Dylan's Daddy Dilemma (The Colorado Fosters Book 04)

by Tracy Madison

  It wasn’t too late to change course. The second she could do so, she’d ask Dylan to drop her off at the Mountain Peaks Motel, which happened to be a somewhat easy walk to a decent number of Steamboat Springs businesses. She’d then pound the pavement for work and, if they were open, stop in at the couple of day-care establishments she’d found in the phone book.

  Her hope was to establish a payment arrangement until she was more flush. A doubtful hope, most likely, but she had to try. She just kept telling herself that, somehow, everything she needed would come together by the time she met up with Henry at Foster’s early that evening.

  Now inside, Haley pointed in the direction of the living room, saying, “Why don’t you take off your coat and sit down, Chelsea? I’ll get Henry settled with a snack and be right in.”

  Pursing her lips, Chelsea let out a breath. “I’m really in a hurry, Haley, so—”

  “I know you think you are, but I’m guessing that will change real fast.” With that, Haley tugged on Henry’s hand and led him away, leaving Chelsea to do as she was instructed.

  Shrugging off her coat, she entered the living room and...stopped. Breathed again, and some of her tension drained away. What a room.

  A large stone fireplace instantly stole her attention. It sat against the longest wall, directly in the center, with a welcoming fire already burning. Various framed photos were arranged on the cedar mantel, compelling Chelsea to walk closer for a better view.

  All of them were of the Fosters, in various groupings and poses. Some outside, some in. The siblings, including Dylan, standing at the base of a mountain with skis leveraged on their shoulders and happy smiles on their faces. There was one of—Reid? Yes, that was Reid. She’d only spent a few minutes with him earlier, but she recognized the oldest brother’s serious, focused gaze—and a woman with vibrant red hair on what had to be their wedding day.

  Next, she saw Cole—who greatly resembled Reid with the same dark eyes and hair—and a beautiful blonde woman, her head pressed against his shoulder and his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Both couples appeared blissful. Moving on, Chelsea smiled at the sight of two tiny babies—likely only a month or so old when the photo was taken—curled beside each other, their tiny fingers entwined. Twins? Had to be. And, based on the strawberry blond fuzz covering the infants’ heads, she guessed they belonged to Reid and his wife.

  Directly next to the picture of the babies was one of the senior Fosters, Paul and Margaret. They were both smiling, naturally, but there was an air of confidence and contentedness surrounding them that made it seem as if they’d always been together. Belonged together. Finally, Chelsea settled her gaze on a photograph of Gavin and Haley. This one held the centermost position on the mantel, and they were shown sitting outside amid a cluster of trees—probably somewhere on their property—with that silly dog in between them.

  A sigh born of deep longing escaped from Chelsea’s lungs. What she’d wanted, had yearned for, her entire life existed right here in front of her. Family. In the Fosters. And due to a set of unforeseen circumstances, here she stood, surrounded by them. Surrounded by family.

  Just not her family.

  At best, she could call Dylan and Haley—maybe Margaret, as well—friendly acquaintances. She didn’t think her speedy introductions to Reid, Cole, Paul and now Gavin were enough to move them past the stranger phase, and heck, she didn’t even know the names of the women or the babies in the photos. Just the same, she suddenly felt as if she knew them all.

  Or, perhaps, as if she were meant to know all of them, and that was why she’d lost her job, why her car had broken down and why she was even standing in this room now.

  Right. As if fate would go to such extreme lengths to ensure she’d meet Dylan and his family. Pushing the ridiculous thought out of her head, Chelsea retreated to the sofa, where she laid her coat over one of the arms and sat down.

  She looked at her watch and her anxiety returned, twisting and turning inside of her, causing a wash of nausea. What was she doing here? She’d give Haley another five minutes, max, before she’d go in search of her, apologize and ask Dylan to take her to the motel.

  Almost as if he’d read her mind, Dylan chose that second to enter the living room. Her mouth went dry and her heart picked up an extra beat. She ignored both annoying reactions and said, “Do you know what Haley and Gavin want to talk to me about?”

