Page 63 of The Key Holder

Tomorrow was another day. Tonight, there was only us.

15

Ford

The next morning Dylan was conked out.

After three loads in two days, I figured he needed to rest so I slinked out of bed like the Grinch stealing Christmas. After slipping on a pair of sweats in the dark, I made my way downstairs and started the coffee. Before I could even break an egg, I heard the sound of a truck pulling into the drive.

I peered out the window to see River at the wheel. “He’s like a fucking rooster.” Thing 1 and Thing 2 were with him, but at least Dylan was still asleep. They’d only have me to harass. “Better to get this over with.” I opened the door and headed onto the porch.

“Morning, Ford.”

“The sun’s barely up.” I leaned against one of the posts and crossed my arms.

“Early bird gets the worm. What can I say?”

“No worms here⁠—”

“Just holes,” Axel interrupted.

I ignored him. “Will the hole be fixed today, or do you think you’ll have to come back tomorrow?”

“I think Brock will finish outside today. Axel and I will be working on the drywall in the bedroom,” River answered. “I give us a-uhhhh sixty percent chance of finishing today. You’re not sick of us already, are ya?”

“Not quite,” I lied, earning a big Santa Claus laugh from River.

“If you wanted to slap on a toolbelt, it would go a wee bit faster.”

As tempting as it was to help them leave sooner, I wasn’t sure they’d survive Dylan’s likely attacks if they flirted with me. The kind of attention I was getting from them reminded me of why I had given up on dating. It was flattering, sure, but it was also completely superficial.

“I’ll think about it.”

“You okay if we leave this door open.” He pointed to the one behind me. “We’re going to be in and out all day.”

“That’s fine.”

“You going for a picnic again with your friend.” River joined me on the porch.

“He’s more than a friend.”

“I bet he is.” He paused for a few seconds, before adding, “I hope you know all the teasing and flirting’s in good fun. Helps me pass the time.” When I didn’t respond, he continued, “The boys are complete dogs though, but I keep them on a short leash.”

“I bet you do.” I turned to head inside. “Help yourself to some coffee if you like.”

“Thank you, Ford. Will do.”

Dylan seemed to still be asleep, so with the fresh blueberries calling my name in the fridge, I decided to make some muffins. The thought of something warm and sweet waiting for Dylan seemed like a sensible antidote to the unexpected chaos of the last twenty-four hours.

My mind kept replaying River’s remarks, the assurance that his—or their—flirting was in good fun. It was obvious he thought it was. Even if it was the catalyst for Dylan and I to finally admit our attraction, it still chafed.

It wasn't the flirting itself that bothered me. After the split with Melissa, my dating life wasn’t a barren wasteland, and the gym was pretty much a cruising hotspot. No, it was the implication.

The way River looked at Dylan, and the way Brock and Axel looked at me. It was all surface.

After struggling with my feelings and ending my marriage, years of swimming in the shallow end of the dating pool was exhausting. I wanted something real, something beyond the initial spark. Easy hookups were exactly that…easy.

Then Dylan, of all people, had walked into my room—and life again—and somehow, we were here. A couple.