He backed up a step and the expression on his face told her that her response was definitely not what he had expected. She took her time putting her little kitten heels back on. He was much taller and a little more overwhelming when her 5’2” frame wasn't in heels. He had to be over six feet tall. At least with her shoes she was a more formidable 5’4”. Surprisingly, even after her rejection he still reached out and handed her the coffee cup he’d said was meant for her.
"Thank you." She took a sip as an almost automatic reaction. Oh wow, how did he manage to go to the trouble of finding out what my usual drink is? He must've asked the baristas or something because this is spot on. Either he is actually a sweet guy or he has some pretty good moves.
"You're welcome. Are you by chance going to the movies at the library tonight?"
Lila was surprised he knew about the library's summer movies, where they would stream an old movie against the side of the building every Friday from the time school let out to when it started up again. Even though she wasn't technically on shift this month, Lila was expected to be there at least every other week just in case whoever was actually putting it on needed the backup or called in sick at the last moment. Not to mention they're playing my favorite movie of all time this week. I wouldn't miss them screening Cry Baby for anything. But she wasn't about to tell him that.
"Yes, I'll be there," she replied a little cautiously.
Dylan nodded and this time gave a soft, more unpracticed smile. "Good. Then I'll see you there and don't be too surprised if my blanket happens to be somewhere near your blanket out on the lawn."
With that, he gave her one last look before turning and heading towards the library's exit.
There was something about the promise that they'd be sitting next to each other that set her heart racing. She knew it was silly, but she couldn't help the smile on her face. The library movie nights would keep her totally in her element, and watching her favorite movie would definitely make her more comfortable. He was following her into her realm. Don't be ridiculous Lila, there's not a lot to do in Highland. For all you know one of his brothers could've dragged him to the movies anyway. Because he doesn't really seem like a small carnival rides type of guy. Just concentrate and keep your head about you. He's used to wooing women far more sophisticated than me.
Lila shook her head to clear that train of thought. While she was intrigued and interested on how tonight was going to go, she had the whole rest of the day to get through first. Taking another sip of her Americano, she headed back to the front desk.
Chapter 4
Dinner with his parents had been pretty much what Dylan expected. His mother had yet again, asked how none of them were married, but Bryce was able to derail that conversation by asking her how all of the plans for the Fourth of July celebration were going. Luckily for all of them, their mother was the chair of the Highland Lake Fourth of July committee, which meant everything involved with this celebration had to be run by her before it was put into place. The rest of dinner was spent hearing about the little things here and there that were frustrating about the process as well as all of the events involved.
His dad just sat there silently, smiling to himself through most of the meal. He had mentioned to Dylan, when he first entered the house, that the two of them needed to sit down and have a chat before Dylan left at the end of the weekend, but before they could do so this evening, Bryce and Dorian had practically yanked him out the door to head to the library movie night.
Though he surprised Lila earlier by knowing about it, he himself had not expected to go until he mentioned it to her. His brothers had been trying to convince him to go with them while he was there, but Dylan had firmly expected to work as much of the weekend as possible. While a movie outside sounded like a quaint, small city activity, it wasn't the kind of thing Dylan was into. He couldn't help it - now that he knew Lila was going to be there, he wanted to go. Plus, it helps that I'm curious as to why she is so determined not to go to dinner with me. She seemed adamant; it's so unusual that it simply makes her more interesting.
Now he sat halfway through several haphazard rows of blankets and lawn chairs on one side of the library. Though he commented to Lila that he would be sitting near her, he had no idea which blanket was hers. He didn't see her and he certainly wasn't going to ask his brothers about it; a man had to have dignity and draw the line somewhere. I have to admit, even though I came simply to track down Lila they do have a pretty good set up here. This may actually be fun but I'm certainly not going to admit that to either of my brothers. I couldn't handle the gloating all weekend.
When they arrived, he had been surprised to see several groups in the community set up what appeared to be stands and food-truck-type things with popcorn, small doughnuts, and a men's group - Dylan didn't know what group - were grilling up hotdogs and burgers for sale. There were a good chunk of people Dylan vaguely recognized, so the event was mostly locals but he was pretty sure the populace was boosted by the influx of people there for the Fourth of July celebration.
Once they arrived, Bryce bought a giant tub of popcorn for the three of them to share. They then meandered their way through the various groups until they found an empty spot of grass where they could lay their blankets down. It'd taken them almost fifteen minutes to get to that spot because between his two brothers they stopped to speak to about a third of the people there. It was a little strange for Dylan, as he was used to being relatively unknown for nine months out of the year. Every time the most eligible bachelor list came out, people recognized him all over the place until that died down.
Part of him was itching to pull out his phone and check his work emails but Dorian had already threatened to take the phone for the remainder of the weekend if Dylan so much as tried to check an email. So instead they sat and joked around, catching up with one another for about an hour until a very young, probably college-aged, woman stood on top of the small platform that sat in front of the library wall.
"Oh, here we go. They're going to do an introduction to the movie and then start," Dorian commented, as he turned so he was facing the front instead of Dylan and Bryce.
