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Chapter Thirteen
Dylan
I’m fairly certain, no, I’m actually one hundred percent positive, that I have fucked up.
Like, majorly fucked up.
And it’s not just because of the way Tessa is sitting beside me, stiff as a board and basically completely ignoring me in every way she can short of getting up and moving to the other side of the table. It’s also the straight up, what the fuck face Jack has been giving me for a solid twenty minutes.
I’m not quite sure what to do about it either, although I’m saved from any further awkwardness by Jack suddenly standing from his seat.
“Right boys, on me,” he announces. “Let’s go barbecue.”
Tommy rolls his eyes as he stands. “It’s called a grill in this country, Jack,” he mumbles, as he moves past Penny, squeezing her shoulders. When she looks up at him, she smiles, and he leans down to kiss her.
Jack just laughs, flicking a hand in Tommy’s direction as he walks into the kitchen. I watch as Will and Tommy now follow him, the two of them grabbing the meat and some beers before walking toward the door that must lead out to a back deck.
“Coming?” Will asks, looking back at me.
I exhale, figuring I may as well given how weird things are in here. Giving him a quick nod, I stand, then reconsider whether this is a good idea. Maybe I should stay with Tessa given how awkward things are? Although maybe she wants me to leave so she can…fuck I don’t know, chat with the girls about how fucking awkward things are?
Jesus. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Dylan!” Jack shouts from the back deck, answering my internal debate.
Turning to Tessa, I lean down to press a kiss to the top of her head, even though she’s barely said two words to me for the last ten minutes. She gives me a quick glance but doesn’t say anything now either, so I turn and head outside with the rest of the guys, wondering how the hell I am supposed to fix whatever this is.
The second the door shuts behind me though, Jack is all over my ass about it. “Dude, what in the actual fuck was that all about?” he asks, as Will hands me a beer and Tommy walks over to the grill, shaking his head a little.
“What?” I ask, realizing they’ve all clearly noticed the awkwardness between Tessa and me.
“Ummmm,” Jack says, drawing the word out sarcastically. “That. In there.” He gestures to the door with his beer as though I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Actually, I kind of don’t. I mean, I know I’ve fucked up, but I’m not entirely certain how I’ve done it.
“What?” I repeat.
Jack rolls his eyes this time, glancing at Tommy who gives a half chuckle because apparently, he gets it and then Will, who lifts his hands as if to say,I have no fucking ideahow he, namely me,doesn’t get it.
“Your reaction to the marriage thing,” Jack continues. “What did you say exactly, oh yeah, ‘Fuck, dude. I’m not getting married. That would mean responsibility and babies and shit.’ I mean jesus fucking christ, Dylan are you really this stupid!”
I let out a laugh, half embarrassed and half confused. “What?” I say again, this apparently being the only word I am capable of saying at the moment.
“Why the fuck would you say that?” Jack huffs, his eyes practically bugging out of his head at this point. Why is he so worked up about this?
“We’ve only just started dating again,” I say, as though that explains everything. “We’re not even hooking up yet, we can’t have the whole marriage talk, especially here, like this! She’ll freak out on me again and end things.”
“Pretty sure the nail’s already in that coffin,” Tommy mutters, almost to himself.
Will laughs, walking over as he rests a hand on my shoulder. “Dylan, listen,” he starts, offering me a sympathetic smile. “I know you were tryingnotto freak her out, but you do realize you’ve actually done the opposite.”
“I have?”
“Oh my fucking god,” Jack shouts, apparently completely frustrated now as he throws his hands up. “You are literally clueless. And here I thought Tom was bad.”
“Fuck off,” Tommy says, throwing a half-assed punch at Jack’s arm.
Ignoring him, Jack continues. “Look, Dylan,” he says, his tone implying that he’s talking to a child. “Whatever stage you and Tessa are at, you do not, I repeat, You. Do. Not. ever, ever say you don’t want to get married. I mean do you legitnotwant to get married or what?”
