Dylan watches as she hurries from the room and he glides a hand through his hair in anguish.
How do I manage to continue screwing this up? He thinks to himself.
He knows he and Sydney could be something more, something great. He just needs to figure out a way for her to see that.
One month later
YDNEY CAN’T SEEM TO catch her breath. The carefully crafted world that she surrounds herself with is slowly starting to shatter.
The night of Logan and Avery’s surprise wedding on New Year’s Eve is just the tip of the iceberg. She had again lost all inhibitions and fell into Dylan’s arms once more. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be there - she did, more than anything. But she couldn’t trust him, and that was a fault she couldn’t ignore any longer.
She wasn’t completely innocent in their exchange. Her body had craved him, but she didn’t speak the complete truth when he asked her if she wanted him. She did, and he knew it.
Of course, their desire had gotten the best of them and she had fretted for two weeks until Mother Nature had paid her a visit at last. She felt a sense of relief coupled with a sense of unexpected longing.
Did she want a baby? No… at least, not right now. And she wasn’t even sure she wanted one with Dylan, but her heart had hurt just the same.
Sydney abruptly sits down on the edge of her bed as she buckles the straps on her champagne-colored heels. Dylan had proven to be the kind of man most women would have fallen for, if only for the reason he had called her shop and asked her two weeks after their interlude if everything was ok – referring to an unexpected pregnancy. Though they were both relieved, she was certain she could hear a bit of disappointment in his voice as well. The thought of his sadness actually cracked her heart a bit.
She has been dreading this day for an entire month. It is another day that one more of her family members will be engaging in wedding bliss. Following in Avery’s footsteps, Austin and Nikki are taking the matrimonial plunge today. Her soon to be sister-in-law had sweetly asked if she would bake the cake for the reception.
Sydney had worked all morning to finish up the design, and after securing the cake at the Town Hall building for the festivities, Sydney had rushed home to get ready for the ceremony.
She barely has enough time to get a rushed shower before needing to hurry out the door, let alone reminisce about her wild escapades with Dylan. Too bad her head didn’t get that memo.
Just as she is finishing up buckling the show strap, a knock at the door sounds and Sydney dashes over to check it out. She takes a glance through the peephole and finds nothing, then she opens the door a crack and stares at the emptiness before her.
“Strange,” she says to no one and then closes the door slowly, taking one last peek through the crack before shutting it completely.
Her cell phone chimes on the end table and Sydney startles as she remembers that she has a wedding to get to. Grabbing her clutch and jacket, she skips down the pathway after closing and locking her front door, then makes her way to her compact car.
After the short drive to the venue, Sydney sits in the second row, next to her sisters and brothers, as they watch Avery and Logan, who are serving as sole attendants for Austin and Nikki, walk down the aisle together. Avery’s growing baby bump is proudly showcased under an empire waist gown.
As the music changes, Sydney turns her attention away from the back of the church and gazes at the front, watching her brother’s expression as he sees Nikki for the first time in her wedding dress. She can’t fight back the tears that well up in her eyes as Austin’s breath catches and his jaw drops in awe, then widens into an oversized grin – utter happiness and love pours from her brother, his eyes shining with joy.
“I want that,” she whispers.
“What?” Cassidy says just as Nikki walks past them towards the altar.
“Nothing.”
Nikki’s gown is of Grecian design, created specifically for her by Cassidy’s fashion company. If Sydney didn’t know better, she would have never guessed that Nikki is six months pregnant. She has such a cute and tiny baby bump. With a lurch in her chest, she solemnly remembers Nikki elaborating on how sick she had been in the beginning of the pregnancy, needing an IV for nutrients since she couldn’t keep anything else down. Austin and Nikki were proud of the weight she had begun to gain and were very protective of their unborn child – a little girl they were going to call Grace.
As Nikki walks past the front pew, Sydney and Cassidy grasp each other’s hands before sitting down as the ceremony takes place.