"Can everybody hear me?" asked the young blonde over what seemed to be a microphone hooked up to the sound system that would be projecting the movie.
When she got enough affirmations she smiled. "Great. Normally I would now give you the whole spiel about this movie, but I feel it's only fair to let Lila do it since she is the one who requested it. She is also the one obsessed with this movie, so can I get a quick Highland Lake welcome for one of our regular librarians, Lila Tomas," the blonde said as she started clapping.
He watched as Lila popped up on a blanket about two rows in front of them to the left and weaved her way up to the front to stand beside the blonde. The blonde then handed her the microphone. "Hi, everyone. I know August is usually my month to host these things so I wasn't really expecting to be talking to you today. Forgive me for not having a totally prepared and put together statement."
There were a couple of chuckles from the crowd.
"As Alicia already said, Cry Baby is my absolute all-time favorite movie. It is a John Waters film so as the warnings stated in the packet this year, there is some more adult content, which is why we're hosting it on a night where sunset happens a little bit later. This way, people are less inclined to bring children in. It is sort of his answer to the teen comedy movies. I absolutely love this movie and could gush about it for probably as long as it would take to actually watch the movie so I'm going to save you all that agony and say I hope you enjoy the show." With that, she smiled and waved at the crowd before handing off the mic to the blonde who must've been Alicia and walking off the stage.
Alicia also waved at the crowd before clicking something at the side of the mic and following Lila down the steps. As soon as both women were off of the stage the wall began to flicker as the images appeared. Though they put a sort of cloth as a screen on the wall, Dylan could tell it wasn't
100% tied down, as when there was a breeze it would ripple ever so slightly. Apparently no one seemed bothered by it.
Chapter 5
Lila was completely pumped as the credits began to roll, signaling the end of the movie. It was one thing that she loved the movie and made people watch it in her own home, this time she had taken a chance and made a good chunk of the town watch it with her. The first time she heard people laughing - not just a handful of people, but a good amount - she relaxed. This wasn't going to be something everyone would hate and wonder why she made them all watch. It hadn’t taken her long to get fully into the movie, making the comments and movements that she and her friends always made. It was like their very own Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was probably a sign she made them watch it too much but Lila tried not to dwell on that thought.
Once Alicia had thanked everyone for coming and people began standing up, stretching, and buying what was left from the food areas, she found herself scanning the crowd, looking for Dylan. She had been too hyped up before to glance around and see if she could see him and she didn't want to do it in front of her friends, making it obvious she was looking for someone after she sat down. But now she could use the excuse of stretching to scan the crowd. She didn't see him at first, but she did see Bryce, then Dorian, which told her exactly were Dylan would be. Only when she looked at the other side of their little group, she didn't see him. I wonder if he didn't show after all. That would be a little disappointing. Oh, come on, Lila; don't get yourself all wrapped up in a playboy. Your life is not affected one way or the other if he didn't show. Her mental pep talk didn't work as well as she would've liked.
"So, that's your favorite movie?" came a deep voice behind her.
Lila spun around, knowing there was a smile on her face as she turned to Dylan. "Yep, an old roommate introduced me to it my first year in college and I've loved it ever since. What did you think?"
He seemed to think on it a second, as if weighing his words. "I liked it, I think. It's the kind of movie I believe needs to sink in a little bit before I can decide whether I like it or not. It was a bit stranger than things that I usually watch but I did enjoy the jokes and the making fun of teen movies part was pretty funny. I also thought the whole orphanage scene was pretty ridiculous, in a good way."
Lila felt her smile widen. She wasn't sure how she would've reacted if he said he hated the movie. "Good, we can be friends then."
He cocked his head to the side and smiled at her. "Are you saying you couldn't be friends with me if I didn't like the movie?"
Lila struggled to keep her expression solemn, but she was definitely failing. "Absolutely, anyone who can't enjoy Cry Baby is definitely not the type of person I want hanging around."
His laugh was rich and honest; there was nothing about it that made Lila think it was a practiced reaction in order to seduce women. "Do you work tomorrow? Or will you be wandering around, enjoying the festivities?"
He really is persistent, isn't he? Too bad I can't work up some disappointment. It's not like he's gonna be sticking around Highland after this weekend. "This weekend I open on Saturday, meaning tomorrow, but I'm only at work until two, then I am free to wander around with my roommates and check things out. Which is good because the band I want to see is playing on the main stage at 2:30. Then the library is closed both Sunday and Monday." Why did I just share all that? He doesn't need to know my entire itinerary for that weekend. Oh my goodness, why am I so embarrassing? Seriously how desperate and flirty does that sound? Get it together, Lila.
He didn't seem phased by her blurting out her schedule, in fact he seemed to be making a mental note of all of it. After a second he smiled. "Good, that gives me plenty of time this weekend to continue to run into you and convince you that you should give dinner with me a try. And really, I am not that bad of a guy, but don't take my word for it. I’ll wear you down eventually." His eyes crinkled slightly as if trying to hold back a laugh
Lila couldn't help it - she simply blurted her response, "Don't count on it."
