AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Warren mentioned he invited you to his fundraiser in New York,” Dylan said as they headed back to Callie’s apartment much later that afternoon.
Callie nodded. “I talked to him on Wednesday. He asked me to come.” She hadn’t thought of her father or his invitation all weekend.
Dylan looked over at her as they waited for the light at the end of her street. “Stay with me instead of in a hotel.”
Taken aback by his offer, she didn’t immediately respond. “I’m not sure I’m going,” she admitted. While she thought she wanted to get to know her father better, she couldn’t see herself fitting in at an event like that. She didn’t know how much tickets to this fundraiser cost, but she’d read somewhere that people sometimes paid thousands of dollars a ticket to these types of things.
Then there was the fact that the rest of Warren’s family would be there. She hadn’t met his son Jake, but his daughter seemed to hate her, and Callie couldn’t tell what his wife thought of her. Having her wisdom teeth pulled sounded more enjoyable than a whole night in their company.
“Come. Warren wants you there.” Dylan pulled into her driveway and killed the engine. “I want you there,” he added, brushing his hand across her check. “We’ll have fun. I promise.”
She didn’t respond right away. His offer was so tempting. Another whole weekend with him sounded delightful, especially if it turned out to be even half as enjoyable as this one. Staying with him at his place seemed like a giant step. Then there was the fundraiser. If she agreed to stay with Dylan, she’d have to go. There would be no getting out of it, and at the moment, Callie was still leaning toward not attending no matter who wanted her there.
“Say yes.” Dylan leaned closer so he could kiss her neck just below her ear.
He sounded so sincere that she couldn’t resist. “Okay. I’ll come.”
A satisfied smile spread across Dylan’s face. Pulling her as close as he could inside the car, he kissed her lips tenderly at first. Soon the kiss turned hotter, more demanding.
The sound of his cell phone filled the car. Breathless, Callie watched as Dylan pulled the phone from his pocket and turned it off. “I’ll call them back.” He tossed the phone onto the dashboard. “Come on, I’ll walk you in.”
Callie waited for him to come around and open the car door for her, something he always insisted on doing, and something she was really starting to like.
“I’m heading back to New York tonight, and I have to be in Atlanta on Wednesday. I’ll try to get back here on Friday night or Saturday morning. Does that work for you?”
“Sounds good. I’ll keep my busy social calendar open for you.”
They stopped at her front door. “I’ll call sometime during the week.”
“Okay.” Callie unlocked the apartment door. “Do you have time to come in?” Even though they spent practically the entire weekend together, she was reluctant to see him leave.
Dylan shook his head. “If I do, I will never get back to the city tonight, and I have to. I’ve got meetings all day tomorrow starting at eight.”
The tone of his voice let her know why that would be the case, and heat rushed to her face, which was something that seemed to happen an awful lot lately when Dylan was around.
“But I will see you soon. Promise.” With that final comment, he kissed her once more and left.
You’re getting in over your head. Way over, to the point of drowning. “But what a way to go,” Callie muttered, locking the door and turning on the kitchen light.
Too wound up to just sit in her apartment, Callie snapped Lucky’s leash onto his collar and grabbed her flashlight. Dusk was just starting to fall. An extra-long walk tonight was just the thing she needed.
***
Monday was Callie’s least favorite day of the week, always had been. Sitting in her classroom, getting ready for the day ahead, the classic Bangles song “Manic Monday” kept running through her head, especially the line about wishing it was Sunday.
Man, did she ever.
“I want to know all the details,” Lauren said, bursting into the classroom through the side door.
Pausing next to a student’s desk, Callie asked, “What details?”
“Don’t even try to go there.” Lauren wagged a finger in Callie’s direction. “I saw you on television Saturday night looking rather cozy with Dylan Talbot.” Lauren paused for a moment. “Not that I blame you. I wouldn’t mind getting cozy with him myself.”
“What are you talking about?”
“At the Red Sox game,” Lauren answered. “The cameras showed you guys more than once. Hard not to. You were right behind the batter’s box.”
“Oh,” Callie replied just as the bell rang.
