“What?”
“Nora. Your daughter. You do remember her, don’t you?”
“I told you last night—”
“She looks bad, Dad,” Dylan interrupted. “Like on death’s door bad.”
“I can’t help someone who won’t help herself.” For the first time in his memory, his father sounded sad. Defeated.
“I know.”
“Do you have permanent custody of the boy?”
Dylan’s body flushed hot with anger. “Do you mean Jayden? He’s your only grandchild, whose name you can never remember.”
“Do you need anything else?” His father asked stiffly, like he wanted to say more but was controlling himself.
“Not from you.” Dylan couldn’t keep the animosity from his voice.
“Just make sure you’re legallyJayden’sguardian.” His father sounded angry too. “If she dies, you don’t want the state taking him away from you. Keep me informed.” He ended the call.
Dylan stared at his phone. He wanted nothing more than to dial his father again and say all the things he’d been wanting to for years. Instead, he took a deep breath. Amelia and her church friends would counsel him against it, and they were probably right. Rae was always telling him he needed to let go of his hard feelings.
For Jayden’s benefit, Dylan would work on it.
6
“Good morning, love,” Jason said from behind Rae as she reached the office entrance the next morning.
“Hey.” She turned the key and opened the door. He’d been gone on vacation, and it was the first time she’d seen him in a week.
“You’re extra early this morning,” he said, following her into her office.
“My son has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, so I’m making up my time.” She expected him to go into the termite inspector’s office immediately, but he didn’t.
“Is he sick?” Jason took the seat beside her desk.
“No, it’s for this fall, when he’ll be starting kindergarten. It’s like a physical with a review of his shots.”
Jason reached over and picked up the photo she had on her desk. It was one Amelia had taken the day of the flash mob last Christmas. Rae wondered again how she’d have gotten through the holidays if not for Dylan and Jayden.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked, opening her desk drawer and putting her purse inside.
Jason returned the picture to her desk. “I understand from Jasmine you’re on eRapport.”
Rae wished, as she often had over the past year, the girl had a life so she didn’t feel the need to gossip about her coworkers all the time. Though, in all honesty, it was a miracle Jason hadn’t heard about it sooner.
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business,” Rae said, keeping her voice low. She didn’t want to feed any more gossip.
“I’m merely an interested party. If you’re ready to date again, I’d like very much to take you out to dinner,” Jason said in his usual flirty tone.
Did he even know how to talk to a female without coming on to her? She’d liked him so much better when he’d treated her like a coworker.
Rae met his gaze, and he did his brooding thing. It made her think of Amelia’s comment that Jason was hot enough to melt paint, but it only struck Rae as a poor case of acting. Before she could stop herself, she burst out with a laugh. Trying to choke it back, she covered her mouth.
Jason’s entire persona changed as if he were a hopeful child who’d suffered a smack-down. If she’d trusted it was sincere, she’d have felt bad. She decided to be frank with him. If he couldn’t take it, then he didn’t really want to spend time with her.
“Are you really able to charm women by putting on that brooding look?” Rae went for a teasing tone. She wanted to be honest but not hurtful, if she could help it.
