Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
DAHLIA
Dylan and I texted and FaceTimed every day this week, and tonight I get to see him in person.
He’s told me he misses me each time we talk, and it’s crazy how much I miss him too.
We’ve stayed up late every night, talking for hours, especially Christmas night, after I put Chloe to bed.
It’s scary how invested I already feel about a man I just met.
I’m trying with all my heart to rein it in and enjoy the ride all at the same time.
It’s a roller coaster for sure.
Christmas was magical. We spent the day at my mom’s house.
Chloe was in her element with both her Grammy and Grumpy (as she calls him) there.
My dad stopped by in the afternoon and was on his best behavior.
We actually had a really lovely time together.
Chloe was elated about every present and didn’t just play with the boxes like she did last year and the year before.
She’s obsessed with the little kitchen I bought her.
She’s slipped a few times, mentioning Dylan and playing on the beach with him, and my mom has asked about him.
I’ve tried to play it off like it was no big deal, just a friend I met in California who showed us around a little bit.
I feel bad about not telling my mom everything, but I’m so paranoid about my dad finding out.
My parents aren’t together all the time or anything, but they do talk regularly.
They have an odd friendship, even though he put her through hell when they were married, and she still can’t stand most things about him.
And he likes to pretend he doesn’t care what she thinks, even though he runs a lot past her.
I’ve told her she should draw the line when he tries to ask her advice about his woman of the month. They’re all young lookalikes of her.
She finally started asking more direct questions about Dylan last night.
“Is this Dylan guy why you’re glowing?” she asked.
“What? No!”
Turns out I wasn’t only being sneaky, but now I was a liar too.
I looked in her mirror after I denounced Dylan, and I was, indeed, glowing. And it was, indeed, because of him.
She smirked. “Doth thou protest too much?”
I pretended to be looking around with my hand to my ear like I was hearing voices. “Shakespeare, is that you?”
She laughed and jabbed my side, making me jump. “Now I know something is going on because you’re not normally so sassy.”
I laughed. “Sorry, Mom. I couldn’t resist.”
She grinned and rubbed my shoulder. “It’d be nice if you found a man who made you glow. It’d be more than nice—it’d be everything I’ve dreamed of for you.” She brushed my hair back. “You deserve it, you know. Someone who worships the ground you walk on.”
“I don’t know about that. If anyone deserves that, it’s you.”
She gave me an exasperated look. “We’re not talking about me, we’re talking about you. I’m content. I don’t need a man. That part of my life is over. You’re young and such an amazing human.”
I yawned. “Thank you, Mama. I want to argue that it doesn’t have to be over for you yet, but I’m too sleepy to make sense.”
She kissed my cheek, and we said good night.
I’ve worked a ton of overtime this week, despite the holiday, because I’m not in the mood to put up with my dad’s barbs about me not getting the work done.
The office has been empty, but my dad has been in a few times and seen me working, so hopefully that will buy me a little time without him riding me.
However, I noticed some discrepancies in the books earlier and had to call him about that.
He told me to stop turning small things into mountains, whatever that means.
I ended up talking to Dylan until early this morning, so I still didn’t get much sleep, but I’m energized by the thought of seeing him later.
I zip up my suitcase and check on Chloe, who’s standing in front of her little kitchen cabinet, pulling something out of the microwave.
“It’s almost time to go, baby girl. Let’s get your shoes on.”
“I don’t want to yeave my kitchen,” she says.
“I know, but we’re going to have fun in California. You’re going to see Daddy!”
“And Dyyan?” she asks hopefully.
“Maybe Dylan for a little bit. But you’ll mostly be with Daddy, okay? He really wants to see you, and he’ll be so happy that you’re spending time with him. Oh, and you know who else you get to see? Gigi and Papa!”
I’m not sure she even remembers who they are. It’s been so long since she’s seen Christian’s parents.
She looks at me, her expression somber, and I motion for her to come over so I can put her shoes on.
My heart aches that she’s having to process these confusing emotions as such a little girl.
My mom jokes that I was the same way—a little empath wearing my heart on my sleeve from the moment I could breathe.
There’s a tap on the door, and I open it. Aunt Ginny is standing there, blowing on her hands. She’s taking us to the airport.
“I don’t know where my gloves are,” she says.
“It’s so cold. Hold on, let me get some for you.”
“It’s all right.” She waves me off. “Are you two ready to go?”
“Yes, we are.” I look over my shoulder. “Chloe! Aunt Ginny is here!”
We get to the airport in plenty of time and have no problems on the flight.
I think about Dylan so much because I’ve been with him for the past two round-trip flights.
He really wanted to be on this flight with me, but it was completely sold out.
