by Vella, Wendy
“Dylan—”
“No more thank-yous, Piper.”
She bit her lip to keep the words inside her mouth.
“Okay.”
He pulled over at the end of her drive, leaving the car idling.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to say something.” Dylan turned to face her.
“What?”
“If this was any other time and place, then I’d have wanted more between us, Piper. I just needed you to know that. But I hope we can at least stay friends.”
She swallowed down the lump in her throat.
“Of course we can stay friends,” she managed to get out. Because at least if they stayed friends she would know what he was doing with his life. She’d make sure of that. “Give me your email address and I’ll send you updates on Grace.”
“And you.” He cupped her cheek. “I want to know about you too.”
“I don’t think there’s going to be much to say on that front. My life is now focused around this little girl. No dating, no going out.”
She watched his eyes as she said “dating” but they didn’t look worried about the prospect of her seeing other men. Why did that thought piss her off so much?
He didn’t speak again, just leaned in and laid a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. Then he started the car and they were heading toward the main house.
The door opened as the car stopped outside, and out they ran.
“Your family will get you through this, Piper.”
“I kn-know.” She felt the tears spill over her lashes.
His big hand reached over and wrapped around hers. He squeezed it gently.
“It’ll be okay now.”
Opening the door as Joe reached her, she let him pull her into his arms.
“You okay, sweetheart?”
“I am now I’m home.”
He released her as Jack arrived, and she was hugged by everyone, including her mother, who she hadn’t realized had arrived home.
“Mom.” Piper sobbed loudly, falling into her parent’s arms.
“She’s so sweet.”
The words came from Bailey. Easing out of the embrace, Piper turned to find Dylan holding Grace. The little girl had her arms around him and her face burrowed into his neck.
“I’ll get the stuff out of the car,” Luke said, and Jack followed.
“I’ll take her.” Piper moved closer. “She’s probably a bit shy with all the people. Gracie?” Piper touched her cheek. “You want to come to me now? Dylan has to go.”
Lifting her head, she looked at Dylan, then Piper.
“Do I get a kiss?” Dylan puckered up, and the little girl leaned in and kissed him. He handed her to Piper. There was no expression on his face; he was once again the man who had arrived in Ryker Falls.
“Thanks, bud, for everything you did.” Joe shook his hand.
“No worries. Joe, you got a minute?”
“Sure.” Her cousin walked with Dylan back to the driver side of his car.
Piper let her family take her inside. She didn’t want to watch him drive away from her, because for the first time in her life she’d found a man who maybe one day she could have built a life with. A man who did not feel for her what she felt for him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Four days after Dylan dropped Grace and Piper at her place, he still hadn’t made any plans to leave Ryker Falls. His father was finally healing and should be home next week, but his mother had come down with something. It was both debilitating and painful, and started with nosebleeds, then bruising and convulsions. She’d been admitted to hospital and thankfully had stabilized. The doctors were doing tests but that would take time. For now she was home, but weak and bedridden. He couldn’t leave when she was like that. Especially if she didn’t recover before Dad was due to come home.
He’d taken a long leave from work, and the plan had been to do some traveling, which he still would hopefully get around to.
Dylan was now sitting on his bed, back against the wall, trying to think about anything but Piper and Grace.
He’d checked on his mother earlier, and she was sleeping. Pale, she was struggling to shake whatever the hell it was that was laying her low.
Pulling out his phone, he looked again at the picture he’d taken of Grace the morning he’d woken to her crying. She was giving him a sweet smile. He needed to delete it. What weirdo had a picture on his phone of a child he had no connection to?
He’d done some tough things in his lifetime, dealt with people he’d rather forget, but nothing had left a lasting effect on him like leaving Piper and Grace that day.
Even though she’d been surrounded by her family, he’d felt like he was deserting both of them. Letting them down in some way. It wasn’t a rational feeling, because he had no rights to either of them, and didn’t want any, but four days later his thoughts were consumed with the pair. Was Grace sleeping? Was Piper sleeping? Who was helping her in the middle of the night?
He liked children, but had never imagined himself as a parent—yet since that night with Grace, all that had changed. It surprised him how much he’d enjoyed being with Piper and the child. Surprised, and yes, shocked him.
Dylan pocketed his phone as a knock sounded on the door. Relieved for a break from his thoughts, he opened it. Ava stood on the other side.
“Hey.”
“Mr. Goldhirsh said you need to get moving, as the jogging group are waiting.”
“What?” He actually shook his head.
“You deaf?”
Looking her over, he noted the exercise tights and pale blue sweatshirt.
“I think I like the polite Ava better. This one has way too much attitude for me.”
Things had slowly been changing between him and his sisters. Charlie and he were closer, much closer. They talked, laughed, and just hung out. Ava was a tougher nut to crack, but at least that polite facade had chipped, and he was now subjected to her attitude, which was probably how she’d treat her big brother anyway if they’d been close.
She gave him a sickly smile. Last night the three of them had spent time watching a movie together. Zander had been working, so Ava had been at a loose end, and as her brother and sister were in the room she’d wanted to be in, she’d stayed. But there had been plenty of moaning about the movie choice.
