Page 39 of Playing for Keeps
Rylan tilted her head back to see him delivering her and Camy’s drinks.
“Hey Lance,” she said.
Lance tapped Rylan’s forehead the way he used to when they were young. “Hey Rylan. When you turn him loose tell him we’ve got orders in the back he can help bring out.”
Before she could reply, Noah came up behind Del.
“Is this the type of establishment we’re running here? You get to feel your woman up right here at the bar?” he asked.
Rylan did blush then because Del didn’t move away from her but shifted so that he was once again at her side, his arm draped over her shoulder. Of course, she was aware that Lance knew about her and Del, but since she’d been working late, she hadn’t been into the bar or anywhere else that she would’ve seen the rest of the brothers. So, she didn’t know they were in the loop about her and Del. However, she should’ve presumed they knew. Those six guys stuck together like glue, sharing every secret they had.
“Your marketing efforts are working like a charm,” she said to Noah. “One of the cars I worked on yesterday had a flyer in the passenger seat.”
Noah nodded, his dark hair slicked back from his face, goatee trimmed neatly and those dark eyes assessing everything in their path. Noah’s father had been West Indian, moving here with Noah’s grandfather when Noah was just three years old. Rylan and Camy had learned that Noah’s mother, who Noah had no memory of, was a Caucasian woman who chose her career in medicine over a family in Providence, Virginia.
“Good to hear,” he replied.
Del followed with a quick and instantly irritated, “Crap!”
Lance apparently seeing the same thing Del had, said, “Don’t let him phase you. We can take his money just like we take everyone else’s.”
Rylan followed their gaze to see that Mal Penning dressed in jeans and a sport coat had just walked in.
“He’s still the biggest idiot in town,” Noah said after turning to see Mal.
“This is true,” Rylan replied.
She reached out to take Del’s hand, lacing her fingers with his. He lifted that hand and kissed her fingers.
“Fuck him,” he whispered.
Rylan smiled because that was a much better reaction to Mal than the one Del had a few weeks ago at Margie’s. She hadn’t seen him that irritated in years, and truth be told, was in no hurry to see him that way again. So, operating on pure instinct, Rylan slipped off the stool, pulling Del along with her and said, “Let’s dance.”
He followed her a few feet away from his friends, but quickly said, “They’re playing another Christmas song.”
Rylan nodded because this one was a favorite of hers. Stevie Wonder’sSomeday at Christmas.
“It’s fine. I love this one,” Rylan told him and lifted her arms to drape over his shoulders.
Del laced his arms around her waist and they swayed to the festive tune. The fact that this was her favorite holiday song and she was in the arms of the strong, independent and compassionate man that made her feel like no one ever had before, was saying a lot.
It was saying something that Rylan wasn’t sure she was ready to hear.
12
On Monday morning, Rylan walked into the auto shop feeling refreshed and well-loved…no, that wasn’t the correct word. She’d spent the weekend at Del’s place. On Saturday morning the two of them had gone to a Christmas tree farm and cut down the biggest Balsam Fir tree either of them had ever seen. They’d wrestled the tree on top of the SUV Del was still renting because the part for his truck had been delayed. And when they arrived at his place, had laughed and frolicked in the first snowflakes to fall in Providence while dragging the tree into his house.
Camy had divided all of their mother’s Christmas decorations and brought Del’s share over to his house later that afternoon. By evening, the guys were trying out a new manager and full staff at the bar that didn’t include any of them. So Del’s house was full of his friends, Camy, Portia, Rylan and hot chocolate laced this time with peppermint vodka. Rylan had never laughed so much as she did that day when they were decorating and absolutely murdering every Christmas song that was played through the speakers in Del’s living room.
They had so much fun together, all of them, laughing and singing, reminiscing about happy times and planning for the future. Yes, there was a ski trip on tap for Valentine’s Day, a bowling tournament in the spring because Jeret felt as though he was king of the pins, a Fourth of July BBQ and maybe a trip to Virginia Beach if the guys could all get away. Rylan found herself looking forward to everything, all while Del remained close to her throughout the day. There wasn’t a moment that he wasn’t reaching out to touch her hand or rub his fingers over her cheek. When they came around to the same side of the tree and attempted to hang an ornament on the same branch, he’d smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
And after everyone had left, Del had made slow, sweet passionate love to Rylan right there on the floor in front of the tree with its twinkling colorful lights.
Sunday morning, they’d slept in and when Del had gone to the bar later that afternoon, Portia, Rylan and Camy had gone to the outlets to do some Christmas shopping. So, this morning, even though it was the start of a new work week, Rylan was smiling and happier than she’d ever been because Del was in her life.
They were now a “thing” as Camy had pointed out yesterday.
“I don’t care if the two of you refuse to give what you’re doing a real title. It’s a “thing” and you’re both glowing while doing it. So there, be happy and move on,” she’d snapped when Rylan had insisted she not call her and Del a couple.
