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“It’s all good,” he says, and I swallow, looking between him and my dad again.
“Go on, baby girl,” Dad orders, and I pull in a breath, take the money from Harlen, and send my dad a look before leaving.
I don’t know what happens when I’m gone, but when I get back, my dad gives me a hug goodbye and a look to Harlen. When I ask Harlen what he and my dad talked about, he tells me it’s nothing I need to worry about. So for once in my life, I don’t worry. Instead, I hang out, eat Chinese food, and then play another game of pool before getting another touch of his lips to my forehead and a goodbye at my car.
***
Hearing my cell phone ring on the way to my parents’ house, I hit the Accept button on my dash then almost run off the road when my cousin June shrieks, “Ashlyn and Dillon got married in Vegas!”
“What?” I shout back in stunned disbelief. I knew there has always been some serious chemistry between the two of them, but I had no idea they were together, especially not enough to get married.
“Evan just told me that Jax is going postal. Apparently, he walked into Ash’s house and found out they got married, lost his mind, and tried to take Dillon out.”
“Shut up.”
“No, you shut up!” she yells, and I smile at my windshield. “God, I can’t believe it. I mean, I can believe it, because they have been beating around the bush for a while now, but still. Married, that’s just crazy.”
“I’m happy for them,” I murmur, and then my stomach pitches. “Wait… what about Isla?”
“I don’t know,” she mutters like she just remembered about Isla too. Isla is the woman Dillon was engaged to. I only met her once, but that one time left an impression, and not a good one.
“I hope it all works out for them.”
“Me too,” she agrees, and then continues. “Her dad is going to flip when he finds out.”
“Uncle Cash doesn’t know?” I whisper.
“Apparently not, and since Uncle Cash and Aunt Lilly are in Florida with Grandma and Grandpa, they probably won’t for a while unless Jax tells them, and I doubt he’s going to do that.”
“I don’t envy Ash,” I mutter my understatement. My dad would lose his mind if I got married in Vegas without telling him, and I know Uncle Cash is going to flip out when he finds out his only girl did that without him there to give her away.
“Me neither, but they’ll be okay. I mean, look at me and Evan. Everything worked out for us in the end.”
“True,” I agree, pulling up and parking out front of my parents’ house.
“Anyway, how are things with you? I heard you and Harlen hung out a few nights ago and that he took you coffee last night.”
How the hell did she hear he brought me coffee last night? Yesterday morning, he called to ask what kind of coffee I liked. I told him, not thinking anything of it, and then later that evening, he showed up at the hospital to bring me coffee and a muffin. It was sweet, but it sucked that I didn’t have time to chat, since I wasn’t on break. Still, before he left, we made plans to go out barstool shopping this evening after he gets off work.
“I—”
“He’s a good guy. Scary, but super hot. I’m happy for you. We should set up a double date.”
“We’re just friends.”
“Sure.” She laughs.
“No really, we’re just friends,” I repeat, this time a little more firmly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. Hell, not wanting to give myself the wrong idea. For some reason unbeknownst to me, Harlen decided we were going to be friends. Not friends in a way that I would enjoy a whole lot more, like friends with benefits. So as much as I want to rip off his clothes and have my way with him, I’m going to take this for what it is.
“Okay,” she agrees, but I know she doesn’t believe me. “I’ll talk to Evan about dinner.”
“I… okay,” I agree, dropping my head to the steering wheel and tapping it there twice.
“I gotta get back to class. The bell’s about to ring. We’ll talk soon.”
“Soon, have a good day.” I lift my head and look out the windshield.
“Yeah, you too.” She hangs up.
Opening my door, I get out and head up the porch and twist the knob for the door while pushing thoughts of Harlen out of my mind.
“Dad, Mom!” I shout as I walk into the house, not even bothering to knock.
“In the kitchen!” Mom calls, so I toss my purse to the entryway table and head down the hall into the kitchen. Seeing my mom at the stove and my dad sitting at the island, I head for my mom, kiss her cheek, and then go to my dad and tuck myself under his arm he holds up.
