by Kristen Lane
“It’s not a problem. I mean, we’re talking what, an hour or two?”
He set his chin in his hand and considered. “I’d hate to mess up the teacher’s plan for the day by canceling. Are you sure it’s not an inconvenience?”
“Not at all,” Julia said. “I’d be glad to help you out.”
Alyssa looked from Dylan to Julia with raised eyebrows.
“You are a lifesaver.” He gave her a quick hug and left the kitchen, calling back to her, “It’s at 11. Room 104. Thank you!”
Alyssa crossed her arms and sat at the table. “Sit.”
“I have to shower and get ready.”
“You have time. We need to talk.”
Julia poured a fresh cup of coffee and sat across from Alyssa. “What’s going on?”
“You. Dylan. That’s what’s going on.”
Julia almost spit out her coffee. “What? There’s nothing between us.” But her checks flushed and she kept her eyes on her mug.
“He has feelings for you.”
“No, he doesn’t. He can’t. No, I have a boyfriend, and any day now he’s going to propose.”
“Julia. I’m telling you. I’ve watched you two. And I’ll tell you something else.” She wagged her finger at her sister. “You have feelings for him, too.”
“I do not!” She didn’t mean for it to come out so harsh, but after her argument with Evan, she’d felt a little sensitive about the subject.
“Whoa,” Alyssa said. “I’m not telling you to act on it. I don’t know if he’s ready to date anyway. Remember that woman he went out with a few weeks ago? Complete disaster. He talked about Melanie the whole time.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I set him up with a friend and she told me.”
“Well, you’re wrong. I’m in love with Evan.”
“You think you can’t be in love with him and have feelings for Dylan? I’m telling you because I think you should be careful. You have a good thing with Evan. I don’t want to see you mess it up or involve Dylan in some complicated thing.”
“You sure you’re not the one who has feelings for him?”
Alyssa scrunched up her face. “Eww, no, he’s like a brother. There’s never been that kind of chemistry between us. But you two… If you’re not careful, it’ll become something more. So be careful.”
Julia nodded. “I am. Evan and I have talked about it.”
“Wait, what? You talked about your feelings for Dylan?”
“No, no. Evan surprised me at work and found Dylan and I having lunch together. It’s just that with us living together and driving together and now having lunch together, he got a little jealous.”
Alyssa put her head in her hands. “See. This is what I mean. It’s already gone too far if Evan is picking up on it.”
“Well, I assured him that I love him and only him. It kinda shook me, though. I’ve never seen him jealous before. I didn’t like how he acted.”
As if she’d summoned him by name, Julia’s phone dinged with a text from Evan: “Come to the door.”
“Hmm,” Julia said, and went to the front hallway. Alyssa trailed behind.
She pulled open the front door and Evan stood on their porch, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
“For my love,” he said, and handed the flowers to Julia.
“How sweet!” Julia threw her arms around Evan’s neck. “You know how I love tulips.”
“I do. And you know how I love you.”
“I do.” She giggled.
“Ugg, you guys are sickeningly cute,” Alyssa said.
“Hey Lyss,” he said. “So, I was thinking we could go downtown and have a late breakfast, then wander the street shops for a bit? I took the day off, so we can spend it together.”
“Oh,” Julia’s response came out full of disappointment.
“Oh?”
“Well, it’s just that, well I already ate, but I have this thing to do at 11.”
“What thing?”
Alyssa took the flowers from Julia. “I’ll put these in water.”
“Well, Kylee has this career day at school and Dylan was scheduled to go, but then he got called into surgery. Since I’m also in the medical field, I offered to fill in. But we can do lunch and have the whole rest of the day.”
Even nodded absently. “Right, okay. You know, maybe I’ll just go into work after all. I have some things that I really should take care of today. I’ll talk to you later.” He gave her a peck on the cheek.
“It won’t take that long, though!” Julia said.
“You just go do your thing.” He pulled the door closed, leaving her facing the solid wood.
Tears pricked in her eyes and she turned to find Alyssa watching.
“That was bad,” Alyssa said.
“I was hoping you’d say it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.”
“No, it was bad.”
“What should I do?”
Alyssa checked the time. “Go get ready. Go do the school thing, then go to see Evan at work. Maybe you can bring him lunch.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I don’t go to his work very often. Thanks!” She kissed her sister on the forehead and hopped up the stairs to get on with her plan.
Chapter 6
Julia went straight into the kitchen and set the food on the counter. Then she slumped into the chair and let her head fall to the table. The tears didn’t take long to come.
The morning had been great. She showed up at Kylee’s school and, though she was initially disappointed her dad wouldn’t be there, Kylee was thrilled to see Julia. She’d talked about her job and the kids were interested enough to ask her questions about blood and stitches.
But afterward, she’d stopped at one of Evan’s favorite fast food restaurants and picked up a fried chicken meal for them. She went to his work to surprise him, but he hadn’t been happy to see her. He’d asked her to leave and she’d barely made it home before her tears broke lose.
