Chapter 28
MAX
“ A re you sure I can’t come with you?” Blake’s voice echoed through my apartment.
I was ready for my airport limo in record time.
Good thing I hadn’t fully unpacked from my trip to France.
My nerves were at an all-time high though, knowing I’d be meeting Dylan’s family.
What if they didn’t like me? Would they wonder what the hell a movie star like him was doing with a regular guy like me?
I put the call on speaker and stood up. “Next time, honey. We’re only going for a few days, and I want you to avoid as much of the media storm as possible.”
“All right. But don’t forget, I want black cowboy boots, size nine.
And I need a hat too, black only. I’ve also sent you my hat size.
And please don’t get one with fancy designs.
Well, maybe some cool stitching. In fact, you can send me pics when you’re shopping, and I’ll tell you which one to buy. ”
I chuckled at my daughter’s bossiness. “If I have time to go shopping, I’ll do that, okay? Wait, can’t you just order this stuff online?”
“It’s an experience, Dad. And you have to get cowboy boots too. I want you to send me photos when you’re trying them on so I can help you pick the right pair.”
“All right then, boss. You call or text anytime, sweetie. Be careful when you’re going out. I’ll call you as soon as we land.”
“Remember to take lots of pictures. And give Dylan a hug for me. Everything is going to be okay.”
“I don’t know if I can get used to this almost grown-up version of Blake. Can’t you stay my little girl a bit longer?”
“It’s your fault, you raised me too well,” she quipped, and I laughed out loud.
“On that note, I’ve got to run. Be good, love you.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
A half hour later, I was on my way back to the airport.
A heat wave had engulfed the tri-state area and admittedly, I was happy to leave.
The usual smells of one of the world’s busiest cities amplified in summer and not in a good way.
Most of the Big Apple’s elite fled for the Hamptons, or Europe, or frankly anywhere that wasn’t Manhattan.
After going through the security checks at the airport, I made my way to the tarmac and spotted Rowan’s plane.
I better not get used to flying private.
It was a whole other level of luxury that I was in danger of being spoiled by.
The door opened and Annie stepped into view, lowering the stairs for boarding.
“Welcome back, Max,” she said as she waved.
“Thanks, Annie.” I smiled as I walked up the narrow stairs with my suitcase in tow. “Is Dylan all right?”
“He’s fine. A bit panicked during the landing, but he’s a trooper. He’s pretty anxious to see you.”
“Damn right,” Dylan said as he popped his head out.
All I could see were his unforgettable eyes and a smile that stopped my heart.
As I stepped into the cabin, I was enveloped in his strong arms. I vaguely heard Annie wheeling my suitcase away, giving us privacy.
And we needed it, both of us shaking and holding on to each other so tight we’d probably have bruises.
I had told Dylan that when Blake was placed in my arms for the very first time, my joy was beyond words or comprehension.
Like I’d been waiting for her all my life.
Now my heart was experiencing a different, but no less powerful, happiness because nothing in my life ever felt as good or right as this man in my arms. It was the only place I needed to be.
And then Dylan kissed me and any lingering fears that were swirling inside me settled.
“Is this your first trip to Texas?” he asked, smiling against my lips. I loved tasting his joy.
“I’m a Texas virgin. Be gentle with me.”
“It will be my pleasure to be your first,” he echoed my words back to me, sparking my favorite memory.
Our lips met again, seemingly magnetized to each other. Until a gentle throat clearing had us turning our heads towards the cockpit.
“Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen, but we have a plane to get in the air,” Annie reminded us. “Have a seat and we’ll get you to Texas as soon as possible.”
Once we were seated, we wasted no time catching up as we waited on the tarmac.
Fifteen minutes later the captain announced we were clear for takeoff, and the plane rumbled down the runway.
It was only a four-hour flight, but Annie provided us with a light meal since I hadn’t eaten anything since early morning.
“Outside of my family, we may not get a warm reception. I’ve read a lot of nasty comments since the photo was released.”
“I’m not surprised, love. I’ve dealt with my share of homophobic assholes, even in a place that’s as accepting as New York.”
“Yeah, but this is so public,” Dylan said as he rubbed his jaw and pinned me with those piercing eyes.
“We’ll deal with. Together.” I reached out my hand and he placed his in mine. “Because you and I, you and I are…” I paused. “I’m better with words on paper, but you and I are inevitable. We’ll figure it out, baby. I promise.”
Dylan looked at me and I saw his confidence reappear. He nodded and pulled out his phone with his other hand.
“Here’s some pictures of the ranch my sister Darby lives on. It’s about a fifteen-minute drive from El Paso, but it feels like a whole other world. It’s right on the western edge of the state. They have a working cattle and horse ranch, about 500 acres.”
There were pictures of a beautiful, white-painted ranch house and other outbuildings, along with an enormous amount of farm animals.
“That’s Darb.” Dylan pointed to a photo of a woman with long, dark-brown hair and green eyes, standing in front of a barn.
She was petite, but the way she stood with her hands on her hips and her chin tilted up, you could tell Darby was a woman to be reckoned with.
Beside her stood a much taller but equally fierce man, with dark hair and eyes and a crooked grin.
They had matching cowboy hats, jeans, and work boots.
“She looks formidable. Is that her husband?” I pointed to the man standing beside her.
“Yup, that’s Dean. His family have owned the ranch for at least sixty years.”
Dylan swiped again and there was another picture of Darby with two teenagers: a boy and a girl.
“Handsome family. How old are the kids?”
