16. Dara
16
Dara
I’m back at my house after making Alex’s dinner, and I need to grab a quick bite before I see him again. He’s picking me up in an hour so we can go and see Mark together.
Mark texted me just after lunch.
Is it true? Are you and Alex an item?
Honestly, we don’t need newspapers in Riverdale. If it’s important enough, you’ll hear about it sooner or later. Sooner if it’s juicy and interesting, later if it’s not. Mark hasn’t been home for twenty-four hours, so at least I know where my relationship status stands on Riverdale’s “juicy and interesting” scale.
I’d replied with a quick confirmation, and after discussing with Alex what we were going to do, I sent Mark another text telling him we’d come over and see him.
Throwing a couple of eggs into a pan, I think about how tonight might go. I’d be less nervous if Alex and I were actually an item, even with my brother’s ominous warning to Alex about staying away from me.
But I have to lie to Mark’s face.
And I’m still a little peeved off about the warning. What right did he have to tell Alex that he wasn’t allowed to date me? Like I need protecting. Like I’m made out of glass and might break if mishandled in any way.
You know what he’s like where you’re concerned.
Yes, I do. I whisk my eggs, remembering the many times he’s jumped in to save me. When I was younger, it was cute. As I got older, not so much.
What happened with Dino only amped up his protectiveness. When I left, Mark wanted to go to the restaurant and wring the scrawny Italian’s neck. And he would have done it, too, if I hadn’t pleaded with him not to.
Plating my eggs, I grab a fork and try not to shovel my food in my mouth in frustration. But as I think about what I have to do in less than an hour, the frustration wanes and the anxiety kicks in.
“You look nervous,” Alex says when he picks me up.
“Ya think?” I reply, pulling on my seatbelt. “This deal was supposed to be over by the time my brother was back in the country.”
Alex gives me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Dara.”
I blow out a deep breath. “It’s not your fault. I just thought the worst was over after lying to the entire population of Riverdale.”
“Just tell him what you’ve told everybody else.”
“Yes, I know,” I say, far too snappily. My nerves are jumping now.
“Hey,” Alex says gently, reaching a hand across the car to grab mine. “It’ll be okay.”
I don’t pull my hand away, but I do say, “How can you be so calm?”
Alex lifts the corner of his mouth. “I’m not. Not really.”
“Well, you look it.” I nod towards him, encapsulating his entire stress-free composure.
“I’m being a swan.”
“A what?” I gawk back.
He grins. “A swan. On the surface, they look graceful, like everything is a breeze, but under the water, their little legs are paddling like mad.” He makes a paddling gesture with his hands and I can’t help but crack a smile.
“Okay, bird boy.” I smirk, “let’s hope my brother buys it.”
We pull up outside Mark’s house less than ten minutes later. My stomach feels like there are twenty tiny contortionists inside, bending themselves into knots of every shape and size.
Alex rounds the car, opens my door, and offers a hand. I take it and he doesn’t let go. We walk up to the front door, hand in hand, my heart thumping in my chest. Just as we get to the front porch, Alex gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.
Be a swan, Dara. Be a swan.
I knock on the screen door. “Hello?”
“It’s open,” Mark calls back, his voice sounding strained.
When we walk into his living room, Mark’s lying on the sofa, a thin blanket covering him, with a bucket and a bottle of soda lying on the floor beside him. He looks awful, yet a part of me is relieved. Dreadful as the thought is, this is probably the best I could have hoped for: My huge brother completely defenseless and in a weakened state.
“Oh, Mark,” I say, walking toward him.
I still feel sorry for him. Mark is a very handsome five-foot-ten, athletic guy, and I can’t remember the last time I saw him floored like this.
“No,” he puts up a hand. “Don’t come too close. I don’t know if I’m contagious. The last thing Riverdale’s sewage system needs is an epidemic of this thing.”
“Can I get you anything? Juice? Water?”
Mark nods. “That’d be great. There’s a jug in the fridge.”
I leave the room and wonder what Alex and Mark’s first words will be. I don’t want to be there for that, so I’m happy I’m in the kitchen, peering into his entirely empty fridge.
I take my time grabbing the jug, and walking back across the kitchen, I stop at the door, take a deep breath to ready myself for what’s about to come, and then walk through it.
“Here,” I say, filling the glass that’s sitting on a table beside him.
“Thanks, sis.”
He’s looking up at me with a completely deadpan expression, giving me nothing to work with. I move across the room, and seeing Alex is already seated in a wide comfy chair, I hitch myself onto the arm of the seat and sit beside him. Automatically, he lifts his hand and takes hold of mine.
“Right,” Mark says, looking over at us. “So? When did this happen?”
“A few weeks ago,” I say, feeling those contortionists suddenly tying their knotted bodies even tighter. “I know it’s a surprise. It was a surprise for us, too, right, babe?” I look down at Alex.
