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He could feel her vibrating with the need to speak beside him, which was weird as he usually wasn’t that perceptive where women were concerned. Dylan did silence well, it was something he used often in his line of work, but he guessed that wasn’t the same for the woman beside him. In fact, he’d already worked out she had a lot to say and rarely held back.
“Okay, look. I know she’s your mother, but you have to understand that we’ve had years of trouble from her, especially Joe.”
“Family loyalty is to be commended,” Dylan said.
“I know it’s not your fault, but it’s hard to separate you and your mom, especially as she’s been throwing you in our faces as an example of a fine upstanding citizen since forever.”
“Sins of the mother and all that?”
“Go ahead and make me feel bad.”
“You’re the one with the problem..., which you’ve had from the start.” Dylan picked up the beer Joe had poured him. “I just wanted to share your table, not your attitude.”
Her exhale was loud. She wriggled some more on the seat. Even on short acquaintance he knew this was not a woman who knew how to be still and quiet.
“I’m sorry for that. I was having a rough day, you just got caught up in it. The other stuff with your mom is going to take time... besides, you don’t need me to like you.”
She was right there. Piper Trainer was about as hospitable as a skunk.
“True that.”
“Plus you lied to me.”
“About?”
“You being here on vacation.”
“I am actually, and visiting with my family at the same time.”
She stared straight ahead, looking as comfortable as he felt right at that moment. It wasn’t just the animosity between them, Dylan could handle that, it was this other tension, that could only be termed as sexual.
“Hey, Pip.”
Dylan turned to find three men and a red-haired woman who had some serious curves. The first two men he thought he recognized simply because they had a family resemblance. Jack and Luke Trainer, Joe’s younger siblings.
“Dylan Howard, meet Luke and Jack Trainer, Fin Hudson, and my best girl, Maggie Winter.”
Manners it seemed were important to Piper Trainer, because he knew she’d not wanted to perform the introductions.
They shook his hands.
“Mary Howard’s son?” It was Jack Trainer who added two and two. The scowl on his face was familiar too.
“I am.”
Fin whistled. “Let me buy you a beer.”
“I respect my mother,” Dylan felt he had to say. He didn’t much like her, but he did respect her for raising three kids and providing them with food and shelter. Any love in the household had been supplied by his father and sisters.
“As you should,” Fin added. “But we don’t have to.”
This drew a reluctant laugh from the Trainers. What the hell had his mother done to this family? He had a feeling he would never get all the details.
“Hey, sorry, man. I know your mom’s actions aren’t yours, but it just threw me for a minute there.”
Dylan accepted the slap on his shoulder from the youngest Trainer.
“How’s Charlie doing?” Jack asked. “She was at school with me.”
