worried. "Whatever you do, don't let your grandma know who he is or what he did." Dad took my arm.
"So when I introduce them, I just call him 'hey you' or 'boy'?"
"Don't be a smartass." He frowned at me. "You know we've kept the details of your MIC from your grandma. There's a reason I insisted you not mention almost being run over and ending up in the hospital."
He took my arm. "I'm serious, Morgan. Her heart is weak. Seriously weak. She can't even watch her favorite Masterpiece Mystery shows anymore without her heart going into arrhythmia. If she finds out about him, she'll literally make herself sick with worry."
I nodded. Seeing the concern in his eyes, I understood about him and Grandma. About his comment about needing a drink to make it through the weekend with her. He was worried, too. He didn't want to face her death any more than I did. I held my pinkie out to him and smiled. "All right. I swear it. I will keep the details from Grandma. I promise."
He linked his pinkie finger with mine and shook like he had when I was little and we were keeping secrets from Mom. Then he gave me a one-armed hug. I loved my dad. I linked arms with him as we walked to the field house and made our way through the carnival atmosphere of the open party, to the back and the special invitation-only VIP pre-gaming party.
Dad spotted Grandma first. She was already seated and watching the party like a grand dame, jealously guarding a table and saving seats for us. We had to go through a receiving line with the university president, Dr. Lawrence, and some of the regents before we could get to her.
I'd met Dr. Lawrence before at one of the president's honor roll receptions I'd attended. The last regent in the reception line, a gorgeous blond, was one of our star alums, Amber Ranklin. I'd seen her at the house before, though I doubted she would recognize me. She wore a white gold sorority lavaliere necklace with the Double Deltsie letters and a big-ass diamond around her neck. I was wearing my Dad's Weekend Double Deltsie sweatshirt.
Her eyes lit up when she spotted it. "A fellow sister!" She hugged me instead of shaking my hand. While I made small talk with her, I spotted Dakota and Al come in and join the back of the line. I felt Dakota watching me, trying to catch my eye. I ignored him. He deserved it.
Dad and I finally made our way through the line and joined Grandma. I kissed her cheek. "Sorry we kept you waiting!"
She smiled at me. "Laughing and talking with a regent like you're old friends, I'm impressed!"
I laughed at her pleased grandma look. Like I was some kind of VIP myself. "Don't be. She's an alum sorority sister."
"Mom, how are you holding up?" Dad took a chair next to her.
"Don't worry about me." Grandma shook her head. "This old woman can take a lot."
"Morgan, get your grandmother something to drink." Dad had a way of ordering me around like I was still a child.
Like I wasn't just about to offer. "What would you like, Grandma? I'll bring you something to drink and then go back to get you a plate of food." I wanted to show her I was thoughtful, too.
"Iced tea would be lovely."
I patted her hand and turned around, coming face to face with Dakota and Al. I put a hand to my chest,
startled.
"Hey." Dakota's eyes sparkled.
My heart raced at the nearness of him. I caught a whiff of his cologne and silently cursed my reaction to him.
"Are you going to introduce me to your dad and grandma?"
"Eventually." I smiled at Al. "You're looking good for a guy who took second in an epic beer pong tourney last night."
"Flatterer. You mean I don't look hung over. Winners don't have to drink as much as losers," Al said.
Dakota stepped between me and Al. "Dad has a high tolerance."
"Too bad it doesn't run in the family." I smiled sweetly at Dakota to partially sheathe the barb. Before he could react, I turned around and pulled him forward to meet my family. "Dad. Grandma. This is my friend Dakota and his dad Al. We're joining them for dinner tonight. They were gracious enough to add us to their reservations. It's nearly impossible to get a table anywhere decent in this town on Dad's Weekend unless you book months in advance."
Grandma's eyes lit up at the mention of us having dinner with Dakota and his dad. It was like I'd just thrown down the gauntlet. I could almost see her train of thought. Is there something going on between my granddaughter and this young man? How serious is it? She was going to be watching us with a keen eye now.
