The Family He Didn't Expect

by Shirley Jump

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’m okay on my own,” Abby said and pivoted away before Dylan could see the truth in her eyes.

  * * *

  Something had shifted in Abby after Dylan had given Jake the balloons. For a second, he’d seen her open up, warming to him, then that wall went up again and she was cool and distant.

  Maybe she’d read the change in Dylan after hearing about Sam’s fiancée. It had taken him a moment to absorb the news about the upcoming wedding—to which he hadn’t been invited—and to push his disappointment to the side. A part of Dylan was hurt that this information hadn’t come from Sam, but he knew that was par for the course. They rarely talked, and their last few exchanges had been terse.

  He was happy Sam had found love again. He and his older brother might not get along, but Dylan still wanted to see Sam and his kids happy and content. If Dylan hung around town long enough, maybe he could at least meet this fiancée, even if he wasn’t invited to the wedding.

  Wait. Hung around town long enough? He only had a week left before he had to drive to Maine. After these next few days, Dylan would be hundreds of miles away from Sam. From Jake and Cody. From Uncle Ty.

  From Abby.

  And that fact, Dylan was pretty damned sure, was the reason why Abby kept putting distance between them. He had made her no promises, nothing beyond his short stay here. But as he watched her, helping Jake dish some potato salad onto his plate, he caught her glancing at him, and something in his chest leaped.

  Cody left a minute later, as soon as his plate was clean, saying he was going to hang out with a friend. With dinner over, the still tired Jake went inside, sat down to watch TV and promptly fell asleep on the sofa, a plastic dinosaur clutched in his hand. Dylan helped Abby carry the dishes into the house, then started the water to wash them before she could.

  “You don’t have to do that,” she said.

  “I know.” He nodded toward the dish towel. “You want to dry?”

  He half expected her to make up another excuse to be away from him like she had earlier. When they’d all sat down to eat, Cody and Jake had sat together on one side of the picnic table, leaving Abby and Dylan on the other. But instead of sitting beside him, Abby had gotten up to shut off the grill, then bring everyone refills of their drinks, then extra napkins they didn’t need.

  He wondered if she’d done that because she wasn’t interested in him or because she was interested and was afraid to take it any further. He knew he hadn’t imagined the undercurrent between them, her responses to his kisses, his touch. He didn’t want the day to end, and if doing the dishes, heck, cleaning her whole house, kept him here a little longer, he was game. Even if he knew he was only prolonging a connection he couldn’t keep.

  Abby hesitated a second, then grabbed the towel and slipped into place beside him. He caught the dark floral notes of her perfume, a compliment to the sweet scent of the dish soap. Earlier, when the evening had been hotter, Abby had put her hair up into a clip, and he’d had the strongest urge to kiss the valley of her neck, then peel back the edge of her shirt and kiss the divot beside her shoulder—

  He turned, halfway through washing a plate. “Go out with me.”

  “Outside? We brought everything in already.”

  “I meant on a date.” The words had been spontaneous, but the sentiment had been there since the day he’d met her. Abby intrigued him, with the way she was both strong and fragile at the same time. The side of her that danced with her four-year-old son to oldies was such a beautiful contrast to the resilient, confident woman who baited her own hooks.

  He knew he was asking a lot. Knew he was leaving town soon, and there was no way this relationship could progress, and that a man like him shouldn’t be in a relationship, especially not one that was a package deal. But he also didn’t want to head to Maine without spending at least one night alone with Abby. Hearing her laugh. Seeing her smile. Holding her in his arms.

  Abby took the plate he’d washed and dried it. “I don’t know, Dylan. I mean, I suppose Cody could watch Jake, but he’s not always the most reliable teenager...”

  “Della could watch Jake. She told me herself she loves that kid. Or my uncle Ty. He’s great with kids, and having Jake around might bring him out of his grief for a little while.” He rinsed another plate and handed it to her. “When was the last time you went on a date?”

