Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
TOO TALL FOR THE SUIT
DYLAN
I’ve never been able to keep secrets from my family.
They’ve stopped telling me about any birthday or Christmas surprises because I spoil it every time.
The last time it happened was when my dad bought Noah a speaker and hid it in my room, since I live in California.
I accidentally led Noah right to it one day…
even after I’d seen where it was hidden.
It helped living in California, but not completely.
So keeping Dahlia a secret from my family has always been hard, but the more time that passes, the more it’s physically eating away at me.
Pretty soon, I’ll be home for good. Finally in Windy Harbor with my family. How will I keep this under wraps for any length of time?
The past twenty-four hours don’t even count as real life.
They’re a blur of Dahlia’s sheets, her mouth on my neck, my name in her throat like she’s been holding it in for months.
We don’t sleep. We don’t talk about the future.
We just prove the distance hasn’t killed us.
By the time Tully picks up my tired ass for the drive to Windy Harbor, my legs barely work and I’m grinning like an idiot until I fall asleep.
Tully nudges me when we get there. “Someone was tired.” He gives me a pointed look, and I’m so proud of the way I bite my tongue.
I pray to God that Dahlia is ready to go public soon.
“Brace yourself for Grandma Donna’s sweaters. Camden sent a picture of Goldie and Milo in the family thread—did you see it?”
“No.” I pull my phone out and snort. They’re wearing matching sweaters of a carrot holding the hand of a pea.
“Fortunately I’m wearing the Easter bunny suit, so I’ll avoid the sweater for a little longer.”
“I want to wear it!” I protest.
He shrugs. “You can try it, but I think you’re too tall.”
I sigh and scrub my hand down my face. “Sorry, I slept the whole drive.”
“It’s okay. You just missed all my gossip about Camden and Juju.” He lifts a shoulder.
“Shut up. What have I missed?”
“Oh, it is on. They are inseparable and in love.”
“It’s about fucking time. Is it wrong that I’m unbelievably happy for them and sad that we won’t get to see Juju berate Camden to smithereens?”
Tully laughs. “If it’s wrong, I don’t wanna be right. At least they didn’t elope like her brother. That was too much, Jackson marrying Dove without even knowing her.”
I laugh. “He must’ve known enough.”
“Oh! Have we covered the Fair brothers flirting outrageously with Grandma Donna and Grandma Nancy yet?”
Juju’s grandpa and uncle are apparently digging on our grandmas.
“Goldie mentioned it in a text, but I haven’t gotten many updates. What’s going on?”
“I haven’t seen it firsthand, so I don’t know if she’s exaggerating or what,” he says. “We’ll have to give them a hard time about it today. Juju says Grandma Nancy is all sass with her Uncle Hal, which sounds true.”
I laugh. “No kidding. Sounds about right.”
The second I step inside the house, I smell Grandma Donna’s ham with brown-sugar glaze and Grandma Nancy’s fancy-pants green bean hotdish—not canned beans, no way, no how—broccoli rice hotdish, and a clash of sweet aromas that I’m hoping are apple pie, coconut pie, and spiced cake.
Grandma Donna spots me first. She cups my cheeks with floury hands. “Oh, thank goodness, your hair is finally long enough to be respectable again.”
“You always did like it floppy,” I say, grinning. “I think it’s cool that you don’t want me to have it above my collar.”
“The longer, the better,” she says, winking.
Dahlia likes it longer too. God, does she ever. She pulled it so many fucking ways last night, I got out of bed with it going every direction.
“Honey, yoo-hoo.” Grandma Donna snaps her fingers, and I come out of my reverie.
Then she produces the sweater—black and fitted, with a brooding rooster on the front whose comb is a streak of electric blue.
“Grandma! I love it! You have outdone yourself. Love his attitude. What’s got him so shook?” I pull it over my head immediately.
There’s loud hooting, and I turn to see everyone else in their hilarious sweaters.
“You’re home!” Goldie says, throwing her arms around me.
I do the rounds, hugging everybody.
“So good,” I swear I say about each sweater. “Grandma Donna, how did you do all this?”
“I’ve had lots of visitors at the Friendship Bench, and I knit while they talk,” she says, smiling sweetly.
Yes, I have the sweetest grandmother in the world.
She put a bench out in the garden Goldie and Milo created, and people in town now have to make appointments to come talk to her.