“He brought two of Mom’s friends with him. They’re spending the day with her because he thinks ‘we,’” she made air quotes, which was something he tried really hard to never do in life because it annoyed the hell out of him, “need the exercise.”
“That man could manipulate anyone into doing anything,” Dylan said. “Are you actually running too?”
She shrugged. “I like him, and he’s always been good to me.”
“Plus there’s that thing he has.”
Her smile was small, but still, it was a smile.
“Yes, he’s a master manipulator.”
“Sure, okay, I’ll just get changed and be down. And, Ava?” She turned. “I’m kicking your ass.”
“Doubt that, old man,” she threw over her shoulder. “Besides, it’s not a race.”
He needed the exercise, if only to clear his head. Removing Piper and Grace from his thoughts briefly would be a relief.
He pulled on shorts that came to his knees, a T-shirt, then a sweatshirt and knitted cap. On his feet he wore trainers.
He went to check on his mom before he left. She had two women with her. Both sat in chairs, and one was shuffling cards.
“We’re going out for a run, Mom. You need anything before we do?”
“No, I have my friends here now. You get along, and enjoy your time.”
He waited, but nothing sounding like a lecture came next. She must be sick, he thought.
“Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Jones, how are you?”
“Well thank you, Dylan, and it’s past time you returned.”
Mrs. Taylor had a thin face and lips that he remembered were always p
ainted bright orange, and still were. Although now the lines that bracketed her mouth sucked the color upward.
He didn’t respond to her words, which had her expression turning frostier.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, backing out of the room.
Voices greeted him as he took the stairs.
“Morning, Dylan.”
“Mr. Goldhirsh.”
The man sat at the kitchen table, looking relaxed, which Dylan guessed he did most of the time.
“You’re not the type who scares easily then, Mr. Goldhirsh?” Dylan said. “Considering you arrived with Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Jones.”
He wore a woolen hat pulled low over his brows and a long-sleeved thermal over which he had a T-shirt with the words London Marathon. On his legs were thermal pants and bright blue shorts.
“Elaine Taylor is all right, she’s just spent her life being mean and needs a reminder how to behave now and again.”
Ava was leaning against the counter eating oatmeal, and Charlie was dressed for the run and eating toast.
“So you got all the Howard siblings to accompany you this morning?”
His smile flashed a row of white teeth. Even the man’s dental hygiene was good. If he was the kind to feel inadequate, Mr. Goldhirsh would do it to him.
“Told you I’d pick you up for a run on Sunday. Today’s Sunday, and we’re going running.”
“Okay, let’s get it done then,” Dylan said, waving everyone toward the door. He stopped when his cell rang. Looking at the caller ID, he lifted a hand.
“I need to take this, sorry.”
Mr. Goldhirsh waved him to take it.
“Mickey,” Dylan answered the call. “What you got for me?”
“Whoever set out to get your sister knew what they were doing, Dylan. Fake email and bank accounts; he had access to everything he needed in her life to make this look legit. I need to dig deeper, so I’ll get back to you when I have more.”
Dylan listened as Mickey, a work friend, outlined what he’d found while digging into this business with Charlie.
“Okay thanks, man, I owe you.”
Pocketing the phone, he headed outside to where the others were waiting. Soon they were on the road. The pace started slow, and they met with a group of people at the end of the street who were wearing shirts that said Ryker Roadies.
“We don’t have to wear those do we?”
“You only get those if you earn them,” Mr. Goldhirsh fired back.
They were soon running up the hill toward town, and Dylan had to say it felt good. Mickey’s words were a concern, and he’d talk to Charlie about them later, but for now he’d just enjoy running with his sisters.
“So, Ava, there was me thinking you were a sloth.” He fell in beside his little sister.
“I was shocked, I’m not gonna lie.” Charlie moved in on her right.
“I like running, it clears your head.”
“It does,” Dylan agreed.
The Howards then did something he didn’t think they’d ever done before in their lives: they spent the next twenty minutes together in peaceful solitude. No one spoke, they simply ran, and Dylan had to say having his sisters with him, no matter how briefly, was really something.
Whatever these changes inside him were, and why he was experiencing them he didn’t know, for now he wanted this closeness with his family. Wanted to try and forge some kind of relationship with the two women at his side.
Fall was producing some awesome scenery. The maples and ash trees were spectacular. Dylan knew there were plenty of others, he just didn’t know their names.
“It’s pretty special.” Charlie looked around. “I don’t know how I let myself forget this.”
“Me too,” Dylan agreed. “The air is so clear and fresh.”
“You’re not breaking into song anytime soon are you?” Ava mocked them.
Dylan grabbed her and dug his fingers into her side. She squirmed like she’d used to. Her laughter was sweet and genuine and it filled his chest.
“Heard how you helped Piper bring that little girl here. Good work.”
The man who spoke was in his fifties, was Dylan’s guess. Tall and lean, he was just in front of the Howards.