THE RECEPTION IS IN full swing by the time Sydney is able to join the growing crowd. When she arrived at the wedding venue earlier, she had checked in with her worker, Jessica, to make sure that the cake was settled. Upon entering the reception hall, she heads to the kitchen to make some last-minute additions to the cake that wouldn’t have lasted past the ceremony.
Her mother waltzes into the kitchen just as Sydney applies the last edible snowflake. The theme is “Winter Wonderland”, so Sydney has created an ice-blue, three tier cake with snowflakes and dusts of powdered sugar that resemble freshly-fallen snow. It is beautiful – almost too much so to eat. Almost.
“Wow, Sydney. This is magnificent,” her mother murmurs in awe as she admires the confectionary touches.
“Thanks, I like it. I hope Austin and Nikki do as well.”
“Well, the dancing has started, so please come join us. Kerry - the event planner - will get the cake wheeled out when the timing is right.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As her mother threads her arm through Sydney’s, she inquires, “Why didn’t you bring a date? There are quite a few eligible men in this town.”
Sydney looks at her mother questionably before deciding on a response.
“Well, I didn’t have a chance to ask anyone. It was a bit short notice.”
“A month is plenty of time to find someone to escort you to your brother’s wedding. But that’s ok, I have someone in mind that can dance with you later.”
As they near the food table, Sydney stops abruptly and begins to ask her mother what she means when the hair on the back of her neck prickles in recognition.
“Ah, Mr. Bennett, it is so delightful to see you again,” her mother gushes as Dylan approaches.
“You too, Mrs. Connelly,” Dylan replies.
Stunned, Sydney scorns, “What are you doing here?”
Sydney’s question draws the attention of those close by. Dylan stalks towards her irately and leans forward, only a small breadth passing between their two faces.
“I’m here for two reasons, Ms. Connelly. One, I was invited. Two, I have some news for the couple that I assumed they would want to hear as soon as possible.”
“Who invited you?” she sneers in return.
Speaking up, her mother retreats back to where the couple stands, “I did. Sydney, dear, you need to calm down. You’re causing a scene.”
Glancing at her mother, Sydney shrinks into herself and murmurs an apology. Dylan speaks with Nikki and Austin, who have approached with Amy. The buzzing in Sydney’s ears are indicative of the tears that are about to escape her eyes. She needs to leave. She can’t break down in front of everyone. Having Dylan here is enough, but when he had stepped into her protective shell, she had felt fear. A fear she has only felt once before and never wants to feel again.
“So, we’ll be seeing you soon?” Amy asks, drawing Sydney’s immediate attention towards Dylan.
“Soon?” Sydney asks.
“Oh, yes.” Amy continues merrily, “Since you’ve been taking so long with interviews, I’ve sifted through the resumes and I was really impressed with Dylan’s. He’ll have to tell us one day how he became a chef and an FBI agent.” Amy sounds absolutely delighted. “Anyway, he’ll be the new head chef of The Grill.”
Though the bakery and diner would be Sydney’s, it was originally her mother’s baby and she can’t, in good taste, override her mot
her’s decision, but she can’t help it when denial escapes from her.
“No…” she utters in disbelief, garnering a gasp from those surrounding the group.
Dylan smirks as he confirms, “Oh, yes.”
Sydney watches as he places a sweet kiss on Amy’s and Nikki’s cheeks, then he turns his attention back towards her.
“I’ve missed you, Syd,” he adds, reaching a hand out and placing it on the backside of her neck. After looking at her longingly for a brief moment, he plants a kiss on her cheek, close to the edge of her lips.
As he turns on his heels, his hand travels across her bare shoulders and down her arm before departing with the rest of him.
Sydney doesn’t notice if anyone continues to stand there, watching her after their exchange. Her emotions, which she had held onto so tightly, work desperately to escape and a single tear travels down her cheek, washing away the press of Dylan’s lips.
“Are you alright?” Austin asks, glancing at her empathetically while tightening his grasp on Nikki’s waist.
With the back of her hand, she swipes at her cheek to remove the signs of her breakdown.