“Blair is seventeen and Joshua’s nineteen. He’s starting culinary school in the fall, and Blair is getting ready to graduate high school next year. She wants to go to agriculture college and then take over the ranch.”
“I can’t wait to meet them. And your other sisters? Do they live nearby?”
“Leandra—Lea—lives in downtown El Paso. She runs a family law practice with her husband. They have one son, Langston. He’s twenty.
He’s at college studying accounting. Jaylene lives about ten minutes from Darby.
She breeds horses with her husband, Danny, who’s a vet.
They have one son, Hugo, who’s eighteen and entering acting school this fall.
Then Madison, she lives with her husband in the outskirts of El Paso.
She’s a nurse like my mom, and her triplets—Gabby, Grace, and Georgina—are twenty-two. ”
“That’s a lot of family. I’ll need to take notes to remind myself who’s who.”
“You’ll get the hang of it.”
“It’s nice that the kids have cousins nearby. That’s one thing I worry Blake missed out on. Dante has an older sister, but she doesn’t have children, and I’m an only child.”
“Blake talked a lot about her friends. I think she’s doing all right, Doc.” Dylan winked at me.
Three and a half hours later we landed in El Paso.
Dylan clutched the arm rests so hard he nearly broke them, but I was able to talk him through the worst of it, and he fared better than last time.
Thankfully, a car service was waiting for us when we disembarked so we didn’t have to wait in the bone-dry, bone-baking, heat.
But the closer we came to our destination, the harder Dylan’s left leg bounced. I placed a hand on his thigh to still his movements, and he interlocked our fingers.
“Remember, they want to see you. They asked you to be here. Everything’s going to be okay,” I reminded him.
Dylan nodded but otherwise remained silent.
I stared out the window and took in the dusty fields that slowly turned greener the farther out we drove.
We veered off the highway to a one lane route and from there onto a long, unpaved road.
A set of black iron gates with a double D logo greeted us.
So far, I hadn’t spotted anyone following our car, but I wasn’t exactly used to spotting press.
Dylan poked his head out the window and gave a wave, and a few seconds later the gate opened.
Then I spotted Darby’s house, and it was exactly like the picture Dylan showed me.
A sprawling ranch home with a wraparound porch and pots of brightly colored flowers that lined the walkway.
A black and white dog sidled up to the car and barked as we pulled in.
Then a petite woman came racing out of the house and down the steps and I assumed this was Darby.
She ran so fast she was nothing but a blur of long hair and faded jeans.
DYLAN
“Baby brother!” Darby yelled as she got closer, running like her boots were on fire.
I let go of Max’s hand and jumped out of the car. Darby slammed into my arms and knocked the wind right out of me. My body shook so hard my teeth rattled, and when I pulled back, I felt tears on my face. Darby wiped them away like the older sister she was and whispered, “Welcome home.”
I turned to find Max getting out of the car, and being greeted by Lola, the collie mix. She gave his hand a quick lick and then raced off to do the same to me. Once my sister finally let go of me, I pulled her over to meet Max.
“Darby, this is my boyfriend, Max Lowell,” I said proudly.
“Very nice to meet you Max. Welcome to our home,” Darby said as she smiled and shook Max’s hand.
“Nice to meet you as well, Darby. You have a beautiful ranch.”
“Thank you. It’s a work in progress, but we love it. Let’s grab your bags and get you settled into the guest house.”
“You finally finished it?” I commented as Max grabbed our suitcases out of the trunk and placed them on the ground.
“Last month. It’s nice and private,” Darby replied as we wheeled our luggage down a limestone pathway around the back of the main house.
The backyard was as impressive as I remembered it, with a pool, a massive BBQ, and a round fire pit.
The guest house was a white cottage with a red door that sat on the opposite side of the pool, nestled in between hedges of wild roses.
“Where’s Dean? And the kids?” I asked as Darby walked us over to the cottage and opened the door.
“Blair’s with Dean, fixing the fence on the south ridge, and Josh is inside getting dinner ready.”
“I wish I could get my thirteen-year-old to cook. Blake is more familiar with takeout menus than actual food prep,” Max joked.
“Dante didn’t teach her?” I asked.
“He did, but she has no interest, much to his dismay.”
We stepped inside the cottage and the first thing I noticed was the amount of light.
“You did a great job, Darb. This place is awesome.”
It was only four or five hundred square feet, but two skylights above the living area made it airy and bright.
A condo-sized sectional and a TV nestled along one wall.
At the rear of the cottage was a half galley kitchen with all the basics, including a fridge and a microwave.
Opposite that was a bedroom and a powder room.
Max squeezed my hand and looked like he was about to say something, but Darby’s phone rang.
“’Scuse me,” she said as she stepped back outside.
I pulled him close. “You okay staying here?” I asked.
“Of course. I’m just nervous about meeting the rest of your family,” Max replied, and I gave him a quick kiss.
“They’ll love you,” I said. “How about we freshen up before dinner?”
“I’d like to take a shower, but I didn’t see one in the bathroom.”
I gave him a dirty grin. “That’s cause it’s out back. Behind the cottage.”
“An outdoor shower?” Max asked, his eyebrows reaching up to his hairline.
My grin grew wider. “Just you, me, and nature at its finest.”
“What about bugs and snakes and other critters that might pay us an unexpected visit?” Max said and lowered his voice. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
“Are you kiddin’ me? It’s the best idea.” I pulled him in tight, our hips bumping.
“Also, neither of us is particularly quiet,” Max whispered.
“Welcome to the country,” I winked.