It’s free, and she’s a hot commodity. She says everyone wants to be heard, and I think she’s absolutely right. Her busy schedule proves it.
“Well, you have made the most of your time, that’s for sure.” I kiss her cheek, and she beams up at me.
“There you are,” Grandma Nancy says, coming over to squeeze me. “Look at you all handsome again.”
I laugh. “The hair is a hit.”
Grandma Nancy is also wonderful and a lot sassier than Grandma Donna. The woman is a hoot. The two of them together are divine. I can’t wait to be around them all the time.
“What’s this I’m hearing about two gentlemen being all up in your business?” I ask.
Grandma Nancy looks affronted, and Grandma Donna blushes.
“My business is still my business,” Grandma Nancy assures me.
“Hal Fair would certainly like to know more,” Goldie teases.
“Well, naturally,” she says, tsking. “Who wouldn’t?”
We all laugh, and she just smirks at us.
We carry things outside, and kids start showing up with their parents for the Easter egg hunt. Tully’s in costume and getting pictures taken with the kids.
After the festivities, it’s just the family again. Our table outside is loud and festive. It doesn’t take long for me to be halfway through my second plate.
“Honey, there’s lots more of this,” Grandma Donna says, trying to pass me the Lutheran Jell-O. “Why don’t you finish it off?”
“Oh, I couldn’t, Grandma. So full.” I look around the table for help, but everyone’s avoiding eye contact.
Motherfuckers.
I swallow hard and take the dish, dolloping some on my plate.
She waits for me to take a bite. Dammit. I’m pretty sure I see peas and carrots in this one. That shit’s just wrong. My mouth waters as I lift it up, not in the good way, in the way that signals your brain that you’re about to be sick.
“Look at that!” my dad yells.
I’m so startled I drop my fork as we all turn to look at whatever my dad’s seeing. It looks like his gaze is on Kevin, but he’s just snoozing next to him, oblivious to all the attention. I glance at my dad, and he winks at me.
Thank you, I mouth.
My phone buzzes against my thigh, and when I see the flower I’ve set for Dahlia’s contact, my face must do something stupid. I try to school it, but it’s too late.
“The fam’s been noticing that you smile at your phone a lot,” Camden says. “I don’t remember you doing that unless there was a girl on the other end. Something you want to tell us…about anyone in particular?” He does a dorky thing with his eyebrows.
I throw something out on the spot about handing everything over to Rudy and then about leaving Tuesday, but I’ll be back for good in a few weeks. I open my mouth, close it, and feel heat crawl up my neck. There’s a follow-up text waiting (a single cherry blossom emoji), and my pulse kicks faster.
Goldie says she can’t wait to meet Bill, and I respond quickly, my mind on Dahlia and not wanting to spill my guts.
I make an excuse about needing the bathroom and bolt for the house before anyone can press. Behind me I hear Goldie’s voice, low and conspiratorial, and I know they’re talking about me.
When I reach the bathroom, I check my phone again.
I’ve had a perma smile on my face all day.
Me too. I miss you. How’s your day going?
I miss you too. It’s been fun. Chloe is such a fun age for holidays now. She loved her Easter basket.
Aw, I wish I could see that.
Me too.
She sends a picture of Chloe holding up her basket, and then one of the two of them in pretty pink dresses.
I heart both of them.
So beautiful. And the smile on her face. Ha I don’t think it could get any bigger.
Her smile is how I feel on the inside.
I love you.
I can’t believe I said it for the first time over text.
I call her, and she picks up on the first ring. My heart is pounding out of my chest.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t say it in person. It’s true, though. I love you so much. I’m in love with you.” The words rush out.
“I love you too,” she says softly. “I’ve almost said it so many times, but…I don’t know what I was waiting for.”
“Same. I think because I felt these feelings so soon, I wanted to wait until some time had passed so you’d take me seriously, but…I’ve been loving you…all along.”
She sniffles and her voice cracks when she says, “Me too. I love you so much, Dylan.”
“God, I want to kiss you right now.”
She laughs. “I don’t want to wish time away, but if we could just fast-forward a few weeks and be at the part where we’re together more…that would be really great. But even then, we’re still not going to live in the same town.”
I groan. “I can’t think about that part yet. It’s too brutal. I’ll make the drive to see you as much as I possibly can.”
“Okay. I will too, promise.”
It’s hard to end the call, but eventually we have to get back to our families….back to evading all probing questions.