Dylan
“THE GOAL WAS to get in, solve the mystery, and get out,” I said, tugging Addison toward the exit.
“Maybe that wasyourgoal, but it wasn’t mine. I mean, sure, we’ll save the day by finding the jewelry, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make that Brandy skank eat our dust. I expected you to be more on board with this.”
“It was only supposed to take a couple of days, and nowwe have to stay all of this week and through the three-day weekend.”
She shrugged. “So?”
My biggest fear was getting stuck in this town, but Addison couldn’t understand that because she’d never seen the place grow on people like a parasite, feasting on their will to get away. “Do you even know what the Buddy Barrel Pick-up is?”
“I have no idea, but how hard can it be if Brandy can do it?”
I pulled out my phone and searched for videos of the event.
“Who the hell names their kid after booze, anyway?” she asked.
“Cowboys,” I replied. “Now, watch this.” I handed her my phone and ran smack dab into a wall of muscle. I’m pretty sure I would’ve bounced off said wall, if the beefy arms attached to it wouldn’t have wrapped me in a hug and tugged me off my feet.
“Dylan,” his deep voiceboomed, filling me with dread. “You’ve come back to me. Finally.”
I struggled until he set me down and released his vice-like hold. What was with the guys in this town needing to pick me up? I knew who it was and didn’t want to lead him on by making eye contact, so I looked everywhere but at him, which is how I found my dad standing in the doorway watching us.
“I didn’t come back to you. Icame back to solve a case. I’m not staying,” I said, loud enough to make sure they both heard me.
“Dylan, who is this?” Addison asked.
Had I not stepped so far away from the beefcake in front of me, I might have been tempted to beat my head against his chest. He was the last person in the world I wanted to introduce Addison to. Before I could reply, he beat me to it, holding out his hand.
“I’m Dakota, Dylan’s fiancé.”
“What?” Addison said.
“He is not,” I assured her. “Dak, you can’t go around telling people that. It’s not true.”
“Sure it is. Our parents wrote up the contract when we were still in diapers. Isn’t that right, Dad?” he said over his shoulder.
