by Amber Lynn
“Hmm. I’m a little scared what you’ve come up with. Do you think they’re safe to ask with other people around?”
“You said we couldn’t leave yet, and you haven’t officially told me if you’re going to disappear after tonight. I checked the perimeter before bringing up next week, so I think we’re safe.”
There wasn’t anyone else on the dance floor. The voices they heard were from the dining room, as no one seemed to have the same stamina they did. Dylan still kept his voice to a whisper, just in case someone had bionic hearing.
“What’s the first question?”
“Since you’ve been avoiding it every time I ask it, let’s go with whether I’m moving in with you or you’re moving in with me for the next week or so.”
“You never said anything about living together. There’s a big difference between you helping out and moving in.”
“How am I going to help you to the bathroom in the middle of the night if I’m across town?”
Dylan didn’t know how far away it was to her house, but being closer seemed logical.
“God help me if I need that kind of help. Saying stuff like that is going to make me hire a nurse.”
“It will give us a chance to spend more time together. I have spare bedrooms, so it’s not like I’m expecting you to sleep in my bed. It’s probably best that you don’t, because I can be a flopper. At least a couple times a week I end up waking up with my head where my feet were the night before.”
“I’m going to have to defer answering that question until a little later in the week. I haven’t mentioned it, but you have a game the night after the surgery. I’m guessing that may put a damper on how helpful you can be.”
“You’re actually going to miss a game? I might as well call in sick if you aren’t going to be there. Our winning record depends on you.”
Dylan was clearly joking, but Casey seemed to have her own ideas. It was a good thing there wasn’t anyone around to witness what could turn into Dylan strangling his date.
“I’m pretty sure you can play without me taunting you. I’m hoping we don’t have to find that out, though. My goal is to only stay a day in the hospital, which means I’ll make it to the game.”
“You’re joking. Please tell me you aren’t really planning to get your life back to normal that soon. Honey, you need to rest and let things heal a little bit before you’re back to cursing me. As much as I’d love for you to be there, I’m pretty sure you aren’t going to be able to drive a day later.” Dylan stroked the back of her head as he wondered how stubborn she could be.
“I’ll be fine sitting in my seat, cheering you on. It’s not like I’m going to be out chopping down trees or lifting cars.”
“Clearly I’m going to need a lot of rope if I’m going to nurse you back to health. Let’s move on to my second question since the first one evolved into me wanting to chain you to a bed. It’s not nice of you to put new fantasies in my head when I haven’t had the chance to get through the ones that were already there.”
That made Casey laugh, which was better than her slugging him. There were some things he said that he wasn’t sure how she’d take them. The warning from her father about her stabbing him was always in the back of his mind.
“I can’t talk, since I brought up you screwing my brains out earlier. There were all sorts of fantasies going on in what played out in my head.”
“Yes, you did, which made my day. My second question, which I’m sure you won’t want to answer any more than the first, is do you believe that there’s someone out there who feels like they complete you in some way?”
“I cannot believe that question just came out of your mouth.” Casey lifted her head so Dylan could see the laughter in her eyes.
He didn’t mention the phrase soul mate, but that was essentially what he was asking. He’d felt like Casey was his other half from simply hearing her voice yelling at him, so he assumed she had to feel something.
“You just lie your head back down, so I can’t see you laughing at me. I’m being serious. I felt connected to you long before I walked into your father’s office and stood there gawking at you.”
“So you’ve said, which is just weird.” Casey hadn’t put her head down. Her eyes still looked amused, but she seemed to be looking for something in his eyes as she studied him. “There’s something about you that’s different. It’s really rare for me to find someone I’m not afraid to show my real self to, and in less than a day, you’ve managed to open up more doors than anyone else.”
“So you may not believe in love at first sight, but you admit I’m special.”
“I’ll admit you’re something. Are you ready to ask the last question, or is it okay if we go check on what everyone else is up to?”
“It’s not cute for me to take my shoes off and carry them around, so I wouldn’t mind resting my feet for a few minutes. The last question is one I’ll wait to ask right before we leave.”
“I can only imagine what you’re going to ask, and it’s probably a good time to remind you I don’t put out on the first date.”
“Perfect, because if I remember right, you told me this wasn’t really a date. Either way, I’m only expecting the kiss I was promised.”
Dylan slowly unwrapped his arms from around Casey, grabbing her right hand as he did. If she couldn’t feel the tranquility that he did when they touched, she was nuts.
“I’m pretty sure we drove right by the point where I could still claim this wasn’t a date. I haven’t been on a lot of them over the years, but I think this counts.”
“Good. We’re finally on the same page. I’ve been a little surprised that Holcomb hasn’t been watching our every move. I know he’s busy entertaining, but fathers more often than not like to keep their eye on me.” Dylan figured at the very least Holcomb was somehow recording their movements so he could watch them later.
“I told him when I was eighteen that I was never getting married, and would probably never have another boyfriend. I’ve technically gone on two dates, tonight not included, since then, but there’s never been anyone serious, and I haven’t changed my stance on marriage.”
