Page 35 of Family Forever
She spun. “What?”
“I’m going to have a nightcap. Want to join me? I’d like to hear about how school is going for you?”
Surprisingly, Dylan poured her a glass of wine before he cracked open a beer for himself, then they sat at the kitchen table.
Nerves rattled her fingers. Why now? Yes, her feelings for Dylan caused her to feel a bit nervous around him, especially when they were alone, but suddenly her nervousness seemed to intensify. She sipped her wine hoping that would calm her but all she managed to do with that maneuver was cause more heat to penetrate her already warm cheeks.
Dylan took a swig from his beer bottle and then set it on the table. “So, how are your classes going?”
“Good.”
He stared at her as if expecting her to expand on her answer but she was too mesmerized by his dark eyes to formulate any more of a response.
“By the time you get back, you’ll be needing to gear up for finals.”
“I know, I can hardly believe I’ll have a semester completed already. The time went by so quickly. Taking two extra classes really made it go by quickly.”
Both surprise and concern flashed in his gaze, making her wish she hadn’t told him that information.
“Two extra classes? That’s a lot of work, and must make it difficult to keep up and maintain your grades.”
There she did it, she pushed him right intoconcerned fathermode. Any ground she had gained in getting him to look at her like a woman versus a child or sister had probably just been lost.
“Actually it hasn’t been so bad, and so far I’m doing pretty well in all of them.” A tinge of guilt passed through her as the second the lie escaped her lips. Though she was doing well in all her classes, it was hard. She was spending nearly every waking moment studying, but she did manage to squeeze out a little time to spend with her roommate who she absolutely loved and a bit of time with her Accounting Club and Christian Club.
He looked puzzled. “May I ask why you took extra classes?”
She had to open her big mouth.Why? For him?The sooner she finished school the sooner she could come home and be withhim.She planned on taking extra classes every semester, as long as she could afford to, in order to finish college early so she could get on with her life, hopefully with him.
He kept studying her, making her more nervous. Did he know the answer to his question before he asked?
Trying to make light of the conversation, she smiled. “I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.”
From across the table, he leaned toward her, reached out, and rested his hand over the top of hers. Her heart fluttered.
“Do you remember the promise you made to me when I dropped you off at school?”
Knowing exactly what he was talking about, she nodded. She had promised him she’d embrace and enjoy college life, and not worry about him and his brothers.
“College was so fun for me. It is for Cole as well.” He paused and swallowed audibly. “I would very much like for you to enjoy yourself, these years. You’re young, you deserve this chance, this opportunity to be carefree.”
Tears stung the back of her eyes. Deep down she knew he would keep rejecting her until this phase of her life was completed. But she simply didn’t understand why she couldn’t have both—him and school.Heck with it, maybe I should embrace it and party next semester. That would show him.
She thought back to some things Cole had mentioned to her on a couple occasions, one of those things being his suggestion that she actually satisfy Dylan’s request and live a normal college life, and make sure to report back to Dylan all she was doing, including any dating. And then see where things took them afterward. When she shot down that idea Cole suggested she go on a date or two with Jake. Cole was certain that would be enough to push Dylan over the edge. Knowing Jake really liked her, she didn’t want to use him like that and squelched that idea as well. Truth be told, she didn’t want to push Dylan like that either. She wanted him to come to her on his own.
Marissa nodded in response to Dylan and racked her brain for a change of subject. “I had a nice time tonight, meeting your aunt, uncle, and cousins. They seem really nice.”
Dylan smiled, took a swig of his beer and appeared to lose himself in his thoughts for a brief moment as he stared forward, blankly.
“Your Aunt Mitzi sure thinks a lot of you.”
“She’s pretty great herself. She’s helped me out a lot over the past couple years.” He drained his beer bottle. “She reminds me so much of my dad, yet, she’s very different from him in some respects.”
Every time Dylan spoke of his parents the pain in his eyes was enough to crack her heart in half.