“I’ll be fine.”
Nikki nods at her in understanding and guides her new husband back to the dance floor, leaving Sydney to stare at the door where Dylan exited. Sydney clenches her fists and then releases them before spinning around and rushing back towards the kitchen area.
She grabs her clutch and jacket that she had tossed haphazardly onto a chair in the corner when she arrived earlier. Struggling to fasten the buttons on the long dress coat, she continues to fumble in her hurry, causing her eyes to water in frustration.
Finally, she fastens the last button and rushes out of the kitchen, thought the building’s side exit, her forceful push of the metal door causing it to slam against the brick in her haste. She has to stop abruptly when she encounters the safety railing.
As the door swings shut behind her, Sydney jumps when a dark voice calls out to her from close by.
“Took you long enough,” she hears the words, but the speaker’s face is shrouded in darkness.
“Dylan,” she whispers as she turns to face him.
He moves from his perch against the wall and stands a good ten feet from her.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
Without thought, Sydney suddenly sprints towards Dylan and wraps her arms tightly around his neck, finally allowing her emotions to run free. Wrapping his strong arms protectively around her, Dylan fully encases her body with his strength.
Crying into his neck, Sydney sobs, “I am so sorry. For everything. I’m so sorry.”
“Angel,” he breathes, his voice soft and kind.
Pulling back from him slightly, she gazes up into his entrancing silver eyes. As he nuzzles her cheek, she realizes he has trimmed his beard for the occasion. There is more of a five-o’clock shadow gracing his face, and she likes it.
“What are you sorry about?” he asks as he trails his hand through her loose curls.
She instantly misses the sensation of his arm around her, but is satisfied with the feeling of his hand in her hair.
“I’m sorry for everything. For being so mean to you, for not giving you a chance to explain, for being cold, for…everything.”
Dylan seems to ignore her statement as his thumb brushes against her cheek, wiping away her tears and the makeup she knew had been smeared.
“You’re beautiful even when you’re teary eyed; though I hope it isn’t something I see again any time soon.” He leans forward and gently presses his lips against hers before standing to his full height and grasping her hand. “Come with me. I think we need to talk.”
YLAN WATCHES SYDNEY’S PARENTS, who are standing at the window of the Town Hall building, stare at them as he helps her into his truck. Knowing he has an audience, Dylan winks at Mrs. Connelly and she has the good grace to blush before scurrying away with her husband in tow.
“Meddlers…” he murmurs out loud as she shuts the passenger door.
Joining Sydney in the truck, he makes his way back to her home to explain to her everything that is going on: about the assignment, about his career, and about what she can expect, because he isn’t planning on going anywhere.
As they approach her house, Dylan’s instincts instantly kick into overdrive.
“Why aren’t there any outside lights on?” he asks suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the landscape.
“Oh, they are daylight-sensors, so I keep them on all the time. They were working yesterday.”
“Hm… stay here,” Dylan commands as he steps out from the vehicle.
Something is off, but he can’t quite pinpoint it.
“Is everything ok?” Sydney asks as she comes up behind him.
“Why didn’t you stay in the car like I asked?”
“Because this is my house and I want to go inside,” she retorts. Before he can reply, she glances over his shoulder and chuckles. “I have seen that car more in the past month than I have seen any other vehicle in my life-time.”
“What car?” Dylan inquires, now on high alert as he turns around.
“The navy blue town car. They drive past the bakery every day. Kind of gives me the willies.”
“Go inside and lock the door.”
“Dylan…”
“Just do it!” he shouts before rushing to his truck and taking out his camera, not even pausing to make sure Sydney is able to get inside unharmed.
Though the car is a good distance away, he has a high-powered lens for situations just like this one and is able to capture an image.
After snapping a few pictures, he uses the view finder to zoom in on the license plate. Dylan takes out his phone and messages the information to his boss before putting the camera back in his truck. Skeptical not only of the vehicle, but also that her lights weren’t working when they arrived, Dylan makes sure to grab two loaded weapons and his knife before heading to the front door of the bungalow.
