Chapter 25
Still Dylan
Dinner at Aunt Wendy’s was always chaotic, and the holidays only took it up a notch.
In addition to the hectic insanity in her kitchen, everyone was also required to bring a dish.
Aunt Wendy said it made the holidays more fun.
I suspect it had more to do with everyone needing to pull their weight, but whatever. This year I got pie duty.
So I was standing next to my parked truck on the street, eyeballing the six huge dessert boxes in my backseat, and wondering if I should try to make the trip in only one go, when a car I’d only seen a handful of times pulled up behind me.
Indy.
My breath caught in my throat as I watched her stow her keys in a backpack then pull it onto her shoulders as she exited her new, shiny car.
Her legs looked endlessly long in her painted-on jeans that did delicious things to her curvy little ass.
The light jacket she wore didn’t camouflage her flowy black top or her high, perky tits.
I hadn’t had near enough time to worship them the one and only time we’d slept together.
She tossed me a quick look then surveyed the street before darting a glance at Aunt Wendy’s house. Clearly, she was eyeballing her escape. The pang I felt in my chest was deserved. I’d hurt her. I half expected her not to show up today because of my attendance.
Then she did something that made me swallow my gum whole. Instead of avoiding me and heading toward the house like I’d expected, she walked down the sidewalk straight at me.
I jumped onto the curb to give her room, but she stopped next to me and gave me a timid smile. “Need a hand?”
“Uh, I, um, sure.” I shook my head and laughed.
“I was just trying to remember how I got all of them in my truck. I think it took me three trips since I didn’t want to risk the wrath of Sabrina if I dropped one.
” I loaded two pie boxes into her hands and took the remaining four for myself.
“My cousin takes her desserts seriously.”
“Me too.” She gave a huffing laugh as she waited for me to load up and close my truck door. “These smell amazing. Where did you get them from?”
“That bakery on J Street.”
“Oh! I love their caramel apple spice cake.”
“Good.” I grinned. “There’s one in there. Along with the requisite pumpkin, carrot, Boston cream, chocolate mousse, and coconut pecan.”
“Oh wow. I’m drooling already!”
Our shoulders bumped companionably as we approached the door. “I love getting cake and pie duty. Even if I almost had to throw down yesterday at the bakery and then avoid even looking at these for almost a day. They smell fucking awesome.”
“Duty? Is everyone bringing something?” Her face washed out of all color. “I knew I should’ve brought something.”
“If Aunt Wendy didn’t assign you something, it means you’re a guest. Although this will probably be the only year. Next year you’ll be family so you’ll get an assignment like the rest of us. You can only skate by on your good looks for so long.”
Indy tossed me a shy smile as she jostled the boxes to open the front door.
I stepped closer to her, if only to smell that delicious scent of hers that twined with the desserts. “Because you are gorgeous.”
Her eyes widened, and I mentally cursed myself for being a tool. I wasn’t supposed to be saying shit like that to her.
“Indy!” Aunt Wendy cried as we entered the house. “You are officially my favorite child. Here, let me help you with that.” She swooped down and took the two boxes out of Indy’s hands.
Indy tossed me a helpless look. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You brought your lovely self, no drama, and you helped this one carry in his obligation.” Aunt Wendy jostled the boxes in her arms to free up a hand then booped Indy on her nose. “Therefore, you’re my favorite today.”
I snorted. “Are you seriously pitting us all against each other?”
Aunt Wendy used her free hand to whack me on the shoulder.
“Yes, because it’s the only thing that makes you lot actually behave. No drama today. Are we clear, boyo?”
“Crystal, ma’am.” I sent Indy a telling look and mouthed, like family. Then I took my load into the kitchen.
“Aww, you went to J Bakery?” Sabrina cuddled up to my side before I could even put the boxes down. “You’re my favorite. I love you so much, Dyl.”
“Love you too, peanut.” I set the boxes down on a small clear section of countertop then wrapped an arm around my cousin. “What’s with all this favorite talk? Do you know your mom just proclaimed that Indy’s her favorite?”
Sabrina snorted. “So far Wyatt, Fliss, Maddie, and Logan are her favorites too. She’s picking a favorite with every new addition and giving them a lecture about drama.”
“I just want a happy, drama-free holiday for a change,” Aunt Wendy proclaimed as she entered the kitchen and stacked the dessert boxes she’d liberated from Indy onto mine. “Is that too much to ask?”
“No, ma’am,” we said in unison.
“Good.” She harrumphed. “Dylan, go get that girl of yours something to drink. She looks like she’s going to keel over with nerves.”