He nods. “Absolutely.”
Mark still looks dubious. “I just can’t get my head around the fact that you’re engaged. I mean, isn’t it all a bit sudden?”
“I’m not getting any younger, Mark,” I say. “And besides, it kind of just happened. Alex needed a chef and gave me a job, and then the more time we spent together, the more we realized how much we have in common, how much we like each other.”
Alex grins. “The truth is, I can’t resist your sister’s wonderful cooking, and I didn’t want anyone else to snatch her up before I got the chance.”
Mark’s looking from Alex to me and back again. Clearly, he’s not at all pleased. Even Alex’s witty remark doesn’t have the desired effect. He keeps his eyes on me and says, “But I thought you couldn’t stand him?”
Oh, lord!
“Really?” Alex grins up at me. “This is news to me.”
I can feel my face blooming bright red, and I glare at my brother with a look that could kill a horse.
“Thanks for that,” I quip back.
Mark shrugs. “Maybe it’s one of the reasons I’m struggling to get my head around this.” He nods at us.
“Last time I checked,” I snarl, “I’m a grown woman who has a right to make decisions without being questioned about them.”
My swan act is drowning fast.
“Oh come on, Dara,” Alex says soothingly, rubbing a large hand across my back, which, I note, actually feels really nice. “Mark is worried about you, that’s all. I can see his point.”
Alex looks over at Mark and nods. “I know this is sudden to you, man, but it doesn’t feel sudden to us. In fact, we’ve had countless conversations over the last few weeks, wondering why we didn’t get together sooner.”
We have?
“And I’m sorry I’ve gone over your head. I know you wanted me to stay away.”
It’s now Mark’s turn to look uncomfortable, and he flicks me a worried glance.
“But like Dara said, it just happened. You never mentioned she had left her job in the city, and when I discovered her working in the diner, I realized I could use her skills. I needed a personal chef and wanted to give her an opportunity to cook the creations she loves, rather than fries and burgers. If that makes me a bad guy, then so be it.”
Mark huffs a sigh and falls back against the pillow he was lying on earlier. “It would just have been nice if you’d told me to my face, rather than me finding out from the local doctor.”
“That’s not fair. We didn’t know you were coming back,” I counter.
“You could have called,” he argues.
“Then that’s not telling you to your face, is it?” I retort. “We had every intention of telling you when you returned, but we didn’t think that was for another month.”
It scares me that this lying malarkey is getting easier every time I do it.
Mark huffs again and then shrugs. “Fair point.” He turns to look at me. “I only ever wanted you to be happy, Dara.”
“I know that,” I say, my tone a little softer. “And I am. I swear to you.”
That isn’t really a lie. I have a great job with more pay than I deserve, and I get to cook fantastic meals for someone who appreciates them.
It’s more than that, and you know it.
It is, but I’m a little too busy defending myself with a bunch of lies to do a full emotional evaluation.
My brother gazes at me for a long moment, and then he nods. “Okay.”
We don’t stay for too much longer after that. Clearly, Mark needs rest, but before we leave, I promise I’ll pick him up some groceries and bring them over tomorrow.
Later, when Alex drops me off, he turns to me and says, “So, you can’t stand me, huh?” He’s smirking, but I feel the heat rush to my cheeks.
“Mark should have kept his mouth shut,” I say. “Besides, ‘can’t stand’ is a bit strong.”
“Hmm,” Alex replies, clearly waiting for me to elaborate.
Evidently, I’m not going to get away without explaining myself, so I say, “I will admit, I have misjudged you.”
“That wouldn’t be like you at all, Dara,” he says dryly.
I roll my eyes. “The first time we met at Mark’s dinner party, you barely said two words to me. I know you were going through a messy divorce. But then every time I met you after that, you just seemed…” I struggle to find a word that won’t totally offend him. “Distant.”
“You mean I didn’t gush all over you,” he comes back, still with the smirk, like he’s mocking me.
“Now I know that you’re just a really private person,” I say, completely ignoring his remark. “And yes. I will hold my hands up and say I was wrong.”
For a long moment, he doesn’t reply, which makes this situation even more awkward.
“Will you say something?” I press.
His smile is warm, and then he takes me by complete surprise by leaning over and kissing me tenderly on the cheek.
“Thank you for what you’re doing. I know going to see Mark was difficult, but you did a great job, and I am extremely grateful.”
“You’re welcome,” I say a little breathlessly.
My face is flushing again, but not from embarrassment. That kiss has got my heart thumping and my body tingling, and I don’t know what to do with that.
“I should go,” I say quickly, pulling the door open before he has a chance to move. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Before he can reply, I’ve closed the door and am hurrying down the path to my house. It’s only when I’m stepping through the door that I hear the roaring engine pulling away.