Page 21 of The Good Guy on My Porch

She spun toward the take-out window. “I finished it,” she hollered. A cheer went up from the back, followed by a chant of Dilly, Dilly, Dilly. Dilly danced to the chant, then grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the restaurant, laughing all the way.

***

Molly was sitting on the porch, staring despondently at her phone, when Dilly and I started up the walk. I had every intention of introducing Dilly to my sister, but a ringing from Dilly’s place had her rushing inside with mumbled thanks.

Molly looked up at me, her eyes damp and red-rimmed. “Hey, brother,” she said, forcing a smile. “How was the hike?”

“It was great. What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

She shrugged, and a tear slipped down her cheek. “Just having a rough day. I’ll be fine.”

I sat on the steps next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a side-hug. “I wish you’d tell me what’s going on. I can’t help unless you talk to me.”

“I know. I just…I just need some time.”

“Is this about Daniel? Did you two break up?”

Her expression hardened, the sadness chased by anger. “No, we’re okay.”

“Is there something going on with Mom and Dad that no one wants to tell me about?” I was really stretching there. Our parents had been together since college and were still more in love than any two people I’d ever known.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it, Oscar. I have a couple weeks free and I just want to get away from it all, to remember who I am and to figure out what to do next.”

I squeezed her against my chest, hating that she was this upset and wishing there was something I could do to help her, someone I could beat up or chase away, some way to fix this. “I’ll give you as much space as you can stand, but when you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”

“I know you are. Thank you.”

She slipped out from under my arm and went inside, sniffling as she went. “Want to watch a movie?” I called after her. “I’ll make popcorn.”

“I’m just going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I stayed on the porch, watching the sun slip behind the mountains, waiting for Dilly to come out and join me, but she didn’t show. Her half of the duplex was dark and quiet, like she wasn’t home at all. Maybe she’d slipped out the back and joined her boyfriend for a date, or maybe he’d slipped in and they were tangled up in one another. The thought made my stomach turn and my jaw clench, but it was good to remind myself she wasn’t mine.

I wondered if her stomach ached after all that ice cream she’d eaten, wondered if she was hurting and alone. I was on my feet, my hand raised to knock on her door, before I realized I was just looking for any excuse to talk to her again, to see her big eyes and her warm smile. I stepped back from the door and went into my own half of the duplex.

I needed to accept Dilly and I were friends, would only ever be just friends, but I wasn’t going to be able to do that if I sat on my own front porch watching the sunset and waiting for her, thinking of her. I needed a distraction, I needed to get my own social life.

I sent Aubrey a quick text, That set-up you mentioned? Set it up.

She didn’t respond, and I figured she was sleeping or putting babies to bed. I don’t know how she’d found the time to meet the woman she claimed was ‘perfect’ for me, but Aubrey was one of the smartest and most capable people I knew.

I dropped my bag on the couch and headed back to my room and the shower. I closed my eyes under the spray and I absolutely did not see Dilly’s smile against my closed lids, I definitely didn’t picture her spread out on a warm boulder in a tiny bikini, and I one-hundred percent did not wrap my hand around my raging hard-on and imagine her hands on me.

***

“How do you know Aubrey?” asked Lara, seated across from me at the bistro. Lara was gorgeous, with thick blond hair, bright blue eyes, long legs, and a quick wit, but I couldn’t stop wishing it was Dilly sitting across from me. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was out for coffee with Aubrey’s set up. It had been almost a week since my hike with Dilly and I’d only seen her in passing. She hadn’t joined me for sunset watching. She hadn’t been home until after dark most nights. I’d reminded her that I owed her a week of dinners, but she’d just smiled and asked for a rain check. She must have been having a good time with her new boyfriend. I was happy for her, I really was.

“I own the salt spa here in town. I met Aubrey at the Inn when I went there to offer a discount to their guests.”

She smiled, appearing to be genuinely interested in what I was telling her. “Great idea. Tourists won’t bring you repeat business, unless they visit the town regularly, but business is business, right?”

“That’s right,” I said, focusing on my date and pushing thoughts of Dilly out of my head. “Aubrey said you work in marketing?”

“I do. I met her at the Inn when I was staying there on a business trip. I was in town for a conference at the University. This has become my favorite place to visit whenever I have time off. I’m hoping to pick up some extra work here, so I’ll have an excuse to come here more often.”

“Got any leads?”

“Aubrey said they could offer me some work at Nora’s Inn, which would be a great start. Any chance your salt spa could use my expertise?”

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