They’d made it to the table where everyone, except the Hutchinsons, was still hanging out, at least of their initial group. There seemed to be a dozen others. Dylan had missed most of the people leaving, but since the event was only supposed to be two hours, an hour for the dinner and speeches and then an hour for socializing and dancing, there probably should’ve been fewer people there at a quarter until ten.
A crew of people gathering tablecloths and chairs was a clear clue to the stragglers that it was time to head towards the door. It didn’t seem like they got the message, even after a few of them made eye contact with Dylan, who was showing them the door with his eyes. The sooner they left, the sooner he could figure out how he was spending the rest of his night.
“There you two are. I thought we were going to have to shut the place down with you two still inside. I’ve got a whole list of people I’m supposed to tell you good-bye from because they didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Most of them wondered when they’d be receiving wedding invitations and how you’ve been able to keep your dating a bigger secret than your dad and Wendy.”
The governor barely let Holcomb finish before he had to add his two cents. Dylan liked Holcomb, his no nonsense attitude was contagious, but Stan was another story. The guy needed a nice roll of duct tape wrapped around his mouth.
“I hope you set them straight by telling them I just had a little too much cough syrup and eventually it’d work its way out of my system, so I’d realize what I was doing.”
Casey sat down in a chair that was already pulled out next to her dad. Dylan had to let go of her hand for a second while he took a seat on her left. He painfully waited for her to reach out to reclaim his hand. He’d initiated most of their constant contact, and he wanted to see if it had the same effect on her that it did him.
“You’v
e been hitting the cough syrup again? How long can we expect this bender to go on?” Stan asked.
There was a joke Dylan was missing, but Casey reaching over and putting her delicate hand on his thigh made up for it. She’d probably hate that he thought of her hand as delicate, but compared to his, it was an accurate description.
“At least a couple weeks. We’ll have to see how things go after that. How long do you think we have before we can lock things up for the night? Usually I’m a little more involved, so I’d have a sense, but the cough syrup has addled my brain.”
“I’m sure Dylan wants to get home and rest up before the game tomorrow. Why don’t you two call it a night? I’ve closed things down with you before, so I’m pretty sure I can handle it. It was fun having some fresh blood in the group tonight, Dylan. Don’t be a stranger. It warms a father’s heart to see his daughter smile, and you son, have done wonders in that department.”
Holcomb eyed Dylan, trying to convey something else. He didn’t know the man well enough to know exactly what that was, but it didn’t look like he was planning his death.
Before Casey could complain, Dylan surprised her by picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. She was so light that he worried about tossing her a little too hard and losing his grip.
“Put me down, Dylan. This date did not include being manhandled.”
“I didn’t see that in the fine print, and I had a feeling you were going to fight to stay a little longer. Goodnight, everyone. It was nice to meet you and I promise I won’t be a stranger.”
“Daddy, tell him to put me down.”
Dylan snorted at Casey’s command. He had her out of the room before anyone could answer her call for help. The big dilemma he faced was going to be when he got her outside, and he only had a few seconds to word what he wanted to ask.
He pushed open the doors to the outside world and walked over to her car. What he saw pissed him off, but also made his proposition a little harder for her to turn down.
“How homicidal do you tend to get? Remember, your answer will determine whether or not I set you down.”
Casey had been playfully beating on his back with her fists and shoes. She offered a couple more brutal hits before she stopped.
“If you have to ask that question, there’s a really good chance someone’s going to die.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. Well, it looks like someone flattened at least two of your tires, and if we walk around to the passenger side, I’m sure there will be another two.”
Dylan let Casey slide down his body as he put her down. There had only been minor hiccups during the night, and it was too bad reality had to come pouring back in.
Casey turned and looked at the damage. It was difficult to see the slashes against the black rubber of the tires, but Dylan could make out various deep cuts. Casey balled up her fists, causing Dylan to wrap his hands around each of her arms. She looked like she wanted to hit something, and he wanted to make sure that something didn’t end up being metal or glass.
“So, I guess if I asked you if I could give you a ride home, the answer would be a lot simpler than it would’ve been when you pulled up to find me sitting here earlier today.”
Chapter Twelve
The spell weaved around Casey fizzled out when she saw the damage to her car. She wasn’t sentimental about the car itself, but her property was her property, and she took someone messing with it personally.
“What kind of idiot would do that right in front of the video cameras?”
She pointed up to where there were three cameras monitoring the parking lot. She’d parked in front to make sure at least two of them were on the car. Being Dylan’s date was bound to bring out some catty females, as she’d found out, so the cameras were supposed to be a deterrent.
Dylan chuckled at the realization. “I’m guessing emotions were driving the stunt, and whoever did it wasn’t exactly thinking things through. Do you want to call a tow truck or just let me take you home and deal with it tomorrow? I have to be at the arena at four, but I can help you buy tires and put them on before then.”