“Thanks.”
“How’s your dad?”
They’d been running about twenty minutes when the questions started, almost like the rest of the runners had been given the okay by Mr. Goldhirsh now the Howard kids had settled in.
“He’ll be home soon, thank you for asking,” Charlie said to a gray-haired woman with a face that looked like a worn leather boot. Too much sun time was Dylan’s guess.
“Good. Helps having his children around.”
“Hear your mom’s unwell. Try green tea and honey, can help to soothe the cramps.”
Ten minutes later they’d circled back and were heading into the main street of Ryker, and in that time had been given recipes for healing tonics and promises of baking.
“Anyone take notes?” Dylan said when they’d stopped. The pace hadn’t been too strenuous, but the questions had been constant.
“What the hell was that about?” Charlie whispered, still looking fresh.
Ava was bent double, sucking in lungfuls of air. Dylan placed a hand on her back.
“You okay there?”
She lifted a hand but said nothing.
“Yeah, I remember what they were like. Everyone always knows everything about everyone,” Charlie said. “You didn’t tell me about going to Rummer with Piper and helping her with that little girl. I mean, I knew you’d gone away for a night, but nothing else. It was nice of you to help her.”
“No big deal, she needed help, so I gave it.”
Charlie moved to stand in front of him, close enough that he could read the expression in her eyes.
“Maggs told me yesterday she thinks there’s something there.”
“Meaning?” Dylan said calmly.
“Meaning she thinks you and Piper have a thing.”
“Really?” Ava joined Charlie. “What kind of thing?”
“The I’d like to carry your lunch to school kind of thing,” Charlie added.
“What? No.” Dylan shook his head and tried to laugh it off. “We don’t even know each other... not really.”
“You spent the night together in Rummer, plenty of time for getting acquainted to my mind.”
“Plenty of time,” Ava agreed.
“I thought we didn’t do this stuff,” he managed to get out around the obstruction in his throat. The thought of having a “thing” with Piper wasn’t something he wanted to contemplate, because when he did the only word he could use to describe what he was feeling was excitement.
“What stuff?” Ava frowned.
“The sister-brother stuff,” he said.
“We thought we’d give it a go.”
“Nice,” Dylan said. “But don’t think that means you’re both going to start by ganging up on me. I’m the oldest, only I get to do that.”
This produced hoots of laughter, interrupted by a sharp whistle.
“Breakfast!” Mr. Goldhirsh called. “At Phil’s.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Piper’s yawn was wide enough to crack her jaw.
“You doing okay there, sweetheart?”
“Sure, Joe. Sleep deprivation is not something you get used to overnight.”
She was working the morning shift. They’d cut her back to two a week until everything was sorted with Grace. Joe and her mom had insisted, because she needed some time with adults and to leave the house.
Joe, Jack, and Luke had arrived with Grace to have breakfast, and Piper had to say that seeing her little girl made her smile.
She was Piper’s little girl now. After several days of sleepless nights, tears, hugs, and changing diapers, they were now a team, as was the rest of her family.
“She likes donuts,” Luke said, smiling.
“She likes everything,” Piper added. “But she shouldn
’t have too much sugar.”
Grace was sitting on Jack’s knee while Luke fed her, even though they had a high chair in the cafe.
She’d never have been able to do this without her family’s help. Nights were her domain, and she’d insisted on this. Her family needed their sleep, and Grace was settling down now into a routine and only woke once. But the early starts were taking some getting used to.
Her mom had been amazing, and took to being a grandmother with ease. She was often seen dancing around the house with Grace on her hip, and the little girl had certainly taken to her.
Piper had seen nothing of Dylan since he’d dropped her and Grace off, and the hell of it was she missed him. Missed his big, solid presence. Missed that little zap of excitement that came with seeing him, but most of all she missed the real Dylan she’d got to know that day and night in Rummer. The kind, gentle Dylan who had dropped that cool exterior and been her rock when she’d needed one.
“Come here, Gracie, let your favorite uncle hold you.” Joe picked her up and made kissy noises under her chin that had her giggling.
The resilience of children, Piper thought. She’d accepted this life, and while she’d probably not forgotten her mom yet, it wouldn’t take long—which was a sad thought. Piper needed to find a picture of Joanie and get it framed so she could talk about her with Grace.
The funeral had been small with just Piper and a handful of her friends and family in attendance. She’d done everything she could to make it special, including a celebration of her life afterward back at the house.
“Well, as I live and breathe, it’s the Howards, all together,” Joe said softly.
Piper’s eyes went to the door and there he was. Big and sweaty, the man’s looks hadn’t deteriorated in the last five days. Hell no, to her sleep-depraved mind they’d increased. In front of Dylan walked his sisters.
He looked happier; the tight, closed expression on his face had gone. It made him look more relaxed.
Piper stayed where she was behind the coffee machine and fought the twin urges to smile and throw herself at him.
“Joe.” Dylan shook his hand, but his eyes were on Piper before settling on Grace.
The little girl shrieked and lunged at him, arms out.