He knocks three times before announcing his name. Sydney opens the door to him and presses herself against his body.
“I didn’t go any further. I wasn’t afraid before, but now I am.”
“That’s ok. I’ll explain everything to you. Let’s go inside and check everything out and then you can get comfortable, alright?”
Dylan strolls through Sydney’s home, checking for anything amiss. Sydney’s hand grips the back of his suit jacket as she follows closely behind. Flicking on the light to her bedroom, he guides her inside and then strolls over to the window, hastily closing the blinds before turning to leave the room.
“I’ll wait out here for you,” Dylan adds before he heads towards her kitchen.
He removes his suit jacket, rolls up the sleeves on his shirt and loosens his tie, then grabs a glass of water while he waits for Sydney to reappear. Just as he places his glass into the dishwasher, she walks out from the hallway in an oversized shirt and sweatpants that swallow her body.
Dylan can sense her nerves from here, so he walks over to her and wraps her in his arms before guiding her over to the couch to sit down. He grabs the blanket that has been tossed along the back of the sofa and drapes it around her body. At last, she cracks a small smile at his gesture.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Angel. Can I get you anything?”
“A glass of wine maybe? I have some white in the fridge.”
“Absolutely. I’ll be right back.”
Dylan makes quick work of locating her wine glasses and grabs the chilled bottle of Moscato from the fridge. Knowing that she’ll need it, he pours well past the “two finger mark” and replaces the wine back in the fridge before joining her on the couch.
“Thank you.”
“Anything you need, Syd.”
The two of them stay quiet; Dylan trying to figure out the words to say, Sydney drinking from her glass.
Twisting the nimble stem between her fingers, Sydney stares down at the pale liqui
d while saying at last, “So…”
“So,” Dylan repeats, anxiety spreading through his veins.
He has no gentle way to explain why he is here, why he needs to protect her, so instead he opens up and lays it all on the line.
“People are after you, Sydney. Really bad people.”
“Mmmhmm,” she mumbles.
“I was sent here because you are tied to a crime ring. Someone put a hit out for you and they didn’t succeed. Now, a few years later, the leader has found out and wants it done properly. He’s sending his best men for you, Sydney.”
She pries her gaze from her wine and turns to him with a puzzled look on her face.
“I don’t understand. I’ve never done anything wrong. I had some guys try to scare me a while back, but that was because of my boyfriend,” she explains quietly, confusion marring her brow as she absentmindedly rubs the scarred remains of her arm.
“What do you mean they ‘tried to scare you’?” Dylan asks, trying to remain as calm as possible, but his voice raises in fury.
“Oh, um…” She clears her throat uncomfortably, and is suddenly very aware of the fact she’s never said these words aloud, “Some men in suits came by my apartment while I was in Raleigh and said that they had a message for my boyfriend. I just figured it was related to his promotion. Then I noticed one of them had a knife and before I could react, he sliced my arm as I tried to close the door,” She clings to her arm tightly and trains her eyes on the floor.
Dylan reaches forward and clasps her arm softly. He works to smother a gasp when he notices how twisted the scar appears - one that obviously had gotten infected as it healed. Bringing the rough skin to his mouth, he tenderly places a kiss on the mangled skin as he gazes up at Sydney’s shocked expression.
“What is your ex-boyfriend’s name?” he asks, pressing a second, then a third kiss to her arm before landing on her wrist.
“Caleb. Caleb Barnes,” she whispers.
Dylan furrows his brows in thought without releasing her arm, but she slowly pulls it away from his mouth to drink from her wine glass once more.
“I don’t know a Caleb,” he announces before resting back against the couch. “Anyway, our intel says that they aren’t one-hundred percent sure where you’re located, but somehow, they’ve received your town’s name. It won’t be hard for them to narrow it down. The town’s too small. They just need to ask the right person.”
Coming Consumed: Welcome to Carson, Book Three Page 9