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I follow her gaze and spin toward the garage to see Dean walking down the stairs with his keys and phone in his hands.
He’s dressed casually today in a pair of tight jeans and a loose black shirt. His tattoos peek out from the sleeves, but it’s the aviators on his face that add to the look and have my sister and I speechless as we watch him approach us.
He lifts a hand awkwardly in greeting, and we return the gesture.
Standing from the pool chair, I take a clumsy step toward him.
“Dean, this is my sister, Juliet,” I say, gesturing to her. “Juliet, this is Dean Sheridan. He is the new tenant in our garage apartment.”
“Nice to meet you,” he says politely, with a curt nod.
“Yeah…” she stutters. “Nice to meet you, too.”
The air grows awkward quickly as it’s obvious just how much she’s checking him out. Suddenly, I find myself standing between them as if I can block her view.
“Dean,” Abby calls from the pool. “Look how long I can hold my breath!”
With that, she plunges her face under the water, and I glance up at him sheepishly.
“I told her what you were doing in the pool that day, and she’s been practicing ever since.”
Abby only lasts about twenty seconds before she pops her head up for air.
“Very impressive,” he says flatly.
“Good job, honey,” I add, to boost her confidence. Then I turn back toward him. “Is everything okay?”
He nods. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
I swallow my disappointment. Just once, I wish he would need something that I could provide.
“Okay, sorry, we won’t keep you,” I say to him. “But let me know if you need anything.”
After he shuffles in place for a moment, he waves goodbye and gets into his car.
It’s awkwardly quiet for a few minutes after he pulls away before my sister starts.
“Well, he’s interesting,” she says.
“Yeah.”
“And not very good with kids.”
“I mean, he’s young,” I say, defending him.
“He’s alsoverygood-looking,” she replies quietly.
“Is he?” I reply, staring forward. “I hadn’t really noticed.”
She starts laughing, and I chuckle to myself.
“It would drive Kyle crazy to know a good-looking young man like that was living on our property while he was gone all day.”
My laughter dies as I start to pick at my nails nervously.
Is it driving Caleb crazy? I mean, the other night, he did act a little strange when I was up late, and I suspect he might have seen Dean was also up late, but why wouldn’t he just say something?
Is it weird that I sort of wish it was driving Caleb crazy? Maybe a little jealousy would do him some good. I want him to start acting like my husband.