The worst part was, Alyssa was right. Her feelings for Dylan had been increasing over the last months. She’d denied and ignored it, but it was becoming clear to everyone around her. Even the man she loved. She was messing up things with Evan and didn’t know what to do about it. And the fact that he’d turned so mean bothered her. She had never known him to act that way. And if she had never seen this side of him, what else didn’t she know about him?
“Are you okay?”
Julia jumped and looked up through blurry eyes to see Dylan watching her. She wiped away her tears. “I’m fine.”
He handed her a tissue and slid into the seat across from her. “Want to talk about it?”
“I don’t think I can. It’s just relationship trouble. Don’t worry about it.”
He said nothing, but his face was full of concern and sympathy.
“The school thing was good, though,” she said.
“Yeah? Was Kylee okay?”
“She was sad you weren’t there, but she was happy I came. The teacher was glad you sent someone in your place. She said to thank you. And the kids seemed to like it.”
“Thank you again for doing that.”
She used the tissue to wipe her nose. “How’s your patient?”
“Alive. Doing better now. She had a coughing fit and pulled out a few stitches. It didn’t end up being too serious, though. She’s all set now with new stitches and a powerful cough suppressant.”
“That sounds painful.”
“I’m sure it was.” They sat in silence for a minute, then he said, “Does this have anything to do with me? Does it bother Evan that I’m here?”
“I don’t know. He did get a little jealous when he saw us having lunch, but I don’t think that’s the real problem.”
“What is then?”
She shook her head. “I thought he was the one. I had no doubt.”
“And now?”
“I’ve seen a side of him that… well, let’s just say now I have some doubts.”
She nodded. “You’re probably right.”
The front door opened and they heard footsteps, then a slump. It should have been Kylee coming home from school, but she usually ran to find her dad and tell him all about her day. Julia and Dylan got up and went to the living room to find Kylee lying on the couch.
“What’s wrong?” Dylan asked, and lifted her book bag from her shoulder.
“I don’t feel good.” She moaned and put her hand on her stomach.
Dylan put his wrist to her forehead and looked her over. “When did you start feeling bad?”
“I don’t know. After recess?”
“Okay, let’s get you into some pajamas.” He picked her up and said to Julia, “Do you have a thermometer? I think she has a fever.”
“Sure, I’ll get it.”
Julia met them a few minutes later in the room they shared. After sticking the thermometer under Kylee’s tongue and waiting, it read 101 degrees. She showed Dylan and he jumped into action.
“Okay, lovebug, you’re not getting out of this bed. Do you want grape or strawberry juice?”
“Grape. Where’s my bear?”
Julia picked up the pink bear from its place on the nightstand and handed it to her. “I’ll get a damp washcloth.”
“Thanks,” Dylan said as he walked past her on his way to the kitchen.
Julia came back in a few minutes later with the damp washcloth and a bucket. “Just in case.”
She set the bucket at Kylee’s side and laid the washcloth on her forehead after she’d had some of her juice.
“Are you hungry? Do you think you could eat some crackers?” Dylan asked.
Kylee shook her head and her eyes closed.
“Rest then.” He kissed her cheek.
They left the room and closed the door softly behind them.
“There’s a ton of chicken if you’re hungry,” Julia said. She didn’t think she’d eat tonight.
“Thanks,” Dylan said, but he seemed distracted. “Did any of the other kids seem sick when you were there?”
“Not that I can recall.”
“I hope it’s not a flu.”
“Let me know if she needs anything. Or if you do.”
“I will.”
Later that night, after Kylee had been made to eat soup and take medicine, Julia was in bed sleeping. She woke to the sound of someone in the bathroom, running water in the tub. Figuring something must have happened with Kylee, she got up, quietly so she didn’t wake Alyssa sleeping in the next bed, and went to the bathroom. The time on her bedside clock said 2 a.m.
Kylee sat in the bathtub, shivering while the tub filled. Dylan kneeled over the tub’s edge, adjusting the water.
“What’s going on?” Julia asked, stifling a yawn.
“Sorry we woke you. I’m just getting her cleaned up.”
Julia saw the bits of throw up in Kylee’s hair and the miserable look on her face.
“Oh no, she threw up?”
Dylan nodded.
Julia went into their bedroom where the bed sheets sat in a pile on the floor. It looked like some made it in the bucket and some didn’t. She balled the sheets and took them down to the basement to wash them. Then she took the bucket down and used the utility sink to empty and clean it.
Back upstairs, she set the clean bucket by Kylee’s bed and put on fresh sheets. By the time she was smoothing the blanket back out, Dylan came into the room with a towel-wrapped Kylee. She helped him get her dressed into fresh pajamas and she brushed her hair while Dylan put thick socks on her feet. Kylee clutched her bear tight.
They got her back into bed and Dylan followed Julia out when she left the room. He rubbed at his face. “Thank you for all your help. Sorry you had to deal with that.”
“I deal with that every day,” Julia said, chuckling. “It’s kind of what I do.”