“I can wait around and just have my dad take me home. I almost expect someone to be hiding in the bushes, watching to see if I leave with you. Whoever it is has to be stupid, because they took away the surefire way to make sure I went home alone.”
Eyes had followed the pair all night, so it was hard to tell if the being watched sensation was ongoing or just remnant. They’d done a good job of making sure all the gawkers had something to look at, but the fun was over. It was time to get back to reality.
“All the more reason for me to take you home and camp out on your sofa. Clearly this person had a knife of some sort, and you could use a little protection in case they decide the tires weren’t enough. If you don’t want your dad worrying about that other thing, I’m sure you don’t want him camped out on your sofa or him fretting over whether you’re safe.”
“Did you get someone to slash my tires? I know you didn’t do it personally, because you were glued to my side almost all night, but it sounds like there’s some master plan behind my poor tires meeting their demise.”
“If there is some plan, it didn’t come from me. I’m just trying to be logical here, Casey. Someone, who probably isn’t brilliant, went a little nuts on your car. I’m not seeing any damage other than the tires, but it’s hard to see right now. We can go to your house, or mine if you don’t mind sleeping in one of my shirts. Then in the morning we can come back, take stock of the situation and ask to see the footage from the cameras.”
The situation sucked. He’d read her mind as far as not really wanting to get her dad involved. He’d need to know before he walked out and found the car the way it was and no sight of her.
Casey didn’t have her phone. She’d left her wallet, phone and keys in the dressing room. Being carried off had been fun while it lasted, but there had been zero chance of her not needing to go back inside to get her things.
“I’ll let you take me home, and we can discuss sleeping on the couch, but first we need to go back inside and explain the situation. I don’t have my phone or keys, so it’s not like we can just take off.”
“You mean that dress doesn’t have pockets for that kind of stuff? Aren’t you worried about someone stealing your stuff out of the dressing room? You could’ve given me your things to hide in my pockets.”
“Are you carrying me back in or can I walk?”
Casey didn’t think she needed to justify the fact that she’d never had a problem when he wasn’t around, so the security issue hadn’t crossed her mind. She knew almost every guest personally, other than the hockey players, their dates and some various dates who hadn’t been there the year before.
“I’m torn. I want to stay out here and watch things to make sure nothing else happens, but I also want to assure your dad that you’re in good hands.”
“You’re such a dork. Stay out here and keep watch. Dad will just have to remember he set me up with a hockey player who could probably bench press me.”
“We can test that later. Hurry up and go get your stuff.”
Casey didn’t wait around to go through another debate. She had to save her energy for when she told Dylan she didn’t have a couch, so if he was staying, it was going to be on the floor.
She passed the crowd of stragglers as they made their way out. Finally her dad put his foot down and kicked everyone out. Every other year she’d had the place locked up and had been at home soaking in a tub by nine-thirty. Bringing a date had thrown things totally off the axis she was comfortable living on.
Casey marched with purpose as she made it to the dining room. Her family was out of their seats, and her dad was watching the door, like he expected her to appear. She smiled, trying to reassure him.
“It’s hard to go anywhere without my keys. As it is, it turns out Dylan’s going to drive me home because one of his admirers slashed my tires. I’m not exactly sure how they knew it was my
car, but the fact remains my tires are flat and there’s definite punctures. I suppose I should call the police, but I want to ask Jenny to let me look at the tapes real quick tomorrow before I go that far.”
“Are you sure only the tires were slashed? I’ll walk with you back to get your things.”
Holcomb waved her forward and hurried her down the hall towards the dressing rooms. He held out his hand in front of her as he opened the door and turned on the light. Her father could be weird, but he was taking things a step further. How he’d determined which room she’d dressed in was a little odd. She was fairly certain her perfume hadn’t remained lingering in the air for him to follow.
“Is there a bomb threat I should know about in my dressing room?”
Casey pushed by him, something that wasn’t an easy task. Her clothes and items were where and how she left them, so she scooped them up and turned to face her father. He was still scanning the room, waiting for the boogeyman to pop out.
“There’s something you should know, but I don’t believe it has to do with a bomb. I got a call last week that he-who-shall-not-be-named was getting out early. Since you were a minor at the time, I had them list me as a contact.”
Not saying his name was a little dramatic, but she didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. It wasn’t like there were a lot of guys who fell into the criteria of being in prison and Casey knowing them on a personal level.
“You got a call last week that Jimmy was let out and you’re just telling me about it now? What the hell, Dad? I guess I know why you really set me up with a date. Does he know he’s a bodyguard?”
If Dylan was only there to protect her, he did a great job of pretending it was something more. The man practically fell all over her.
“He doesn’t know your ex-boyfriend managed to worm his way out of prison. There was a time when killing someone meant you stayed in prison a little longer than ten years.”
Technically the murder was an effect of Jimmy being stupid, not him actually killing someone. Two days before their prom, he’d decided he didn’t like the fact that Casey was going away to college, and elected to rob a bank in hopes of convincing her he could provide for her without her getting a degree.