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Chapter Six
Dean
Fifteen Years Earlier
“What in the blue blazes is a co-tee-lee-on class?” Dean scratched his scalp and watched the little redheaded girl softly step into the shallow water at the edge of the pond.
Her light laughter carried over to him on a warm spring breeze. “Cotillion, Dean. Kuh-till-yun.” She slowly enunciated the confusing word. “And every young lady in the Chesterfield and Monroe families has always attended cotillion classes for more than a hundred years.”
He hopped off the rock, tugging off his shoes as he crossed the short distance to join her, leaving a trail of sneakers and socks in his wake. “Yeah, but way back then they were ridin’ horses and stuff too. Is the Ice Queen planning on giving up her Bentley for a Clydesdale?”
Jillian held her skirt above the water and carefully moved a little deeper. “Never in a million years.” She sighed heavily and tipped her face toward the sun blazing above them. “And you need to be careful calling her that. If she ever overhears you she’ll never allow me to see you again.”
Dean snorted. “Aw, don’t worry, Jillybean. The Ice Queen would never leave the glass castle to lower herself to the likes of ‘new money.’”
She stopped moving and twisted her lips to the side. “You know I don’t think that…right?”
He dropped his gaze and kicked at the murky water lapping his calves. “Think what?” The question was ridiculous. He knew exactly what she meant, but despite the close bond they’d forged, he sometimes wondered why she would leave her perfect, pristine home to play in the dirt with him.
Her soft fingers landed on his forearm and drew his attention back to her face. “You’re my best friend. I don’t care that you, o-o-or anyone really, just came into money. I don’t really care if you have money or not, honestly.” She tilted her head and smiled softly. “All that I care about is that you don’t cheat at Scrabble and you let me practice riding on your bike.”
Cheating at Scrabble wouldn’t do him any good. He was convinced that Jillian knew more words than Tanner and he was about to go to college in a little over a year. He puffed out his chest and slung his thumb through the belt loops of his shorts just like he’d seen Wyatt do. “Nope. I’d never cheat. I’m an honest man.”
Jillian dipped her chin and blinked once very slowly. “Dean. You’re ten years old. You aren’t a man.”
“If you’re gonna go to that…that…” he scrunched his face up as he tested the pronunciation in his head “…kuh-till-yun class and learn how to become a proper lady, I can be a man.”
She opened her mouth, but before a single word could come out she let out a loud yelp. Within seconds tears formed at the corners of her eyes and she grabbed onto his shoulder.
Dean wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from sliding into the water and getting the pale green dress dirty. Something that would certainly earn a scolding from her mother and possibly hail the end of their playtimes together. “What’s wrong?”
Her grip on him tightened and she leaned into him. “Help me to Fredrock. I need to sit down.” She hiccupped as a single wet path made its way down her left cheek. “I think I cut my foot on…something.”
Slowly they made their way to the large, flat stone that was their designated meeting spot and he helped her lower herself onto the surface. She bunched her skirt higher on her thighs, nearly to her hips, and propped her ankle on the opposite knee to examine the bottom of her foot. The barely escaping tears turned into sobs.
“It looks so bad. I can’t walk on this. There’s no way I can get home.” Another shuddering hiccup shook her entire body. She looked up at him with helpless, fearful eyes. “If my mom knows I got hurt here, with you…she won’t let me come back.”
A flurry of ideas swirled in Dean’s mind. He could help her back to his house and get his mom to disinfect and bandage her foot with no problem, but he knew his mother and she’d insist on telling one or both of Jillian’s parents. Stupid adult code.
Tanner was out because he was just as impossibly responsible as their folks. An involuntary grin curled his lips. Wyatt. He was the perfect choice. Not only would his brother be willing to keep a secret, he would do a great job of fixing her up because he got cuts and scrapes all the time from getting thrown from his horses.
“It’s okay, Jillybean. I know just what to do.” He turned away from her and barked orders over his shoulder. “Get on.”
When seconds ticked by in silence and absolutely nothing happened he rotated back to face her. “What’s your problem? I said ‘get on.’”
She leaned back slightly. “What do you mean ‘get on?’”
He slapped a palm to his forehead. Was he really going to have to teach this girl everything fun in life? “Let me guess, you have no idea what a piggyback ride is.”
Jillian lifted one shoulder, but he was slightly relieved to see that her tears had dried up.
Dean bent his knees slightly. “You’re gonna put your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist. I’m gonna put my arms under your legs to hold you up and you’re gonna hold onto me tight.” He glared at her over his shoulder. “But don’t choke me.”
She stared at him suspiciously for a few seconds before doing exactly as he said. She let out a small “eep” when he lifted her, but otherwise was silent as he took careful steps toward the small barn that housed Wyatt’s two horses and would certainly contain his brother. Even though they were the same age, Dean had a good four inches on Jillian. Not to mention the fact he was certain she was tinier than any of the girls in his class.
Just as the building came into view he slowed his steps. Even though she was little, the weight of carrying her up the small incline was harder than he’d expected. A small detail he would never let on to her.
He set her down on one of the barrels and promised he’d bring his brother back to help. The task took slightly more effort than he thought, but he eventually managed to talk Wyatt into cleaning up Jillian’s cut and not letting the cat out of the bag to any adult…Tanner being included in that group despite the fact he was only seventeen.
