Tumble (Dogwood Lane 1)

“Oh, she’ll have a boyfriend,” I tease. “Have you seen those green eyes?”

He rubs his palm on his forehead, making me laugh. “Between Haley and me, she’s being flooded with ‘boys are bad’ rhetoric.”

“So,” I say, clearing my throat. “Who is Haley, anyway?”

As he stretches his arms over his head, his features fill with amusement. “I forgot about your little jealousy over her.”

“I’m not jealous. I have no reason to be jealous. Clearly.”

“Fine. I’m fucking her.”

“Fine.”

I look off into the distance, jealousy burning through me. Just as I’m ready to shove off the chair and head to my car, he bursts out laughing.

“She’s my first cousin,” he admits. “My dad’s brother came to town right after Katie left. Haley and I kind of hit it off in a non-incest kind of way.” He lets that sink in. “She had just graduated and didn’t have a plan, so I hired her to stay and help with Mia. She does that and works at the library. It’s a win-win.” He watches me sag against the rocker. “Does that help your jealousy?”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Sure. For the record, I find it kind of adorable that you’re still jealous to think I’m sleeping with someone else.”

“Of course you are,” I say. “Do you think I think either of us has been celibate in the last however many years?”

A shadow falls across his eyes, sending a chill up my spine.

“Besides,” I rush, “maybe you’ll find someone whom Mia loves and you love and you can create a family.”

“If there’s one thing I know,” he says, getting to his feet, “it’s that I won’t be falling in love. My track record with women is shit. I messed up with you. Something happened to Katie. I tried one more serious relationship with a girl named Sara, and she left. Mia was heartbroken.”

I stand too. Dane’s bodywash rolls through the air as he leans against the house. I fight hard to stay focused on the topic at hand and not on the sliver of skin showing right above his waistline.

“I get it,” I say. “I won’t be falling in love either.”

“Why?”

“You broke my heart. One other guy I was kind of serious about almost cost me my job. He hated that I worked with mostly men. Hated how many hours I worked. Hated that I was a terrible cook, because his mom was a chef with dinner on the table every night at six.”

“So I’m a dick and he was an ass. How’s that stopping you now?”

I think about that. “I’m not where I want to go yet. There are a hundred things I want to accomplish before I settle down and let someone else influence that,” I admit. “I told myself when I was a little girl that I’d get out of Dogwood Lane and prove that I could be something, and I don’t feel like I’ve proven that yet.”

His eyes twinkle with golden flecks as he watches me. “I think you’re something all right.”

Swatting him in the chest, I head toward the stairs. I stop short of descending. “I am sorry for what I said to you. I was sorry before I knew your child was Mia. I just didn’t know how to tell you or if I should. If it mattered.”

He shoves off the wall and saunters toward me. Towering over me, he gazes down. “It always matters. You always matter.” Scratching the back of his head, he sighs. “Mia thinks an awful lot of you. Thank you for helping her.”

“It was really my pleasure.”

An innuendo that has nothing to do with the topic at hand is on the tip of my tongue. When Dane smirks, I know it’s on his too. I also know I need to go. Now.

“Have a good night,” I say, heading down the steps.

“Hey, Neely.”

I stop in the middle of the sidewalk and turn around. He’s leaning against a post, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Yeah?” I ask.

“You made Mia really happy today. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And . . .” He rolls his eyes for my benefit while trying not to crack a smile. “You might’ve, you know, made me happy with your apology. Even though I still think you need a communications class.”

“I’ll make a note of that.” I get to my car, my heart fluttering away, and open the door. Before climbing in, I look at him one final time. “Good night.”

“’Night.”

With a final grin that turns me to goo, he enters the house. I slip into my car and turn on the ignition and crank on the air-conditioning full blast. Still, I don’t move. Instead, I think about what he’s doing inside. Which room is his. What Mia is doing right now.

Grabbing my phone from the cup holder, I pull up my email and find the drafts folder.

Dear Mr. Snow,