He’ll get in a couple of hours after me, and by the time I get to Christian’s house from the airport and drop Chloe off, I won’t have long to wait.
He gave me the code to get into his house.
Leaving Chloe with Christian doesn’t go as badly as I thought it might.
Anastasia says hello but then gives us some space.
I stay for about twenty minutes, until it seems like Chloe is relaxed.
I talk to her about the plan, how she’ll stay with her dad for two sleeps at night and two naps in the day.
She nods like she completely understands, and when we say goodbye, she gets tears in her eyes, but she doesn’t bawl like she did the last time.
I still cry all the way to Dylan’s house and spend the time before he arrives in a bath and taking my time with my makeup.
When he gets home, I’m wearing a pretty gold shimmery dress. We stare at each other for a few long seconds and then he steps forward and hugs me, kicking the door closed behind him.
“Wow,” he says. “Even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.” He leans his forehead against mine. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I whisper.
He inhales. “You always smell so good. Like all of the best things flooding my senses at once.”
My eyebrows lift. “That sounds overwhelming.”
He laughs. “You’re not wrong. Your beauty is overwhelming too. And then you’re sweet and funny and smart on top of all that. Yeah, overwhelming is the perfect word for it.”
I fan my heated face, which makes him grin that perfect grin. The one that makes my knees weak.
His lips brush against mine, and my chest erupts with a thousand flutters taking flight.
Goodness, girl, calm down.
“You’re so beautiful. Not that I can compete with this.
” He slides his hand from my waist down to my thigh.
“But I’ll get cleaned up and more presentable than what I’ve got going on here.
” He leans in for another kiss. “And then I want to take you out and show you off…in a way that won’t elicit any unwanted attention that somehow gets back to your father. ”
I grin. He’s so cute it physically hurts.
“Sounds good to me.”
He gives me one more kiss, then takes a step back. His hands are still on me, though, and I’m glad. I don’t want him to let go.
“It’s so good to see you,” he says. “I love modern technology, but nothing beats seeing you in person.”
“I agree. It’s good to see you too.”
He ducks his head, and his smile is teasing. “Are you shy?”
I press my lips together, fighting nervous laughter. “I think so. It’s been over a week since I’ve seen you…”
“It felt like forever,” he says. He lowers until we’re eye level and an inch apart. “This is madness, isn’t it.”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I’m here for it.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “I’ll get ready so quick. Fastest shower known to man.”
“There’s no rush. We’ve got time.”
“I don’t want to miss a minute with you,” he says.
Dylan in his tailored black suit is nearly more than I can bear. We sit at a romantic table at Geoffrey’s Malibu, the trees aglow with lights and the Pacific shimmering in the distance. But my eyes keep returning to my date.
“I feel like I’ve learned so much about you on the phone this week,” he says, threading our fingers together after we’ve placed our order.
“Same. You and your family. They sound way more fun than mine.”
“Your mom and Aunt Ginny sound amazing. And hilarious. Every time I think about your mom trying to feed Chloe caviar on Christmas Day, I crack up.”
“She’s hilarious, all right, and Aunt Ginny is hilarious in a completely different way. They’re so close, but my mom is the diva, and my aunt could survive in the wilderness in the middle of winter.”
He laughs. “I wish I could meet them.”
“I wish you could too. I didn’t get a chance to tell you that she asked more about you since Chloe kept talking about ‘Dyyan.’”
His eyes widen. “What did you tell her?”
“I kept the details to a minimum. Just that we met in California and you showed us around a little bit.”
He wrinkles his nose. “That’s not very fun. I guess you couldn’t exactly tell her everything. But not even the way we met? That’s newsworthy!”
He slaps the back of his hand on his other palm and then gives me doe eyes, blinking quickly.
“Who are you, handsome stranger?” he says, voice high.
“Is that supposed to be me?”
“In my imagination, that’s what you were thinking when you looked up at me.”
This man. He’s the only one besides Chloe who makes me laugh like this.
“If I told her I’d passed out on a flight, she’d make sure to fly with me every time I went anywhere. And then we wouldn’t be enjoying this dinner together tonight.”
“And I’m so enjoying this dinner.” He kisses my hand.
“We haven’t even gotten our drinks yet,” I tease.
“I’d be happy just staring at you this whole dinner.”
Just then our waiter sets our drinks in front of us. When he walks away, Dylan lifts his glass and I lift mine.
“To the new year ahead, getting to know each other and continuing to build whatever magic this is brewing between us. Happy New Year, Doll.”
“Happy New Year,” I say quietly, suddenly emotional with the level of gratitude I’m feeling.
Later, after a delicious dinner, we go back to his house, and our countdown to ringing in the new year is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.