  She scoffed. “I can’t remember. How sad is that?”

  Pretty damned sad if you asked him. Abby was a smart, beautiful woman. Any man with half a brain cell in his head would ask her out. For the hundredth time, Dylan wondered what had made her ex-husband so blind to how amazing she was.

  “That’s all the more reason why we should go out.” He handed her another plate. She dried it in slow, concentric circles, turned to put it away and paused.

  “Why?” she asked. “Why go out on a date when you told me yourself you’re not staying in town? That this is a temporary stop for you?”

  She’d nailed the truth about him in a few words. The thought of leaving caused an ache in his chest, but Dylan told himself that feeling would ease. For right here, right now, he wanted to get to know Abby more. Find out what made her laugh. What she felt like beneath him. He wanted more—even though he knew she was right and he had no business asking her for anything.

  “Does everything in your life have to be permanent, Abby? We can go out, have fun and leave it at that.” One night. That would be enough. Wouldn’t it? He turned off the water, let it drain and put his back to the sink. “Loosen the reins a bit, Abby.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t do that, Dylan. I don’t change my schedule, I don’t take impromptu trips. This whole thing here—” she waved to indicate the house, her kids “—is like a well-oiled machine. Take one cog out and it falls apart.”

  “You spent a Saturday tearing down a wall, took an impromptu fishing trip, had a last-minute barbecue. Nothing fell apart.” He leaned closer to her, caught those blue-green eyes with his own. “I think you’re just scared.”

  She raised her chin. “I’m not scared to go out on a date.”

  “Then prove it. The center closes at six, so I’ll pick you up at six thirty tomorrow night. Wear something comfortable.”

  “I have a presentation to work on—”

  He leaned toward her, kissed that valley of her neck, then her lips. The protest died in her throat.

  She let out a soft sound as his lips continued their path along her neckline. That simple sound almost undid him. Her hands went to his waist, and her body swayed into his. Everything in him wanted to sweep her into his arms and carry her into her bedroom and take his sweet time exploring the lines of her curves. Instead, he pulled back, aware that a sleeping Jake was only a room away. Later, he told himself, later they could see where this led. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Abby.”

  A smile curved across her face. “You’re stubborn, you know that?”

  “That’s what my mother tells me.” He almost hated to go but knew there was work to be done at the center yet tonight, so it could be ready for the kids tomorrow. And maybe getting out of this house, with all the toys and bedroom stories and warmth, would keep him from dreaming of things he couldn’t have. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “You did the cooking. And brought the side dish. All I did was provide a picnic table.”

  “And brownies. Don’t forget the brownies. It’s always nice to end with something sweet.” He grinned, then took Della’s clean dish and headed toward the door with Abby walking beside him. Jake was still sleeping on the couch as they walked by, so Dylan leaned over and gave Abby a quick kiss goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow, Dylan.” She said his name with a soft lilt in the middle. A lilt that almost had him staying.

  He left Abby’s house, his chest filled with anticipation. She lingered in his mind as he went
to work at the center, repairing loose floorboards, grouting the new tiles and painting the wall the four of them had put up two days ago.

  He headed back to the inn a few hours later, his muscles tired, but his brain still running a mile a minute. That alone was a sign he was in too deep with Abby. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had occupied his every waking thought. Hell, she’d been in his dreams, too. If he was honest with himself, he thought about her pretty much all the time.

  When he walked into the bed-and-breakfast, he saw the kitchen light burning. He headed down the hall and found Della Barlow sitting at the table, a pile of recipe books and a notepad beside her.

  “Oh, hi, Dylan. I’m just working on the menu for next week. We’ve got a few more visitors coming in on Friday.”

  Dylan put the clean dish away, then sank into the opposite chair. “That’s great. Business is doing well?”

  “Better than expected.” She pushed a covered plate toward him. “More of those chocolate chip cookies I made for the boys.”

