“Oh, no. I think he and Cynthia will be an item soon, if they’re not already.” Rae swallowed. “I’m going out with Jason.”
Dylan’s expression closed, and she had the strangest feeling, like she was cheating on him. She found she had to look away, which was stupid. She remembered that oddly intense moment a few weeks ago when she’d considered kissing him. No. They were friends.Justfriends. She couldn’t allow herself to fall in love with him.
“Sure, I can watch the kids,” he said. “I’d meant to suggest we go to the Game Center on Friday anyway. Jayden’s been bugging me to take him again.”
“Now I feel bad. I’d like to have come.”
“We’ll have to go without you.” Dylan said, his tone not quite normal, almost with a chilly edge. He flicked at something on his sleeve. “Or, you can tell Lee you’ve changed your mind. It’s not like he wouldn’t be able to find someone else to take instead of you.”
And that was supposed to make her feel better at missing out? Rae watched him with narrowed eyes and rubbed at the sudden ache in her jaw. She almost never got angry with Dylan and didn’t want to fight with him over a stupid date with Jason.
“Well, I came in early to get some work done,” Rae said as dismissively as she could. She turned back to her computer to signal she was busy, and he should leave. “Thanks for watching the kids for me.”
* * *
It tookall Dylan’s self-control not to stomp out of the office. Instead he paused to peek in Mr. G.’s office, but the man was on the phone. Dylan strode outside to his truck. Why had he let his hurt show like that? Seriously. Rae went on one date and then jumped in with Lee? What was wrong with her?
Dylan cranked up the music in his truck. By the time he’d reached his first account, he was singing out his frustration. Immersed in the music, he stepped from the vehicle, singing about Ruby in the Kenny Rogers classic song. Still going through the lyrics, Dylan put on his equipment, wishing he could beg Rae not to go out with Jason.
Working his way around the house, Dylan sang as he sprayed. How many times had they joked about the flirt-meister? Ever since Lee had first put a move on Rae. If it hadn’t been tough on her, it’d have been a funny moment. Dylan had been disappointed when Lee, discovering her husband had died, had backed off like any decent guy would have. Now for her to be going out with him, like she’d been waiting for enough time to pass, felt like the ultimate betrayal.
Dylan had reached the final chorus in the song as he rounded to the front of the house again. He belted out the words, putting all his wishes and frustration into it. The final line died out as he ran out of breath.
That was when the applause began. Startled, Dylan glanced around and found Mrs. Lapinski standing on her front step wearing a huge grin and clapping her hands, along with several other older ladies gathered around her. They rushed forward.
“That was wonderful,” Mrs. Lapinski cried, taking his arm. “I’ve been telling them about you for months, and now they know I wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Will you sing another?” one woman asked.
“Please,” the others chimed together.
“I can’t.” Dylan had started shaking like he always did as soon as he’d realized he’d had an audience. “I don’t have time. I have to get to my other accounts.” He backed up, grateful he’d finished spraying the house.
Mrs. Lapinski held out her hand with the payment. He accepted it and prepared her receipt, all while the other ladies continued to plead with him for an encore. Shaking his head, he spun around and hurried to his truck. Dylan threw his equipment inside and jumped in. He drove away, not stopping until he was completely out of sight of her house.
Taking his time, Dylan got out of the truck and stowed everything as he should have done before. He seriously needed to get a grip. If he were to lose Rae’s friendship because he threw a fit about her going out with Lee, it would all be on Dylan. He had to accept she was under no obligation to love him simply because he was in love with her.
He pulled out his phone and sent her a quick text.
Sorry. You know he bugs me, so it threw me that you’d go out with him. I’m not trying to tell you who you can date.
Her reply was quick.
Thank you. It’s a preemptive strike on my part.
Dylan’s shoulders relaxed as understanding hit him. He grinned. What an idiot he’d been. He should have known Rae better than that.
7
I'll meet you at the restaurant. Where are we going?”
Rae clicked Send on the text. She’d debated over and over again whether to have Jason pick her up in front of the apartment complex or meet him at the restaurant. Not that she thought he was a creep or anything. She knew from the girls at the office he was a decent guy, but he wasn’t interested in getting serious with anyone. Rae wouldn’t take a chance with her children’s safety in case she’d judged him wrong.
“Preston and Beth, do you want to bring anything with you to Dillie’s?” Rae called as she put on her shoes. “Oh, and don’t forget your leftover tickets.”
“Mama,” Preston said, coming into her room with a box of Legos, “how come you’re not coming with us?”
He must have asked her that question a dozen times since she’d told him about the date. The joint one with Dylan had been easier; spending an evening with him had made sense to Preston. She’d tried to explain the concept of going somewhere with a man whowasn’tDylan, but it’d either been too alien a concept for her son, or he’d refused to consider it.