"I was just going to get Grandma some tea." I took Dak's arm. "Come with." I led him to the beverage table. I leaned into him and went up on my toes to whisper a warning in his ear. "Grandma doesn't know our history."
He put his hands in the small of my back and pulled me closer. "What history?"
I was too aware of him. I cupped my hand around his ear and put a ton of breathiness in my voice. I was practically blowing in his ear with the force of my words. Teasing him. Tantalizing him on purpose. "The night you tried to kill me."
He leaned in to me and whispered, "Not that again."
"Whatever. She doesn't know about you and the accident. Or me ending up in the hospital." I explained the situation. "Dad made me promise not to tell her. You have to promise me, too."
He brushed a lock of hair out my face and tucked it behind my ear. He used my almost-blowing-in-the-ear trick, whispering directly in my ear so that I felt a tingle race through me. "I promise." He grinned down at me and stroked my cheek. "Let's get your grandma her tea."
As I poured Grandma's tea from a pitcher on the table, a guy came up to me.
"If it isn't the party ref. You're out of uniform."
I looked over to see Logan, from the Halloween party. "Hey, Viking! I almost didn't recognize you with a shirt on."
He laughed. "Yeah, no shoes, no shirt, no pre-game with Dr. Lawrence and company. Funny thing."
"Rules is rules. FYI, I don't ref official university functions." I winked at him. "The atmosphere's usually too dull."
Next to me, I felt Dakota stiffen and go territorial on me, clearing his throat to make his presence known.
"Logan, you remember Dakota," I said by way of reintroduction.
Logan nodded. "The other ref."
"Can I pour you something?" I held up the ice tea pitcher.
"No, I'm good. Just on my way back to my group."
I glanced in the direction he pointed and saw Amber among the group.
"I have to get back. Good to see you again, man. You too, Morgan."
"You two seemed friendly." Dakota took my arm.
"What can I say? I'm a popular girl." I brought Grandma her tea and went back to the buffet to get her a plate of air. With her restricted diet, there was practically nothing on the buffet of pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, and fries that she could eat.
Dakota and Al took up residence at our table. There was an uneasy truce in the air between Dad, Al, and Dakota. I hoped Grandma didn't notice the tension. Truthfully, I thought she was too busy watching Dakota and me for any signs of a budding romance. And damn him, Dakota kept flirting with me. Sitting too close to me. Being too solicitous. Too courteous and polite to Grandma. Too charming, like he was trying to impress her and flirting with her, too. He quickly had her in smiles and laughter.
I wanted to scream at him not to lead her on. But he seemed determined to give both of us the wrong signals. Unlike Grandma's, my heart may have been in perfect, full-capacity working order. But it was just as delicate in its own way.
After the main course, Dad and Al excused themselves to hit the dessert table, which consisted mostly of trays of cookies. I stayed with Grandma. Cookies weren't on her heart diet.
I encouraged Dakota to go with them.
"We'll go together after they get back." He squeezed my hand and gave me that killer, heart-melting smile.
I would have been totally distracted by him if I hadn't been keeping a wary eye on Al and Dad. They'd been getting along so far. But they seemed to be engaged in a heated discussion by the cookies. Dad was gesturing at Al with the cookie tongs.
Next to them, a drunk guy was harassing a pretty girl. He bumped the table, rattling the dishes and coffeepot.
"You really think you're hot shit, don't you?" The guy raised his voice with every word.
"Stop it, Schwartz. Leave the past alone. Austin and I are good now. Keep your nose out of it." The girl tried to leave.
But Schwartz wouldn't let it drop. He grabbed her by the elbow. "You think you're so high and mighty. Regents' scholar. Dating a rich boy. You're nothing. Just a little cock tease.
"Austin said your mom was a much better lay than you. Hotter, too. He should have done your old lady again and forgotten about you." His voice had risen to a yell, an angry bellow.
The room went silent. Her face flamed. I was horrified for her. Logan was at the bar. He turned to stare at them, looking like he wanted to kill the Schwartz guy.