  “Thank God.” He grabbed two and took a bite out of one. “I have to admit, I was a little jealous watching Jake eat them. Your cooking is the best, Della. The potato salad was a huge hit, too.” He was sure he’d gained at least five pounds in the time he’d been here, eating Della’s cooking. Not to mention the little treats Mavis often brought into the center.

  “You’re welcome.” She set her pen down and crossed her hands over the notepad. Her reading glasses slipped down on her nose, and she took them off. “How was the barbecue? How’s Abby?”

  “It was great. And Abby is...” He shrugged, as if he was blasé about the whole subject, but then a smile winged its way across his face. Hell, he could feel that smile all the way to his toes.

  “Something special, isn’t she?” Della gave him a knowing glance. “She’s only lived in Stone Gap for a few years, but she’s really been a great addition to town. She worked with Mavis and me on some marketing materials for the inn when we first opened. Wouldn’t take a dime for her time, either.”

  That sounded like the woman he knew. Stubborn yet generous with her time and talents. Like the way she helped at the center, kept applying for those grants, despite a demanding job and life as a single mom. “Well, whatever she did, it seems to be working if you’re booking up that fast.”

  “So,” Della said, fiddling with the pen. “Are you thinking about extending your stay here? There’s always plenty of renovation work in this area, especially being so close to the city. I know you’re only booked through the end of next week, but it seems you’ve fit back into Stone Gap like a missing puzzle piece.”

  “I never fit this puzzle, Della,” Dylan said. “I’m not a small town kind of guy.”

  “And what’s so bad about small towns?”

  “They close in on you. I like space, room to move and breathe.” He thought of all the judgment and expectations that came with this place.

  “And you can’t find that here?”

  “There’s not much for me here, Della. That’s why I left a long time ago.” There was his uncle, of course, and now Abby, but all of that came with the one thing he didn’t do—settling down. Staying put.

  Della covered Dylan’s hand with her own. He often wondered what it would have been like to grow up as a Barlow instead of a Millwright. “There’s a lot more than you think. Your uncle, the community center, your brother—”

  Dylan scoffed. “We don’t exactly get along. Uncle Ty will eventually get back to running the center alone and I’ll...”

  “Move on, leave.” Her kind eyes met his. As long as he’d known Della, she’d been a surrogate mom to everyone she met. Wise, kind and giving. “Or is it more running away again?”

  And right on the money. He kept telling himself this wasn’t running away...

  Except wasn’t that exactly what he was doing? Running before he got too close? Running before he found himself stuck here? Running...because it was easier than facing all the things he’d left in the first place? All those fears meeting Abby had awakened in him?

  “I’m too old to run away,” he said, though he wasn’t sure if he was telling Della or himself.

  Della nodded and got to her feet. “Good. I’m glad we agree on that. So, put you down for another week? Until you find a place of your own?”

  Dylan put up his hands. “Whoa, whoa. I’m not moving back to Stone Gap. I have a job waiting for me in Maine—”

  “And a family needing you here.” Della stacked up her recipe books and stowed them on a shelf. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life after raising three boys and welcoming a stepson and a whole bunch of daughters-in-law into the family, it’s that family is the most important thing in your life. You can find a new job. You can find a new house. But finding a new family... That’s not something you can just pluck out of the classified ads.”

  “I have commitments in Maine, Della. I can’t just break them.”

  “Okay. Can’t blame me for trying to keep you around, and don’t think this means I won’t mention it again sometime. You’ve always been like an extra son to me.” Della put a hand on his shoulder. “Good night, Dylan. Mavis is making waffles for tomorrow morning’s breakfast. She knows you like them.” Della went home to her husband Bobby every night while single Mavis lived at the inn. They took turns doing the cooking and cleaning, with Mavis mainly handling the morning routines and Della taking over at night.

  “Thanks, Della.” He waited until he heard her leave. Then he snagged another cookie and headed up to his room. But the last chocolate chip cookie didn’t taste as sweet. And sleep took a long time to come.

