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“Thought you didn’t date your employees.”
“Oh. Well, I—”
“Matter of fact,” said Matt, drawing the words out, “I didn’t think you dated at all.” He leaned closer. “Or had trouble in the multiple O department.”
Dean rubbed a hand over the back of his prickling neck as the bartender set down the two margaritas in front of him. “It’s complicated.” Well, at least that part was true.
“Uh-huh.” Matt tipped his head, thinking. “I thought you guys weren’t really a couple, you know. That maybe you were just lying so she could save face in front of her ex.” He shrugged. “But . . . something seems different now.”
Dean swallowed thickly. “It does?” Shit.
“Yeah.” He tipped his head, thinking. “I’m not sure what’s going on with you guys, but here’s a little unsolicited advice.”
“My favorite kind.”
Matt smirked. “Sometimes the best things in life happen in the most unexpected ways.” He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes on Ellie as she approached with Luke and Christie. “Sometimes they sneak up on you, hit you out of nowhere. Sometimes they’ve been right under your nose for a long time. But those best things?” He blew out a breath. “The best things can also be the most terrifying things, because suddenly you have something to lose.”
A few years ago, Matt had been shot on the job, and had almost died. He’d gone through a messy divorce, too, after his wife had had an affair. But he’d come out on the other side, and now saw himself as the family’s Dr. Phil, handing out advice about living life to the fullest.
Dean took a sip of his drink and nodded, letting the words sink in. “Yeah.”
“But life is short, and it’s better to live it and risk losing something, to risk the pain that comes with it than to not live at all.” He leaned in even closer. “And you seem real alive tonight. That’s all.” He clinked his glass against Dean’s just as Ellie, Luke, and Christie sidled up to the bar. Matt handed Ellie the glass of wine he’d ordered for her. She accepted it with a smile as she asked Christie a question about the pretty white cocktail dress she was wearing, but Dean wasn’t listening. He was too caught up in his own thoughts.
Was Matt right? Had Dean not really been living all this time? Losing his mother had been the hardest, most painful thing he’d ever had to endure, and now he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d let her death talk him out of living his life as opposed to inspiring him to live it.
His head swam a little, thoughts churning around, chasing each other. Thoughts of Carly, of his mother, of his past, all twisted around, caught up in a net of hope, and confusion, and worry, and fear.
He took another sip of his margarita, pushing it all away. No regrets. No promises. Just fun. He repeated it like a mantra, reassuring himself that he and Carly were on the same page. Needing to believe it, because he sure as hell didn’t want to stop feeling so damn good he was surprised his feet were still on the ground. She made him feel that way, partly because he actually liked who he was when he was with her.
It was a new feeling, and one he wanted to hang onto.
“What were you guys talking about?” asked Luke, taking a sip of his own beer.
“Nothing,” said Dean.
At the exact same time, Matt said, “Carly.”
Luke’s eyebrows rose and he laughed. “Trouble in paradise?”
Dean shook his head. “No, I just don’t like to kiss and tell.”
Luke studied him for a second, took another sip of his beer. “You know, I was surprised when you showed up with a full-on girlfriend, given that a week ago, you said you weren’t seeing anyone.”
The prickling sensation returned to the back of Dean’s neck, and he took another sip of his margarita. “Yeah, well, things happen.” It was all he could think to say. He certainly wasn’t going to come clean to everyone and risk blowing their cover, creating an embarrassing situation for Carly. And the truth was, things had happened. Sure, the timeline wasn’t what everyone else thought it was, but they’d still happened. That part wasn’t a complete lie.
“I’m glad they did,” said Christie, smiling warmly at him. “I like her. She’s smart and funny, and you two make a really cute couple.”
Something kicked low in Dean’s gut at Christie’s words. They weren’t really a couple, so it didn’t matter what she thought, but at the same time, he liked that they looked good together. They sure as hell felt good together.
“Thanks,” he said, and then decided to sprinkle a little more truth on the conversation. “I like her, too.”
“So if she’s worked for you for—what was it, a couple of years?—what took you so long?” asked Luke.
That, right there, was a fantastic question, and one he didn’t have an answer to. He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He glanced over to where Carly stood chatting with his dad. His mind flashed back to how he’d felt on the plane. “It’s like I just suddenly saw her with fresh eyes.”
“You sure it’s not just because you ran out of single women to spend time with?” asked Matt, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Dean made a face at his cousin. “No. And I can assure you, there are plenty of single women who I never ‘spent time with,’” he said, making air quotes around the words.