“She’s underaged, and she drove here,” I protested.
“Oh bullshit. Like you all weren’t drinking and partying in your teens. Don’t be a prude. Get the girl a drink and go be the charming bastard we all know you to be.”
I frowned. “Weren’t you the one who told me I had to let her stand on her own two feet? That she needed to know she could take care of herself? I’m getting whiplash here. You told me to kick her out, and now you’re throwing me at her?”
“Just because Indy needs to be able to be her own adult doesn’t mean you can’t date. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Anyone with half a brain can see how much you two like each other. Don’t let her slip through your fingers because you’re so busy doing the right thing.”
My head ached trying to follow her logic. I sent Sabrina a confused look, but she was nodding emphatically too.
“Yeah, Dyl. Don’t be stupid.” Sabrina giggled then reached for her empty wineglass.
Right. That solved that little mystery. Clearly Indy and I were way behind on the drink count.
But when I entered the living room, I found Indy sitting on the couch between Hope and Maddie with a wineglass in her hand. Make that just me who was behind.
I crossed the room and accepted a beer from Ryan then stood on the sidelines as my whole family fell more in love with my girl. She talked and joked around with the girls, helped Aunt Wendy in the kitchen, and played with tiny cars with the kids when they started to get restless waiting for dinner.
“She is fucking fantastic,” Austin muttered to me as we hauled food to the table.
I sighed. “You don’t have to sell me on the wonders of Indigo Evans. I’m the one who found her, remember?”
“Yeah, about that.” Austin set the mashed potatoes down then raised his eyebrows at me. “I forgot to tell you that back before all the bullshit with our fathers hit the fan she told me the real story about you two.”
I ducked my head and shoved a spoon into the green beans. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“About the night you two met—who really tagged the side of the shop…?”
“And?” I turned and squared up to my brother. “I didn’t lie. She started the mural, I finished it. She painted the cats and the piss and most of the text, but I was the one who made it personal.”
“Pretty sure she did that by painting on the side of the shop.”
I shrugged. “I turned it into an ode to my greed. Hers was subtle. Mine was not.”
“Right.” Austin sighed. “Regardless, I wish it’d been you who told me.”
“I didn’t want you to be an ass to her. She was wounded and going through shit.”
“And you liked her even then.”
My skin felt itchy, and the feeling only worsened when Indy approached the table holding Wyatt’s and Fliss’ hands. Then Austin socked me in the stomach, and I contorted, pressing a hand on my aching abs. “What the fuck?”
“Suck it up, buttercup. Don’t be walking around with those wounded doe eyes. You’re so fucking obvious. You gotta play this just right.”
“Dylan, you sit here,” Aunt Wendy yelled over the chaos of everyone entering the dining room. “And Indy you’re right here.” She pulled out the chair next to my designated seat.
“Or you can just go with Aunt Wendy’s super obvious gameplan.” He laughed and patted me on the back. “Good luck with that.”
We all moved around the table to our seats, although Indy and I seemed to be the only ones with assigned seats. Oh wait, Fliss had her highchair.
Indy gave me a tight smile as I pulled out the chair next to her at the far end of the table. Our shoulders rubbed against each other as I sat down. We exchanged tense smiles.
This was awkward as fuck.
At the other end of the table, Aunt Wendy stood and carved the turkey. No macho shit here about men doing the job. Aunt Wendy was more than capable of breaking down the turkey she’d slaved over for hours. Soon, plates and bowls of food were passed around as everyone took their fill.
I passed the rolls to Indy. “So, how’s the apartment working out? You like Sabrina’s old place?”
Indy nodded stiffly but didn’t otherwise answer as she took the basket of rolls from me.
Okaaaay. Swing and a miss.
I don’t know why I expected this to be easier.
I jumped as someone kicked my shin. Glaring across the table, I scowled at Maddie and her pointy shoes. What? I mouthed at her.
Her eyes darted between me and Indy who was currently engrossed in selecting her cut of turkey.
“Try harder,” Maddie hissed under her breath.
Oh great. I glanced down the table and found most of my siblings and their partners watching us out the corner of their eyes.
I dropped my head and sighed deeply. Nice to know everyone was deeply involved in what was going on with me and Indy.
I glared at the lot of them then turned back to my dinner and my own business.
“Dylan?” I jerked back to the present at Indy’s soft voice.
“What’s that, sweetheart?”
She visibly flinched at the endearment. I didn’t know it was possible to feel any lower, but here I was.