When Snow Falls (Whiskey Creek #2)(49)
Author: Brenda Novak

“No, you don’t. You’ve never even been around him.” She held her spoon midway to her mouth but seemed to have forgotten about eating. “I have the night off. You should go over there with me.”

The car keys were beginning to cut into Cheyenne’s hand, she was holding them so tightly. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you should see what he’s like—at least enough to realize what you’re turning away.”

“I’ve seen what he’s like.”

“No, you haven’t, or you wouldn’t be asking me about him. Get to know him. Don’t make your decision based on gossip. You hate it when people judge you because of me and Mom.”

That got to her. But what would Dylan think if she suddenly showed up at his house with her sister?

“He wouldn’t want me there,” she said. Not after what she’d told him last night. She’d felt his resolution, the sense of finality when he’d left her at the B and B.

“Are you kidding? I’m sure he’d love it. If not, he can tell you to leave.”

“And who’ll watch Mom?”

“What about Marcy?”

“She hasn’t been here in weeks. Mom’s gotten a lot worse since then.”

“She’s a nurse, Chey. I think she can handle it.”

“But it’s the holidays!”

“Won’t hurt to ask. I bet she’d be willing. She said we could call her anytime we need a break. You know she really wants to help. Or we can call hospice and see if they have anyone to suggest.”

“I don’t know….”

“For God’s sake, take a risk! You always play it so safe.”

Because she had to compensate for the rest of her family! Their behavior forced her to the opposite end of the spectrum.

But Presley had a point. If Marcy could watch Anita, maybe she should at least learn enough about Dylan to make an informed decision. Otherwise, how could she say Joe was really the better choice?

“Fine.”

Presley blinked in surprise. “Really?”

Cheyenne could guess what her friends would say. They’d warn her to stay away from Dylan; Eve already had.

But she was the one who’d have to live with her decision. “Really.”

* * *

Dylan was in a terrible mood. He blamed it on an argument with Aaron at work and the fact that Saturday was their busiest—and therefore his most stressful—day. But he usually managed just fine regardless of the challenges he faced at the shop. And he doubted he would’ve gotten into it with Aaron in the first place if he’d had a little more patience.

It was Cheyenne. She was driving him crazy. He’d told himself he wouldn’t speak to her or touch her ever again. Yet that was all he wanted to do. Thoughts of her—her lips parting when he kissed her, her body arching into him as he cupped her breast, her soft gasp when he touched her in a way she particularly liked—intruded no matter what he was doing or how hard he tried to distract himself. Sometimes he even thought he could smell her perfume.

It didn’t help that he hadn’t used any protection at The Gold Nugget last night. She could be carrying his child. He wondered how she might react to that.

He wondered how he’d react to it.

Maybe what he was going through served him right. He supposed he was due for a little poetic justice. He’d never fallen hopelessly in love. He’d made fun of other guys who’d let a woman get the best of them, found it funny that they could no longer think straight. That they were so willing to sacrifice their pride, so willing to act like idiots, drooling over women who didn’t want them.

He’d promised himself that would never be him. Until now it’d been easy. He still wasn’t sure quite where he’d gone wrong. He’d been traveling through life quite comfortably—had pretty much hit cruise control after conquering the problems of the past decade—and then he’d run into Cheyenne in the park and the earth had dropped away.

But he wasn’t going to give in and see her, wouldn’t allow her to manipulate his emotions. He didn’t care how much his self-denial made him suffer. At least he’d suffer on his own terms.

“Shit, Dyl, you look like you’re ready to hit somebody,” Mack said as he climbed into Dylan’s Jeep so they could head home for the day.

Dylan wanted to hit somebody. He needed an outlet for the tension coursing through him. But it wasn’t until Mack pointed it out that he realized he’d been glowering, and that he had a death grip on the steering wheel. Forcing himself to ease up, he smiled ruefully. “Hard day.”

Mack shrugged. “Was it? Seemed about the same as any other day to me.”

“Aaron and I got into it again.” He tried to fall back on that, but Mack kept him honest.

“You and Aaron get into it all the time.”

Dylan let the engine idle as he waited for Aaron, Grady and Rod, who were in Grady’s Explorer, to pass through the gate ahead of them. He always left last, so he could lock up. It was a ritual. “I’m worried about him.”

Mack sighed. “I know.”

“Where’s he getting it?” Dylan rolled through the gate, then stopped so he could go back and fasten the padlock. But he paused for Mack’s answer before getting out.

With a scowl, Mack stared after his brothers. Dylan didn’t need to explain what “it” was. “I have no idea.”

“It’s not Carl.”

“I don’t think so.”

Dylan could tell Mack felt torn. He didn’t want to narc on one brother to another. But Dylan didn’t want to play the role of parent, either. It was just that he had no choice. He’d been thrust into that position, and because he loved his brothers, he didn’t have the luxury of handling it any other way. He’d tried being cool, letting Aaron cope with his own problems. That wasn’t working.

“You’d tell me, though, right?”

Mack pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he dropped his hand and turned to face Dylan. “Yeah. I’d tell you.”

“What about Presley?”

“She could be bringing it.”

“So what do I do about that?”

“I guess you’ll have to have a talk with her.”

Dylan put the Jeep in Park and opened the door. “Yeah, I guess I will,” he said, but they both knew the risks. Once Aaron found out Dylan had gotten involved, there’d be another fight. And this time, Aaron could very likely leave. He’d come close to it before.