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“No risks, and no time alone outside the house. You remember what I told you, Charlie?”
“Got it.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. She got out and greeted the brothers, who were heading toward him. Jack got in the passenger seat and Luke in the rear.
“Can I help you?” Dylan said.
“We need to pick up Joe, then head to the lodge. It’s pool night.”
“I’m not going.”
“Sure you are,” Luke said. “Don’t be intimidated, we won’t take all your money, and you’ll probably leave with your clothes.”
“No, I mean I’m not going.”
“Sure you are. You need this after all the shit that’s going down in your life, and if we’re being honest, we need it too. Now hustle it along, bud. Joe gets pissy if we’re late,” Jack said, waving to the driveway he wanted Dylan to drive down.
“Besides, your mom’s playing bridge. Miss Marla told me, because Mrs. Clancy told her. You don’t want to go there, bud. Best you stay with us,” Luke added.
Dylan could argue. Hell, he could simply get out and walk away if he wanted. He did neither, and seconds later he was being directed up the drive to Joe and Bailey’s house.
“Nice,” Dylan said as he caught his first glimpse of the house.
“Joe loves this place,” Luke said, getting out. “It feeds his soul, apparently.”
“Yeah, he into that kind of weird shit?”
“Apparently he’s all about aligning his chakras.”
“No way. I had him as a steak and beer man.”
“Nope,” Jack said, and Dylan waited for the man to embellish the lie he was building about his big brother. “Truth is, he’s all about the healthy stuff. Even has leafy greens in the morning in some kind of drink.”
“It’s called a smoothie.”
“Yeah, heard of those. In fact, Pip forced one on me the other day. I’m still picking shit out of my teeth.”
Dylan watched the youngest Trainer amble up to the house and pound on the front door.
Cedar and stone, the natural exterior colors made the place settle nicely into the landscape. A stream ran along one side, and even in the fading light he could see it was something special.
“Joe and Bailey’s rooms are up there.” Jack pointed to the second floor. “The view’s pretty special.”
“I bet. It’s really something,” Dylan said, wondering why he felt a pull of longing inside him. The pull he’d felt when he’d walked around the house Piper was planning to buy.
He’d never wanted to live anywhere but in his apartment, so why did he feel envious of Joe Trainer all of a sudden?
“I’m sorry I gave you a hard time when you arrived in Ryker, Dylan.”
“Why did you?” He dragged his eyes from the house to the man seated beside him.
“My brother suffered because of you, and I had a feeling you had the power to make my cousin do the same. I was wrong, and realized that after what you did for Pip and Gracie.”
Dylan shook the hand Jack held out to him. He didn’t like to think of Piper suffering because of him... or Joe, for that matter.
“I would never hurt your family.”
“I get that now. The thing is, I think you could do it unintentionally.”
