Redwood Bend (12 page)

Dylan was going to kill him. “I stayed to check out the small flying operations in the area. I want to know how they’re holding it together in a down economy with these high fuel costs and I’m throwing out the net for charter contracts. It’s business, Gran.”

“Is she a nice girl?”

He groaned. “I met a girl, that’s accurate. I took her and her children to McDonald’s, took her on a few bike rides, bought her a couple of hamburgers—not a real big deal. There is something else I meant to mention, but since nothing is firm…”

“What?”

“I’ve had a conversation with Jay Romney about work. If it’s the right project and the right terms…”

“Now that stuns me,” she said. There was silence, which was very strange for Adele. “I guess you’ve thought it through…”

“Jay has been in touch now and then over the years, always throwing out the invitation. And now, while business is down and Lang can handle things, it’s not a bad way to earn a little money.”

“The good news is, I think you can trust Jay,” Adele said. “But you haven’t shown an interest in acting since you started flying.”

“I’m motivated,” he said. “Business being what it is, and all.”

“Hmm. Listen, remember what we’ve always talked about…change can be good. What feels like a disaster can be your new opportunity. That’s how you got into flying in the first place—crisis pushed you. Stay positive. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

“It’s probably the train,” he muttered.

She laughed at him. “Sometimes you’re older than I am. Call me tomorrow. I want to talk to you and if you don’t call me, I’ll send out a search party. Or, I’ll just fly to Montana and camp out until you get there.”

“I’ll call,” he said, somewhat surprised that the offer of an easy way out hadn’t come.

“Incidentally, I’m fine,” she said curtly.

He moaned. He could be such a self-absorbed asshole. “I’m sorry, Gran. I’ve had so much on my mind. Are you really? Fine?”

“Never better, Dylan. Talk to you tomorrow.”

She disconnected.

He sat on top of that hill for a long time, staring out at the ocean. It was a while before he accepted the only conclusion he could have come to. He wasn’t going to be able to sleep at night unless he saw her one more time. He had to keep his word and say a proper goodbye to Katie. And if he was going to do that, he was going to make it memorable.

Seven

C
onner had taken the boys to the river to try a little fishing on Sunday, leaving Katie to sit on the front porch with Leslie and a couple of glasses of iced tea. “You can talk about it if you want to,” Leslie said.

“Oh, it was just a little crush,” she said. “I’ll get over it.”

“You’re so quiet,” Leslie said. “It must have been more than a little crush. At least a medium-size crush.”

Katie shrugged. “I first laid eyes on him just over two weeks ago, so no more than medium. For sure,” she said. But she didn’t sound convincing even to herself. “It’s all a fantasy, Leslie. There wasn’t anything real about it. But you want to know what bothers me? It’s so silly—I asked him to say goodbye before leaving the area. He said he would, but I guess he didn’t.”

“Damn, I wish I’d been paying attention when we were all in the bar! I can’t figure out which one he was.”

One corner of Katie’s mouth lifted. “He was the cute, dark-haired one with the outstanding butt.”

“I’m having an even harder time now,” Leslie said. “Since Conner came into my life, I haven’t noticed any other outstanding butts. Tell me the first thing that happened to make you think you had a little crush…”

“The second I saw him I couldn’t breathe for a minute, like a full minute. Then when I saw him at Jack’s it made me feel all tickly inside, but it was just one of those things. Seeing a cute, sexy guy and thinking,
wow.
I didn’t expect to ever see him again, but his friends all left, he stayed behind, he found the cabin and we talked. We went on a few bike rides. More talking. He kissed me. But boy…”

“He stayed? He found you? He kissed you?”

“Uh-huh. It kind of started when he happened to be in town one day when I picked up the boys from summer program and he took us to McDonald’s for dinner. Nothing much happened, except the boys were a little wilder than usual. And…well…” Her voice trailed off.

“And? Well? That’s when he kissed you?”

“No, not in front of the boys. One day when I dropped the boys off at summer program, he took me out on his bike—all day. He bought breakfast and lunch, drove us all over the place on some of the craziest roads—God, was that fun! I hadn’t been on a motorcycle in a long time. We did that again and again. I hadn’t held on to a cute, dangerous guy for several hours in such a long time. Charlie might’ve been my last cute, dangerous guy.”

“No kidding?” Leslie asked. “In over five years?”

“Pathetic, huh? I’ve been out on some dates, but no bells.”

“We don’t know that it’s all over already. He might find your little cabin again.”

“That’s probably not a great idea,” Katie said. “See, he’s thirty-five, has never married, likes to play the field, has no intention of ever settling down, likes kids fine but doesn’t want any, and— Okay, the bottom line here is—he’s ready Freddy and I am not a one-night stand. So I hope he’s gone. I do. Because I don’t know if I can say no to him again.”

Leslie sat up straighter. “Again? Did you leave out some parts here? Because a few bike rides, hamburgers and chitchat is all real nice, but…”

“We made out like a couple of teenagers on prom night. I nearly got nailed in broad daylight on a hilltop. It was awesome. And I’m not sure if I’m glad I held off or if I totally regret it.”

“Wow!” Leslie said. She fanned her face. “That’s what you left out. And that was it? He said goodbye and went back to wherever he came from and you’ll never see him again?”

“Sort of. But you know what? I had some fun, I have to remember that. He’s fun. Why are the bad boys always the fun ones, huh? I made him laugh even when he was trying to be serious, so he had fun, too. I have to remember that it was a good experience, didn’t get out of hand and it was about time there was a little something going on with a guy. But the hard part is that there was no goodbye. No closure. The one thing I didn’t want to be was completely forgettable.”

Leslie thought about this a second. “Maybe he’s still around?”

“Hmm. With some other girl, a little more willing than me, up on that hilltop? He said he’d be in touch. It’s been four days.”