  “Not really.” He sat down in one of the two overstuffed chairs across from the sofa and stretched his legs in front of him. “Gavin would only say so much without Haley’s input. It was—” a somewhat sheepish expression appeared “—rather frustrating, actually. I’m sorry about this. You must be champing at the bit to get moving.”

  “I am.” No reason to say more. He already knew her position.

  A quick, chirpy series of beeps sounded off, causing Dylan to reach into the pocket of his jeans. He retrieved his cell, slid his finger across the smartphone’s screen and, apparently disliking whatever it was he read, frowned.

  “Everything okay?” Chelsea asked.

  “Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’m good.” He tapped his finger on the back of the cell phone’s case. “If I suggest something, will you promise to listen before jumping to crazy conclusions?”

  Oh, jeez. Now what? “I’ll listen, sure. I’ll even promise that whatever conclusion I reach won’t seem crazy to me. But I can’t promise that you won’t see it that way.”

  Nodding, he tucked his phone into his jeans. “Finding a job might take more time than one afternoon, and I have the sense you’re out here on your own, with no one to call on for help.” He paused, exhaled a breath. “Is that a correct assumption?”

  “I do fine on my own,” she said, declining to share any specifics. Why did it matter to him, anyway? “But I’ll find a job. Today or tomorrow or the next day.”

  Please, please let it be today.

  “I hope you do. Really. But in case you don’t, I’d like to offer you a loan—” he held up a hand, as if anticipating her response “—and I’d like you to consider accepting it.”

  “Really? Dylan, I don’t think—”

  “I’m not done, and you said you’d listen.” At her nod, he continued with “I keep thinking about Haley and how if she was stuck in a strange city I’d want someone to lend a hand.” His expression stilled, grew serious. “That’s all this is, Chelsea. I’ll feel better as a person knowing that you and Henry have enough stability to get back on your feet.”

  She waited for, and expected, her defensive attitude to rear its ugly head. But it didn’t. Maybe comparing her situation to his sister helped, or maybe she was just too mentally worn down to argue. Oh, she wasn’t about to accept. Not now, hopefully not at all. But if everything went even more downhill and she had no other option, well...she’d consider it then.

  “I might eventually have to take you up on that,” she said, managing to keep her voice even and clear. “For now, though, I’ll stick with my plan. This is my problem, not yours.”

  “Didn’t say it was my problem, but—” Dylan leaned forward, minimizing the space between them, and said, “—I won’t argue, so long as you keep the offer in mind.”

  “I will.” Silence loomed between them, so she added, “I promise.”

  “Good.” His lips stretched into a smile. “It did not escape my attention, by the way, that you didn’t instantly jump to crazy conclusions. Thanks for that.”

  “Kind of a weird thing to thank someone for, especially since you just offered me a loan, but you’re welcome.” Silence returned, but he didn’t retreat to his prior kicked-back position. His focus remained wholly centered on her, his gaze steady and sure. It was hard, but she resisted the strong compulsion to look away. “Um...is there something else on your mind?”

  “Tons,” he said. “Most of which have to do with you. Like...where was your home before you decided to move here? Did you purposely look for a job in Steamboat Springs, or was the city the result of the job? Why leav
e home for a place where you don’t know a single soul? And the question really weighing on my mind the most, why are you alone?”

  There had been a chance, if he hadn’t asked the last, she might have answered one or two of the former. Chelsea didn’t care if Dylan knew she was born and raised in Pueblo. Didn’t bother her all that much to admit she’d moved here due to the job and not the other way around. But asking why she was alone, with such surety that she was, indeed, alone?

  She clasped her hands together and tried to turn her head, to escape from the penetrating, inquisitive scrutiny of his stare. But she couldn’t. Dylan’s final question hung in the air, solid and inescapable, leaving her caught as securely as a fly in a sticky spider’s web.

  Even if her life depended on her giving a response, she did not know how to connect the words together in such a way that he—that anyone—could understand. And the concept of even trying was enough to tie her tongue into knots. What really did it, though, was the realization that she had become so obviously, unquestionably alone that this man had seen it for himself.

  Swallowing past the thick layer coating her throat, she said, “Henry does that, too. He’ll ask ten questions without waiting for an answer from the first. Of course, Henry is four.”

