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Todd was sweet and affectionate, and fun to be around. Everywhere we went, he was the life of the party.
I enjoyed being with him, but I wasn’t sure if he was the one. We were still getting to know each other.
When I got out and joined Todd, he put his arm around me and kissed my temple.
As we walked toward the doors, I spotted Dylan through the glass. He looked like he was brooding, worrying about something, maybe even angry.
I’d seen Dylan a few times since I’d been dating Todd, but only in passing. We’d never really had any time alone without Todd or one of our grandfathers nearby.
Not that I had anything to say to him after the day we’d met. I hoped I wouldn’t have to see him again.
It just made things more awkward with Todd. I never told him about how I’d given Dylan my phone number.
Telling Todd that his brother was a cheater and a liar wasn’t a path I wanted to go down. I decided it was simply better to avoid the topic altogether.
But every time I saw Dylan, I felt the undeniable pull that I’d felt the day we’d met. I think he felt it too, judging from the way he’d stare at me.
It was ridiculous.
Even from across the room, his presence affected me in a way that no other man ever had.
I didn’t want to feel it because it was usually followed by a wave of guilt right after. I had to remind myself that I was with Todd.
Twenty minutes later, we were at the park near the lake where several ducks swam around, oblivious to all the people watching them.
Grandpa and Dave sat at a picnic table near a few benches, with my grandpa complaining loudly about being so hungry he might have to catch a duck and build a campfire to cook it.
I laughed and kissed the top of his head. “Spare the ducks, Grandpa. We’re going to get lunch right there.” I pointed at a nearby food truck. “Let me know what you want, and I’ll go get it now.”
“I’ll come with to help carry,” Dylan said, falling into step next to me as I headed off with the food order.
I looked around for Todd, hoping he would come instead so that I didn’t have to be alone with Dylan.
I spotted Todd off in the distance, talking on his phone. Again. He’d been distracted lately, always walking away to take calls or respond to texts.
“You don’t have to,” I said, hoping he’d take the hint.
“I don’t mind,” Dylan replied with a soft smile that made my stomach flutter. I hated that my body reacted to him that way.
“Thanks,” I said, a little awkwardly.
Just having him walk next to me reminded me of the night we’d met, standing so close between our cars.
The physical pull was unmistakable. And somehow he’d only gotten better looking in the last few months, though he looked a little tired around the eyes.
After placing the order, Dylan and I sat on a nearby bench to wait. He put his hand on his thigh—a thigh that looked amazing in the faded denim jeans he wore—and I had to stare at it for a minute before I realized what was hitting me wrong.
He wasn’t wearing his wedding ring. His finger still showed where it had been, the skin slightly paler, as if he’d only taken it off recently.
Dylan noticed me looking at his hand and lifted it, slowly moving his fingers as he stared at it.
“I wonder when that mark will go away?” he said with a soft laugh. “I guess five years is a long time to be hidden from the sun.” He rubbed the paler ring of skin, like he was trying to wipe away the difference.
“Five years, huh?” I said, feeling numb.
I’d never asked Todd about Dylan’s wife, and he’d never offered any information.
“Yeah. The divorce will be final before we hit six,” he said, his voice low.