“Does he seem like that kind of guy? A guy who would strike out with you and just find himself an easier target?”

“I don’t know, Les,” she said. “I can’t say I really know him. I got a strong sense of him, but that doesn’t mean I know him. The only thing he was really firm about is that he’ll never marry and have kids.” She gave a little shrug. “Anyone I get involved with has to take us all on.”

“Whoops. I guess you eliminated him first.”

“I told him he hadn’t done anything for me that qualified as a date yet.”

And Leslie spewed her tea as she burst out laughing. Katie couldn’t help but join her. “Well, at least he’ll have something to think about on his way out of town.”

“Totally,” Katie agreed.

And then there was the slow rumble of a motorcycle. They exchanged looks and they both went completely still. It seemed to growl through the town without ever accelerating or stopping. Neither of them could move. And then it came down Leslie’s street, stopping behind Katie’s SUV.

He casually braked, stabilized and dismounted, walking slowly toward the porch with his helmet in the crook of his arm, grinning pleasantly. “I thought that might be your car,” he said. “I checked at your place, but you weren’t there. Because you’re here, I guess.” He approached the porch and put one booted foot on the step. Katie
loved
those pointy-toed cowboy boots.

“Lost?” she asked.

“I was looking for you,” he said. He glanced at Leslie, whose mouth was hanging open. “Hi. I’m Dylan.”

“Hi,” she said in a whisper. Then she cleared her throat and said, “Hi.”

“This is Leslie,” Katie said. “My future sister-in-law. Les, this is Dylan.”

“Hi,” she said again.

Dylan chuckled. “I don’t see the twins. What are the chances they’re in jail?”

“They’re fishing with Uncle Conner.” She glanced at her watch. “I guess they’ll be back in an hour or so.”

“I was hoping you’d have a little more than an hour. I wanted to take you somewhere. And it’s a grown-up thing.”

“Where?” she wanted to know.

“It’s a surprise, but I’m convinced you’ll like it.”

“She’s covered,” Leslie shot in. “The boys are…um…they’re staying overnight. They want to…camp out in the backyard with Uncle Conner. Or something.”

Dylan lifted one curious brow. Suspicious.

“Can I talk to you for one second before you go?” Leslie asked Katie. “Inside?”

“Sure,” she said. “Be right back.” And she followed Leslie into the house.

They were barely inside when Leslie grabbed Katie and shoved her up against the wall. Her eyes were a little wild, which came close to frightening Katie. “Do you know who that
is?
” she whispered.

“That’s Dylan.”

“Dylan
Childress,
” Leslie informed her, letting go.

Katie chuckled. “I forgot, we’re the same age. The guys around here would never notice.”

“But you knew, right?”

She gave a short nod. “But I haven’t mentioned it and neither has he. And even though I was in love with him for a good five years when I was a kid, that has nothing to do with the guy I know now. I swear to heaven.”

“He thinks you don’t know?” Leslie asked.

She shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m not squealing, screaming and throwing my underwear at him. I’m making him work for attention, like a regular guy.” Then she grabbed Leslie’s arms. “I’m not playing hard to get, Les. I’m just not laying down because twenty years ago he was a twelve-year-old’s heartthrob.”

“But…you’re
glowing,
” Leslie said. “Oh, my God, you’re
glowing!
”

“Pah,” she said. “I can’t imagine why—of all the Hollywood boys during our adolescence, didn’t he have almost the worst reputation? He acts like a regular guy, but I honestly have no way of knowing if he’s overcome all that naughtiness.”

“Oh, I hope not…I mean
so,
I hope
so,
” Leslie said. “You look pretty happy.”

“I might be pleased that he came looking for me, but I am not going to be fooled by a little showmanship. I’m a little warm, however.” She fanned her face. “Besides, he’s just going to say goodbye. Which is admirable, when you think about it. He could’ve just left and it’s not like I could chase him down and reprimand him.” Then she swallowed and said, “I should have a drink of water.”

“I’ll keep the boys overnight. We’ll grill hot dogs. Watch a movie. I’ll bring them home on my way to work in the morning. You can get them into fresh clothes for summer program. And after work? I’ll be wanting every detail! Every single detail!”

“I don’t do that to you, do I?”

“Totally different!” Leslie said. “Conner is your brother. And Dylan was my secret boyfriend for
years.
”

Katie laughed at her; half the female population in this age group probably felt the same way. “Can we go out there now? Find out what he has in mind?”

Leslie ran her hands over her hips to dry her palms. “By all means. Try to look calm.”

“I think you’re the one who should take a few deep breaths.”

Dylan was waiting, his foot still on the porch step.

“So,” Katie said. She lifted one brow.

“I want to show you something very cool.”

“Want me to follow you?”

“I want to take the bike. You like the bike and it’s a lot easier. But you have to change into jeans. You know—bike rules.” He looked her over with a smile. She was wearing a pretty, lightweight summer dress. “That’s sexy as hell, but it could end up over your head on the freeway and you could cause accidents. We need jeans. Want to go change? And I’ll follow you?”

“Okay,” she said with a laugh. Then she turned to Leslie and asked, “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Of course. Conner will be thrilled.”

I’m not so sure about that,
Katie thought.

When they arrived at the cabin, Katie parked and gave him a wave as she went inside. To her surprise, he was tailing her and the second she was in the door, he grabbed her hand, whirled her around and planted a deep, wet kiss on her. His voice was hoarse when he broke from the kiss and spoke. “I wish I’d thought this through better,” he said. “A dress. I never thought you’d be in a dress. I bet I could get under that dress without as much fight out of you.”

She laughed at him. She couldn’t help it—she was so happy to see him, she stroked his face. “Do you get a big kick out of being a bad boy?”