“And you do it well.” He locked his eyes on hers. His soft gaze and sweet words warmed her heart until she had to look away from him.
“I’m starving,” she said. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
They went to the kitchen and reheated a few pieces of chicken from earlier. They stood beside each other, leaning against the counter while they ate.
“You feeling okay?” Julia asked when they’d finished.
“So far. I’ve been taking extra vitamin C, though.”
“Maybe it’s not too contagious.”
“Maybe.”
They fell silent and still for a moment, the humming of the refrigerator the only noise in the room.
“Julia,” he said, looking at her again with that penetrating stare that made her heart speed. “You have done so much for me and us in the last few months. There aren’t words to say how much I appreciate it. I don’t deserve it.”
“What’s to deserve? You’ve been through a lot and I wanted to help you out. And I felt bad for how I acted when you first moved in.”
“You’ve done far more than you had to.”
“I just wanted to make things as good as possible for you two.”
“You have no idea how good you’ve made it.”
Julia gulped under the weight of his gaze. Her head was buzzing. He took a step toward her and leaned closer. He hesitated, a question in his eyes. She answered by stepping forward and closing the distance between them until their lips touched.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as their lips moved together. She felt so safe and warm in his arms that she pressed her mouth harder against his. Their tongues slipped back and forth between their lips and their bodies seemed to move on their own, rubbing together as their hands slid under their shirts to caress each other’s skin.
Every place his fingertips touched felt like a spark of electricity ignited in her. She was warm all over and wanted nothing more than to cool off by taking her shirt off. Dylan seemed to read her mind and tugged at her t-shirt until it slipped over her head. She wore no bra and he moved his hands to cup her breasts.
He kissed down her stomach and paused just above the waist of her pajama pants. His mouth returned to hers as he slipped his hand beneath her pants to touch her. She moaned in pleasure and let her head fall back. He kissed along her neck to her jaw and she found his lips with hers.
She wanted him to take her right there in the kitchen. But as soon as she realized this, realized how badly her body wanted to feel his, she thought of Evan, and the pang of pain that ran through her stomach made her pull back.
“Wait,” she breathed.
He stopped kissing her and breathed heavy in her ear.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.” She shrugged out of his grasp and backed away from him. She could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers, the warmth of his body. She stepped backward to keep looking at him until she was through the door. He watched her go with a look of longing and understanding.
Chapter 7
Julia stood in the kitchen the next morning, trying to forget what had taken place there last night. She fell into the chair at the table, her throat burning, her head swimming, and the agony in her heart sharp.
When Dylan joined her in the kitchen, her body tensed. They said nothing and she refused to look at him.
“I think I’m sick,” he finally said after a long, awkward silence.
“Me too.” She stared down at her hands.
“Julia.” He waited until she glanced up at him with weary eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“Don’t apologize. I kissed you back.”
“I know, but I shouldn’t have. You have a boyfriend.”
“I know.” She rubbed at her forehead. All morning she’d been trying to decide if it was better to keep this a secret or tell Evan what had happened. “I think maybe it’s time you found a place of your own.”
“You’re right. It is time. We’ve been here long enough and done enough damage.”
�
��Don’t say that.” She let her hand fall to the table. Between being exhausted and sick and overwhelmed by emotions, she could not contain the tears that filled her eyes. “You haven’t done anything wrong. It’s me. I’m horrible. I have no right to have feelings for you. Not when I’m practically engaged and you’ve barely started dating again. I just wanted to help, and all I did was make things worse. I never meant to bring you into some complicated mess.”
She got up and snatched the box of tissues from the counter. She sat back down with it and went through two before she’d managed to control her weeping some.
Dylan hadn’t said a thing. When she dared to meet his eyes again, he was watching her with a sad expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she said.
“I’m so sorry.”
He eyes filled with fresh tears and she dashed from the room to return to her bedroom. Alyssa was still asleep, but woke after a few minutes of Julia’s sobbing.
“Hey,” Alyssa said from her bed. “What’s wrong?” Her voice was gravely. She sat up and pulled the covers back.
“I kissed Dylan,” Julia mumbled into her pillow.
“When?”
“Last night.” Julia turned her head to face her sister. “We were up late taking care of Kylee and then we went down to the kitchen and we kissed. For a while.”
“Julia…”
“I know! I wanted to sleep with him, Lyss. I wanted him so bad. I still do.”
“What about Evan?”
“I don’t know. He was the perfect boyfriend for so long. How could I do this to him? I feel like the worst girlfriend on the planet.”
Alyssa laughed. “Nah, lots of girlfriends cheat, you’re not the first.”
“Thanks. That helps a lot,” she said sarcastically. “Cheat. It sounds so dirty and awful.”
“It kind of is.”
Julia groaned and shoved her face back into her pillow. “Do I tell him?”
“Noooo. Definitely not. Not unless you want to break his heart.”
“Don’t you think lying is worse?”
“Worse than cheating? No. It’s up to you, though. If you want Dylan, tell Evan what happened. If you want Evan, don’t tell him. He’ll never trust you again.”