“I’ll bet.” Dylan said to Amelia, “Thank you both for taking pity on me. I don’t think I’d have lost any of them, but I appreciate the extra eyes.”
“I’m sure.” She patted his cheek, and Beth did the same thing. Amelia said, “I also thought you could use themoralsupport. We did consider going out to dinnersomewhereelse. You know where.” She shot him a knowing glance.
“Really?” he asked, surprised.
“I told her it was too obvious, and it’d have made Rae mad.” Micah indicated the order clerk, and Dylan turned around.
“What will you have, sir?” the bored-looking teen asked.
As Dylan placed his order, he considered his own temptation to sneak in to spy on the date and was glad he’d decided against it. Itwouldhave ticked off Rae. When Micah had placed his order, the group went in search of a table. They found one just being vacated not far from the play area.
“I’ll keep this little lady entertained over there before the pizza comes.” Amelia pointed to a section designed with toddlers in mind. “You two can take the boys for the more adventurous rides.”
Dylan held out a hand to each of the Littles, but Jayden took Micah’s, while Preston took his. The older man wasn’t much of a talker. Dylan didn’t have to worry about making conversation while his thoughts were on Rae, wondering whether or not she was having fun. Unfortunately, the image of Lee kissing her pressed itself on Dylan’s mind. Surely she wouldn’t let him.
Amelia finally signaled them to return for the pizza. It took a little struggle to get the boys away from the rides and back to the table.
“I really think you don’t have anything to worry about with Jason,” Amelia said softly while the Littles chattered together.
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve also known guys who’d dated around a lot until they met one woman and then decided it was time to settle down.” Dylan heaved out a breath.
“Yes, my Micah was like that.” Amelia gave her husband a tender look.
“She didn’t know I was biding my time forherto be free. It wouldn’t have been a good thing to steal a man’s wife from him, even if he was a jerk and deserved to have his—”
“Micah,” Amelia broke in, glancing at the children.
“Well, he did. And I think the good Lord would forgive me for wanting to give that man an attitude adjustment.” When she glowered at him, he shrugged. “Say what you will, but we both know He usesourhands to do His will. I’m merely saying my hands were ready and willing.”
Dylan always found it entertaining to hear the two argue over their take on religious things. They were both card-carrying Christians. The way the media portrayed religious people as judgmental and self-righteous made him resentful in their behalf. The Greers were the farthest from either of those things of anyone Dylan had ever met and had the best hearts.
“But back to Dylan . . .” Amelia said with a wink when Micah would have gone on.
“I have to bide my time too,” he said.
“Well, I know Jason was planning to drive Rae into the City tonight.” Amelia gave Beth another bite of pizza.
“San Francisco? Not likely,” Dylan said. “The drive there and back alone would be three hours. There’s no way she’d agree to be gone from her kids that long.”
“That’s what I told him.”
Dylan smiled a little smugly that he’d been right. “But I don’t get how that helpsmycase. She’ll know a single guy who’s as successful at his job as Lee is would expect to do thingsbig.” The show-off.
“My intention is not to make him out to be a bad guy, because I don’t believe he is,” Amelia said. “But it won’t hurt for him to see how child-centered Rae is. A man like Jason is used to being the center of attention with any woman he dates. It’ll be good for him to realize no man will take a place over her children. Including you, Dylan.”
He glanced at Micah, who nodded. The truth of her words struck Dylan in a way they never had before. Subconsciously, he’d known and accepted it, but he’d never considered how that reality might impact him. Was he willing to take second place in Rae’s heart? Well, third place if he considered her first husband.
He took another slice of pizza. Coming in second or third place in the affections of people he cared about was nothing new to him. His father had succeeded in training Dylan well in that area. Did he deserve better?
Did it matter? His girlfriend had demanded he make a choice between her or Jayden, and his nephew had won. How was that any different than Rae putting her children first? Just like his little dude, her children needed someone to make them a priority. They didn’t have anyone else.
8
Rae had to keep wiping her hands on her jeans as she drove to Cruz Murphy’s, an Irish Mexican restaurant in Old Sac. She hated driving downtown. Rather than spend money buying out buildings to widen the streets, the powers-that-be had decided to make them one-way with narrower lanes. She couldn’t imagine trying to drive a large SUV down one of them. She’d be a nervous wreck. At least she’d left her children in Dylan’s capable hands. She wouldn’t have to worry about them.
She was on edge about the date with Jason. How had she let Amelia talk her into doing the stupid dating thing anyway? It hadn’t been bad doubling with Dylan. Rae had never been comfortable putting herself out there. With every boyfriend she’d had in high school, he’d been the one to make the effort. She’d been too self-conscious, too insecure. She was finding that hadn’t changed.
Was she creating future problems for herself? She remembered her father’s warning when she’d been a teen—you marry someone from the pool of people you date. If she got too attached to a man, she was setting herself up for heartache. Shewouldprotect her children from a heartless stepfather by making sure they never had one. Rae reminded herself it’d been her decision to let Amelia talk her into this because of the need for a social life,not a love life.