  Dylan’s gaze still didn’t waver, but his jaw tensed, and she couldn’t help but notice the muscle there begin to twitch. “You really don’t like giving away personal details, do you?”

  She opened her mouth—to say what, she didn’t know—and closed it again. He didn’t say anything else, either. But they stayed that way, looking at each other in weighted silence, for what seemed like hours upon hours but was likely only a matter of seconds, before Haley and Gavin came into the room. And wow, was Chelsea grateful.

  “Okay, I have Henry all set with some cookies and milk and, for when he’s done, a coloring book and crayons,” Haley was saying. “He should be content for long enough to have this conversation. After that, we’ll see where we’re at.”

  “Thank you,” Chelsea murmured, her encounter with Dylan leaving her dazed. “I’m, um, flabbergasted he didn’t wheedle you into giving him soda with the cookies.”

  “Oh, he tried.” Gavin sat in the other chair and motioned to Haley, who plopped onto his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “But I gave him his choices as cookies and milk, or he could have the soda, but then he’d get carrot sticks to balance the sugar.”

  “Not a shocker he went with the cookies and milk,” she said. “Though, if you’d given him ranch dressing for the carrot sticks, he probably would’ve thought that was a fair deal.”

  Again, a sense of familiarity stole in, as if sitting here with these people had happened many times in the past. As if it would again in the future. Rather than increasing her comfort, however, the realization felt almost threatening. Because it wasn’t true.

  “I hope this doesn’t come off as rude,” she said, “but what is it you want to talk about?”

  “Before we can fully explain, I need to drag a promise from my brother,” Haley said. “Well, you, too, but it’s Dylan I’m most concerned with, since it involves keeping a secret.”

  “Since when am I a blabbermouth?” Dylan asked, sounding somewhat insulted. “I’ve kept plenty of secrets for you in the past, Haley. More than our brothers, I’m sure.”

  “You’re not a blabbermouth,” Haley confirmed. “But this is really important, and there can’t be any gray areas. None. So that means you can’t tell anyone what you’re about to hear, even if you disagree with our reasons. And I need you to promise.”

  “Depends,” Dylan said, his voice holding notes of concern. “Is this a good thing?”

  “Now, it shouldn’t matter one way or the other,” Gavin said. “Because you should know we wouldn’t ask you to stay hush on something that could hurt anyone. But for the record, we think it’s rather good. And we hope you’ll feel the same.”

  “Well, that’s an easy enough promise to make, then,” Dylan said. “So, yeah, I promise.”

  “Thank you!” Haley grinned. “Chelsea?”

  “Um. Sure, I promise not to tell anyone.” Really, though, who would she tell?

  “That’s what we needed to hear, so I think we’re all set.” Haley reached for Gavin’s hand and inhaled a deep breath. “Gavin and I have decided to throw a surprise wedding. Next month. Here, outside if the weather cooperates, and it will be small. We’ll invite everyone for a barbecue and then when they’re here, we’ll announce that we’re getting married instead.”

  Dylan’s jaw dropped open. “A surprise wedding? Oh...wait a minute. This is what you were all secretive about last night, isn’t it? That thing you said I wouldn’t find exciting? Because my sister getting married? Kind of exciting.”

  “Yes. And sorry about that, but you have this annoying way of getting into people’s heads.” Haley grinned at her brother. “Now that you know, what do you think?”

  “I’m happy for you two, without a doubt.”

  “But?” Haley said. “I know you have a but hidden there somewhere.”

  “However, I think the surprise factor could potentially hurt our parents’ feelings,” Dylan said. “You’re their only daughter, Haley. Mom will want to shop for the dress with you, help with whatever plans need to be made. Dad will want to help foot the cost, if not the whole shebang. Why not have a wedding everyone can be a part of from the get-go?”

  “I’m wearing Mom’s wedding dress, supposing I can find it easy enough, so there won’t be any dress shopping,” Haley said quickly. “And we don’t want Dad to pay for anything.”

