Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
IT’S TIME
DYLAN
The resort is alive in a way I never dared dream when we first began talking about this project. Dad is over the moon with how things are going, and the whole family is living on the adrenaline of surpassed expectations.
Everyone adores Bill, as I knew they would. When I first introduced him to Kevin, I held him and let them sniff each other. Bill wiggled and Kevin twirled, so I set him down and they chased each other around the room, already playing together. If only every introduction were that easy.
Every morning, I wake up to lake mist and the smell of pine and the soft clack of kayak paddles against the dock.
I guide sunrise hikes, clip nervous city people into ziplines, and spend afternoons untangling fishing line for eight-year-olds who swear they saw a bass the size of a submarine.
My shoulders are sunburned, my boots are permanently muddy, and I have never been happier in my life.
But the real high isn’t the job. It’s Dahlia.
We’re running on coffee and little sleep and stolen kisses, and I still can’t get enough.
Ever since she explained more of her fears about her dad, I’ve stopped pressing her, but the secret is a boulder that gets heavier to carry every day. I’m not sure I fully understand her reasoning, but I’m trying to be patient.
Tonight is Camden and Juju’s engagement party, and we actually pulled off the surprise. Juju walked onto the rooftop deck with her eyes covered and lost her mind when we all yelled. Fairy lights are everywhere, and we’ve all had a little too much champagne.
Dahlia texts me at 8:30. We’ve been working on a little plan of our own.
I’m in the cabin. Made it in with no one noticing.
Since everyone is occupied with this party, I thought it’d be the perfect time to enjoy one of the lakeside cabins that we haven’t opened to the guests yet. This was the last one left to redo, and it was finished yesterday. I left the key and Bill with Dahlia earlier.
When I get a moment, I sneak out of the party and run to the cabin.
Chloe is with her grandma, so the place is all ours tonight.
The second the door clicks shut, Dahlia is on me, mouth and hands roaming everywhere.
When I lift her against the wall, she makes a soft little moan that goes straight to my dick.
We don’t bother with lights. We don’t bother with much of anything except getting each other naked and kissing without abandon.
She wraps her legs around my waist, and I tease her entrance with my dick.
“You’re so ready for me, Doll.”
“Mm-hmm. So ready.”
“Tell me what you want.”
“I want you inside me. Now.”
I drive into her, and her head falls back. I pull out and slide back in again, and she clenches around me. I do it again, and again, until she’s panting, “Please, please, please.”
I feel lightheaded, so close to losing it. When I reach between us and rub circles over her clit, we both see stars. I come with a loud groan, and Dahlia’s just as loud. We’re so loud that we start laughing.
“I never want to leave this nice, warm pu—” My phone starts exploding in my jeans on the floor, buzz after buzz after buzz.
“Shit,” I mutter, setting her on the ground. “I’m sorry.”
“No, I know this is a crazy night. Get it.”
I reach for the phone. Six missed texts from my siblings, three from Tully that just say Dude, where the hell are you?
I look at her and smile. “That was just a teaser for later. I’ve gotta run, but I will be back.”
She smiles, sated and rumpled and perfect. “I’ll be here.”
I kiss her once more, hard, and bolt.
I hit the rooftop trying to look casual, smoothing my hair, and hoping I don’t have lipstick on my neck. The party is in full swing. Camden raises an eyebrow at me from across the deck, but I just salute him and hope he blames my flushed face on the stairs.
Uncle Hal just gave a toast and spots me weaving through the crowd. “Well, well!” he bellows. “Someone’s trying to blend into their surroundings, but methinks we might be hearing about more romances in the Whitman family any day now!”
He winks with his whole face, and everyone turns to stare at me. I try to smooth my hair down again and think fast.
I grab a glass of champagne and lift it. “To my brother Camden and the beautiful Juliana Fair. You make love look easy and fun and inspiring. May we all find a love like yours.”
I take a drink and pray the dim light hides the secret written all over my face. That I’ve already found a love like that.
The next night, Bill and I drive to Minneapolis to stay with Dahlia. She left Windy Harbor this afternoon. I talked to her most of the way home because I was afraid she’d be too tired from us staying up all night.
What a night. My heart races just thinking about it. There has never been a sexier woman than Dahlia Granger.
I pull into the driveway and have barely gotten out of the car when the door swings open. Chloe is there—wide-eyed, her dark brown curls going everywhere, wearing her favorite glittery unicorn pajamas. She flings herself at my legs.
“Dyyan!” she squeals.
God, I love this kid. I wasn’t prepared for the way she just…lights up when she sees me. It cracks something open in my chest every time.
“Hey, Bug.” I scoop her up. “You’re still awake?”
“Nope,” she says confidently, laying her head on my shoulder. “I sleepin’.”
I laugh. “Right. This is you asleep?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Her eyes are wide open. She’s vibrating with energy. Dahlia walks up behind her, leaning on the doorframe, wearing leggings and one of my sweatshirts. She raises an eyebrow.
“She heard you were coming and went bonkers.”
“I not bonkas,” Chloe protests, offended.
I kiss her cheek. “The best kind of bonkers.”
Dahlia smiles, soft and so sweet. “How ’bout Dylan reads your bedtime story? Think you can settle down for that?”
“Bedtime story,” Chloe announces, tapping my shoulder.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, toeing my shoes off.
Dahlia mouths Sorry behind her.
I shrug. “I live to serve.”
We settle into the rocking chair that is absolutely not designed for men my size, but I wedge myself into it anyway.
Bill stares at us like Where am I supposed to go?
before hopping onto my lap and turning round and round until he’s satisfied and lies down.
Chloe loves that and burrows under my arm like a baby koala while Dahlia hands me a book called The Princess and the Meerkat.
“Ah,” I say. “A classic.”
Chloe gasps. “I yove this one.”
I clear my throat dramatically. “Well, well, well,” I croak in a raspy southern drawl, “who dares enter the prairie domain of the one, the only—”
“Meerkat!” Chloe yells, bouncing in place.
I go through the whole book, doing the narrator in my movie-trailer voice, the princess like a Valley girl, the king like he’s a mob lord, and the meerkat like he’s smoked three packs a day since the beginning of time.
Chloe laughs so hard she hiccups.
I love being a complete idiot just to make this tiny human laugh.
By the time the story ends, she’s drooping against me, her fingers tangled in my shirt.
“Again,” she mumbles.
“One more time,” I say, and start at the beginning.
She jumps out of her dozing when I finish.
“Again,” she whispers.
“Tomorrow,” Dahlia says gently. “Come on, baby girl.”
I carry Chloe to her room and lay her down. Her eyes flutter closed the second her head hits the pillow. I brush a curl out of her face before I leave the room, and when I turn around—
Dahlia’s watching us.
But not with that soft, melty look she gets when she’s usually watching us.
“Hey,” I whisper. “What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head at first like she doesn’t want to say it. Then she sighs.
“It’s probably nothing,” she starts, but her voice is tight.
“That sounds like something.”
“Christian called and left a message while you were reading the second time. He’s acting weird. I’m going to call him back. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
I tug her waist toward me and kiss her. “Okay. If he’s too big of a bastard, I’d be happy to chat with him.”
She laughs. “It’s okay. I can handle him.”
“I know you can. I have complete faith in you.”