He reacted exactly how she thought he would, by chuckling. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lila." With that he turned and walked away, presumably to join his two brothers.
Part of her wanted him to come back. She was very surprised by how much she enjoyed talking to him but at the same time, she knew as soon as she turned back to her roommates they were going to be asking her all sorts of questions. If they had talked any longer they probably would've started flirting and that would've caused an even bigger commotion with her friends.
Sure enough, even before she turned, she heard Mary's voice, "Isn't that Dylan Roth, the guy who keeps making the most eligible bachelor list in Seattle, flirting with our Lila?"
Lila spun, putting her hands on her hips and lifting one eyebrow. "Yes, he thinks he's pretty suave but I'm pretty sure he's only interested because I keep saying no. I think it's a novelty for him to get shut down. I don't know, maybe that's his thing."
Her friends laughed and Mary snorted. "Okay Lila, I’ll pretend like we don't know bantering is your thing."
Her friends made sounds of agreement as they all began cleaning up so they could walk back home and get to bed before it really was too late in the evening.
Chapter 6
The day, so far, had been rather uneventful, but Dylan wasn't surprised since the parades and fireworks did not happen until Monday. That meant only events like eating contests, blue ribbon awards and performances on the festival's only stage were the predominant forms of entertainment. Dylan and his brothers dutifully followed their mother as she ran from judging to judging, offering assistance when she needed it. She was in her element and they knew better than to disappear on her. Luckily, the dog show was the last event she ran for the day so they were off the hook at 2:30, just in time for him to find Lila. He was surprised when his father tapped him on the shoulder while a parade of toy breeds pranced in front of them.
When Dylan turned to look, his father tilted his head and motioned away from the mini arena. "I'm getting your mother coffee, come with me. You two stay here in case she needs help." Their father motioned to the two younger brothers.
Dylan exchanged shrugs with his brothers before following after the older man. Neither of them said anything as they walked across the festival grounds. Knowing his mother preferred Highlander Coffee, Dylan was sure his father was just looking for company for the ten-minute walk across town. His father wasn’t much of a talker in general but not saying anything was a little uncharacteristic. They made their way almost halfway across town before Dylan began to get nervous and finally caved.
"What is going on, Dad? The silence is making me worry." He tried to make his voice sound jokey. Please don't be dying.
His father did not answer right away, but at least this time Dylan could tell it was because the older man was choosing his words and not from hesitation.
"Your mother and I have been talking and we decided that it is time for me to ease my way into retirement. I am going to start out by simply bringing a second chair on my current cases and any other cases I might take on. Eventually I will work my way down to a part-time position until, in about a year, I decide to retire outright. Nothing would make me happier than for you to be my predecessor. I would like to offer you the business in my retirement. I know you mostly want to stay in Seattle because you enjoy the big city life but I think you will find running your own business, while it might seem like a slower pace initially, fulfilling enough to warrant a move to Highland Lake. Not to mention you would be closer to your family. You and I both know your mother would appreciate seeing you more often, even if that isn't high on your priority list necessarily."
Dylan's mind was a jumble of different thoughts. He had never imagined himself retiring, let alone living, in Highland Lake. The pace was simply too slow for him, but the idea of running his own firm, even a small one like his father's, held a lot of appeal. Though Dylan liked having his own bachelor lifestyle, he enjoyed being able to
go to the theater or a baseball game on a whim. The idea of having to go out of his way to plan the same events most likely in advance didn't sit well with him.
He must've been frowning or waiting too long to answer because his father chuckled beside him. "It's all right son, I'm not expecting an answer now. Your mother and I talked about it and we are perfectly fine to wait for you to make up your mind. Ideally, I'd like you to think on it and get back to me at the end of the holiday weekend. If we reach Monday afternoon/evening and you still can't decide then we can revisit it but I think this would be a good opportunity for you to set down roots."
Set down roots? Why do we need to set down roots? That sounds so old-fashioned. Next he's going to start asking me when I’ll have grandchildren, as if Mother doesn't ask the three of us that enough. I’d be lying if I said it wasn't appealing, but it would mean giving up my whole lifestyle.
They spent the rest of the walk to the coffee shop in silence; this time his father’s silence was more stress-free and companionable. Dylan himself had all sorts of thoughts raging through his head and wasn't sure he could've held a conversation, even if his father tried to initiate one.
Chapter 7
Lila danced ridiculously with her roommates, none of them caring who saw them making idiots of themselves. Highland Lake could be such a small town anyway that if people decided to talk, they wouldn't need something as trivial as dancing, though there was no way to know for sure as small city gossip, when real gossip was slow, could be slightly unpredictable.
It was hotter than she initially expected to be so the black cardigan she brought with her was currently tied through two oversized belt loops of her black denim capris. This meant it tangled when she moved and hit the back of her leg but that was fine by Lila, as at least it wasn't keeping her overheated like it would have been if she put it over her shoulders. She didn't know how long she and her friends had been there, but just as the band they really enjoyed finished up their set, she heard an attractive masculine voice from behind her.
Big City Bachelor Page 2