  Chapter Eight

  Abby spent her workday distracted. Twice, she’d been caught daydreaming in a client meeting. Her mind kept drifting to the date she had tonight. With Dylan. A man who was all wrong for her, but she couldn’t seem to remember that whenever he was nearby.

  She left work a few minutes early, then headed to the community center to pick up the boys. When she walked in, Jake scrambled to his feet, leaving his craft project on the table. He plowed into her legs and gave her a tight hug. She hoisted Jake onto her hip—he was almost too heavy for her to keep doing this—then asked him about his day.

  Cody was sitting on the sofas with the other boys, in a repeat of the other day. Dylan sat in the armchair at the center of the group, talking with the teenagers about the latest Star Wars movie. He looked up, saw her and gave her a quick, private smile. A little thrill ran through Abby and she felt her face heat.

  Dylan excused himself from the teen circle and crossed to her. “Hey. You’re here early.”

  “I wanted to get the boys over to Ty’s house so I’d have time to change out of my work clothes.” Just the thought of changing clothes had her mind derailing to thoughts of being in a bedroom with Dylan, taking off her shirt—

  She cleared her throat. “Are you sure Ty is okay with watching them?”

  Dylan nodded. “I talked to him earlier today. I think the fishing trip really helped bring him out of his dark mood. The boys are good for him.”

  “Good.” She shifted Jake’s weight, aware her youngest son was paying attention to every word of the adult conversation. “Well... I...uh, should get going. See you at six thirty?”

  “You can count on it.” He smiled at her, and heat rushed through every inch of Abby.

  Oh, this was bad. Very bad.

  But that didn’t stop her from humming under her breath as she gathered her sons and headed out of the community center. She drove over to Ty’s house with the boys, her mind on Dylan instead of on the continual stream of chatter from Jake, who interjected can we get a puppy in between every sentence.

  Ty came out onto the porch when she pulled in. He still looked too thin and too pale, but there was a little more spring in his step. “How you doing, Abby?”


  “Great. Brought you a couple of troublemakers to keep you company.”

  Jake looked up at his mother. “I’m not a troublemaker.”

  Abby laughed. “I know, Jakester. I was just joking.”

  Ty chuckled. “Well, they’re my favorite troublemakers in this whole town. Boys, I rented a movie and ordered a pizza. Sound good to you?”

  Cody nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

  She’d expected Cody to complain and ask to go to a friend’s house. But he seemed okay staying here with his brother, so she didn’t question it. “You guys all set? I have to run home and change before I go out tonight.”

  Jake nodded, then bounced up and down when he noticed the video in Ty’s hands. “I’m gonna help Ty put the movie on! It’s about dinosaurs!”

  “Somebody told me they’re your favorite thing,” Ty said. He glanced at Abby. “My nephew apparently was very impressed with Jake’s knowledge of T. rexes.”

  Dylan had remembered and thought to tell Ty, so Jake would have a good time. Every time she thought she had this guy figured out, he did something that surprised her, like kissing her in her kitchen and leaving her breathless and thinking of him long into the night.

  Abby gave Jake a kiss and a hug, then Ty and Jake headed down the hall. Abby turned to go.

  “Wait, Mom.” Cody reached in his backpack. “Can you, uh, sign my progress report?”

  By the end of the last school year, Cody had been on the edge of failing. After multiple meetings with his teachers, they’d finally settled on a weekly progress report that Abby had to sign, so everyone could keep an eye on his grades. She’d asked the teachers for his junior year to keep the practice in place, so she wouldn’t be caught off guard and end up having to send Cody to summer school again.

  She took the paper from him, expecting the same report as always. Lots of Ds and Fs, and a whole lot of needs to participate more, missing assignments, negative attitude in the comments column. She hadn’t seen a grade with any of the first three letters of the alphabet in at least a year.