  “There won’t be much to pay for,” Gavin said, taking over the conversation. “The guest list is small, minimizing the cost of food and drink. Our venue is here, so that’s free, and we just don’t want a lot of fuss. We want a simple, fun celebration.”

  “Okay, but why can’t you have all of that and let the family in on the news? Everyone will be fine with whatever you two want,” Dylan said. “You know that’s true.”

  “It is true, but weddings have a habit of getting out of control, of becoming a lot more about the presentation and the...the frills, I guess. Our wedding is going to be about what we’re grateful for, and we want to share that with our family and friends,” Haley said, her tone emphatic. “Our decision is set. But it would mean the world to have your support.”

  “You have that, in spades,” Dylan said instantly. “And I’ll help however I can.”

  Haley leaped off of Gavin’s lap and held her arms out to her brother. He stood and crushed her into a hug. When they separated, she said, “Thank you, big brother.”

  Chelsea watched and listened with interest, but couldn’t understand what any of this had to do with her or why Haley and Gavin had decided to bring her into the discussion. Refraining from glancing at her watch again, she said, “Congratulations! I’m also happy for you two. And I hope the wedding is beautiful. Now, though, I need to—”

  “Hold on. We’re not done,” Gavin said. “Now we can get to the part that involves you.”

  Returning to Gavin’s lap, Haley grinned at Chelsea. “Dylan mentioned that you’re in need of a job, and we’d like to offer you one. Temporary to start. And because we’d need you to be here while we’re on our honeymoon, room and board. We can’t pay a lot, but—”

  “Wait a minute...what?” This came from Dylan, but his question and confused tone expressed Chelsea’s thoughts and feelings perfectly.

  A job offer, room and board, and a small salary? It seemed too good to be true.

  “It’s simple,” Gavin said. “There’s a lot of work and planning to do for the camp before the first group of boys arrives in June. Unless we have someone here who can deal with the administrative necessities as they come up, we won’t be able to have a honeymoon.”

  “But this isn’t only about the wedding,” Haley said. “Beginning in October, the number of campers will increase. This means stricter guidelines, which means
more paperwork, more fund-raising needs, more...everything. I need an extra set of hands, period. We just want to be sure we have the right fit. So, what we’re offering is a temporary, part-time position to begin, but with the possibility of becoming full-time and permanent. Assuming all goes well.”

  At those words, Chelsea sat up a little straighter. Oh, Lord, this could be her saving grace.

  “Got it,” Dylan said, his voice sharp. “I understand the necessities, but I don’t know if offering the position to Chelsea so fast is well thought out. She...that is, she could be a...I don’t know, a nefarious diamond-and-gold-nugget thief, on the lam. Or an ax murderer!” He cringed. “Perhaps not either of those, but I think you’re jumping the gun.”

  “Diamond-and-gold-nugget thief?” Haley grinned in pure delight. “Are you on the lam, Chelsea? Or do you go around murdering innocent folks with big, bad axes?”

  “Nope. I only murder guilty folks, and my ax is rather dainty and small.” She gave Dylan a dirty look. What was with him? One second he was trying to throw money at her, and the next he was throwing her under the bus. “I’m neither a thief nor an ax-wielding serial killer, and if I was on the lam, I’d go somewhere warm. With a beach.”

  Dylan swiped his hand over his forehead. “That was rude. My sister offered you her home and she tends to—in the past, I mean—wear her heart on her sleeve. I overreacted.”

  “Out of protection and concern.” This was a response that Chelsea understood. Finally. “Maybe what you meant to say is that my résumé and references should be considered before an employment offer is made? That would be a logical sequence of events, would it not?”

  “Ah, yeah. That would be logical.”

  “But see, this is why you came into our lives at the perfect moment,” Haley said to Chelsea. “The wedding isn’t until mid-May, which is weeks and weeks away. By the time we leave for our honeymoon, you’ll be up to speed on the necessities, and as a bonus, you won’t require child care. We think it’s an ideal solution all the way around.”

  The theme song from The Twilight Zone played in Chelsea’s head. Was this fate or blind, dumb luck, or something else entirely? She didn’t know. This could be—no, it was—exactly what she and Henry needed. Their chance at a brand-new fresh start.