Logan got out of his chair and charged to the cookie table. Without saying a word, he slammed Schwartz with a right hook that sent him staggering back into the buffet table. Dishes rattled. Dad and Al jumped out of the way as Schwartz landed on his ass in the plate of cookies, crushing them to crumbs. The coffeepot at the end of the table tipped over, soaking the white tablecloth.
The girl screamed, "Stop! Stop it."
Schwartz let out a roar and hurled profanities at Logan as he struggled to his feet to fight back, knocking over more dishes. Sending the pitcher of cream next to the coffeepot tipping over.
The girl grabbed Logan's arm as he cocked it to swing again. "Logan, don't. No! Please."
Schwartz got his feet beneath him again. He slammed Logan with a fist to his left eye. Logan's head whipped back.
The girl screamed and wedged herself between them as Schwartz wound up again.
Dad and Al jumped into action like two superheroes. They grabbed Schwartz and restrained him before he could deliver his next punch. Several servers appeared at Logan's side, ready to hold him back.
Logan dropped his punching arm and waved them off as he wrapped his arm around the girl. "I'm done."
They backed off, hovering anxiously nearby, like they didn't quite believe him. I jumped out of my chair and ran to Dad's side.
Amber crossed the room, stopping at Logan's side. She put her hand on his shoulder and surveyed the damage. A tiny smile played at the corners of her mouth as she grabbed several pieces of ice from a bucket on the table, wrapped them in a napkin, and held them gently against his eye. "That eye could get nasty."
Double Deltsies to the rescue, I thought, proud of Dad and Amber.
President Lawrence, his face an angry red, broke through from the back of the crowd to see what the commotion was. Frowning slightly, and obviously trying to maintain his presidential composure, he turned his gaze to Amber in question just as a dad who must have been Logan's appeared at the front of the crowd, too.
"It's nothing." Amber gave a delicate shrug and laughed. "Too much pre-game exuberance. A little horseplay that got out of hand. A boy took a tumble." She spotted Logan's dad at the edge of the crowd. "I'm sure Harlan will make this good."
"Absolutely," the man named Harlan said. He was st
aring at Logan and the girl, still held tightly by the arm Logan had wrapped around her waist.
So this is the girl Logan was heartbroken over at the party, I thought.
The girl slid out of Logan's grip, turned, and ran out of the room. Logan stood staring after her, stunned.
"What are you waiting for, Viking?" I said to him. "If she's the one, go after her."
Chapter Twelve
Morgan
I watched Logan run out after the girl, cheering him on. Cheering for true love. For a happy ending. Yeah, I'm a romantic. And I would like my own white knight. There are worse things.
Two security guards relieved Dad and Al of their restraining duties and hauled Schwartz out.
Dad rubbed his ribs gingerly.
I touched his arm. "You okay?"
He laughed like he was having the time of his life. His eyes were bright with fight and adrenaline. "I'm great. Fucking fantastic."
There's nothing like breaking up a good fight, with all the associated bragging rights, to bond two formerly antagonistic dads. Logan taking a swing at Schwartz was the best thing that could have happened. For Dakota and me.
"Schwartz was a strong bastard. He put up a hell of a fight. Got me with an elbow." Dad rubbed his ribs as we walked through the field house. Super slowly, because that was the pace Grandma set.
Al rolled his shoulder. "Holding that boy back, I thought I was going to rip my shoulder out again. I dislocated it playing high school football. Hasn't been the same since."
"I could get you an instant icepack, Dad," Dakota said.
Was it just me who noticed how solicitous he was being? I resisted calling him a suck-up.
"I'll be fine." Al stretched. "Just need to work it out."
Dakota rolled his eyes.
I rolled mine back at him and whispered in his ear, "We're never going to hear the end of this. The dads who saved the university tailgate party from disaster. Should be front-page news, don't you think?"
He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine. "Small price to pay for them to get along and forget how highly unsuitable I am for you."