Page 88 of The Rules

He swallowed hard as she spotted him, discreetly wiping at his temples. He was sweating like a pig now, his dress shirt stuck to his back.

“Hey, babe. What are you doing here?” He gave her a cool smile but didn’t touch her, aware of his family’s eyes on him.Christ.He couldn’t decide which story he was protecting here.

His. He was only protecting himself.

Dani smiled and gestured to the bar. “Benji won us a big account today. We’re getting cocktails to celebrate. What are you doing here?”

“Dani!” Irene waved frantically from her seat. “Yoohoo. Over here. Come.”

Dani’s face scrunched in confusion, and his throat tightened. Time screeched to a stop. She held a finger up to Benji and walked with wooden posture over to the table he’d just left, his empty seat still askew from where he’d bolted.

Dylan rushed to follow.

“Hi, Irene,” Dani said, so calmly he thought maybe he was imagining the entire thing. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“You too!” His mother looked back at the bar where Benji was gaping at them. “Is that your boyfriend? Bring him over.”

Damn it, Mom.He felt like his knees might buckle.

Dylan watched the muscles in Dani’s neck as she swallowed. Her hands balled at her sides. “No.” She finally met his eyes. Hers were wet, and he felt his stomach lurch. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

The words stuck in his chest like a knife.

“And I’m sorry I can’t stay. It was lovely running into you.”

“Dani…” His throat squeezed around her name, sounding like a choke. He touched her wrist but she yanked it away and waved over her shoulder. A hole ripped right through his chest—he felt it as vividly as if his heart lay bleeding on the carpet.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to the table. Three confused faces nodded back at him and he rushed to the door Dani had just escaped through. She was half a block away and he picked up his pace, his heart stampeding.

“Dani. Wait.”

He expected her to keep walking, but she spun on him, her eyes pure fire. “What the hell, Dylan?” He skidded to a stop in front of her, and she slammed a finger into his chest. “Why would you lie about this?”

He shoved his hand in his hair, his mouth dry. “I’m sorry, Dani. Really. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

“Hurt my feelings? You mean lie to my face? Make me look like an idiot?” She glanced over her shoulder at Benji who had mercifully tucked himself into an alcove. He was just out of hearing range, but close enough to be there if she needed him. Needed him to protect her. Protect her from him.

He hung his head as that realization tore through him. “I’m the idiot, Dani.”

“That’s a fact.” Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and the sight twisted in his chest. “You really only care about yourself, don’t you? I bought a dress, Dylan. I was excited about this for who knows why.”

And there it was. The sharpest tip of his guilt started to calcify and crumble into indignance. Dani had put some hope on his shoulders that he didn’t even know about. He’d told her this wasn’t a big deal, but she’d made it one in her head. How was he supposed to be responsible for that? This was exactly why things like this always ended in someone getting disappointed. “Look, Dani. I’m sorry. I’m just no good at this.”

“That’s a cop-out, Dylan. Treating other people well isn’t something you’re good or bad at. It’s a choice you make.”

“So is trusting other people to make you happy.” He felt his fingers curl into fists, that place that Dani had softened over the last six months turning back into a stone-cold wall. Maybe it was a choice or maybe he had something running through his veins that he just couldn’t deny. God knows he’d tried this time and he’d still found a way to disappoint her. This was why he didn’t try.

“Look,” he said. “If you start pinning your happiness on other people, you’re going to be severely disappointed. Buy a dress for you if you want one. I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“Yeah, well, thanks for the fucking life lesson.” She sniffed loudly and blinked back the tears, not letting one fall. “I’ll see you around, Dylan. Don’t call.”

She turned on her heel and his hand was on her wrist before he’d even made the choice. He didn’t mean any of that. Why couldn’t hedothis? “Wait, Dani. Please? I’m sorry.”

“Fuck off.” She wrenched her arm out of his grip and took off down the sidewalk, her middle finger above her head.

Dylan watched her go, an ache ripping through his body.He felt frantic, his pulse thundered in his ears. His chest heaved with the urge to scream. He had to get himself together. He still had to go back in there and explain this all away to his family.God damn it!He wiped his hand down his face and spun on his heel.

And nearly crashed into his sister.

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