Chapter 18
Dustin woke up slowly the next morning, stretching out his arms and legs, curling his feet until his toes cracked. Last night had been incredible, better than anything he’d ever imagined. After the third time, Rylie had curled up on top of him, her head on his chest, and told him he was amazing before falling fast asleep. He’d crashed with a smile on his face.
His eyes popped open as he realized he was alone. He turned over, then sat up, searching the room for any sign that Rylie might just be in the shower, but the boxers and T-shirt she’d borrowed were gone.
To say he was disappointed would have been an understatement.
Why? You told her it was just a one-time thing. No strings. Booty calls don’t usually stay for breakfast.
Still, he was at least hoping for a little morning delight.
He climbed out of bed and took a quick shower, hoping to find Rylie at the pool house before he took off. Once he was dressed for a run, he made his way downstairs to find Charlie at the kitchen table. Charlie looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, his cheek puffy and purple, and a delicious looking yellow cake doughnut in his hand.
“What are you doing?” Dustin asked.
“Drinking coffee and eating the doughnuts your tenant left for you.” Charlie licked his lips, and smacked them loudly. “You know, just throwing this out there, but if I had a beautiful, sexy woman who could bake like this living only five hundred feet away, I’d be taking advantage of my good fortune.”
Dustin spotted the basket on the counter and walked over to check it out. Inside there were two doughnuts left and a little envelope with his name on it. He picked it up and noticed the torn seal.
With a growl, he turned and waved it at his brother. “Did you read this?”
“Noooo,” Charlie dragged the word out sarcastically. “I would never snoop through your shit.”
“Asshole.” Dustin pulled out the little card with flowers.
Good Morning!
I made these for you as a thank you for everything you’ve done. Enjoy!
Rylie
As far as morning-after-amazing-sex notes, it was pretty bland, but when he took a bite of one of the doughnuts, it was like his mouth exploded. He might have even moaned as the tart yet sweet flavor took over his taste buds and danced down his throat.
He looked out the window and saw that Rylie’s car was gone. He’d noticed that she took off most Sundays, but hadn’t thought to ask where she went. At first he’d assumed she just went to church, but she usually didn’t get back until the early evening.
I’ll just have to plan something special tonight. For the doughnuts.
Holding a doughnut in each hand, he faced his brother. “How many were there before you helped yourself?”
Charlie licked his fingers obnoxiously. “I lost count after eight.”
Dustin took another bite and said around the crumbling pastry, “I should have let you freeze to death.”
“You effed up my face.”
“You had it coming. Do you even remember last night?”
Charlie had the nerve to appear sheepish. “It might be a little foggy.”
“You tried to start a fight with Asher Reid, got us kicked out of Shot Gun, and then, proceeded to wrestle with me in the parking lot.”
Charlie rubbed a hand over his day-old stubble. “Fine, maybe I did deserve it.”
“Yeah. You did. Now, are you going to tell me what’s really going on with you? Or do you just want to keep drinking and eating your problems away?”
His brother pointed to the cupboard next to the sink. “The rest of your doughnuts are up there. I only had two and hid the rest.”
“That’s mature.” Dustin opened the cupboard after he finished his second one, and decided to save the rest in a Tupperware. “You can talk while I put these away.”
Charlie sighed loudly behind him. “Fine I didn’t quit. I was fired. My boss hired his son and the little shit stole the design I was going to pitch off my desk. When I went to Mr. Hendrix and called his kid out, he told me to let it go and I said he wasn’t doing him any favors by covering for the bastard. So, he fired me. Then, he blacklisted me with every other firm in the city. He fucking ruined me because he was too big of a pussy to admit that he’d raised a little no-talent asshole.”
Charlie took a drink of his coffee before continuing. “Anyway, my lease was up on my place so I… I came home. I didn’t know what else to do and I’m just pissed. I should have just let it go, let him have the design, but I couldn’t.”
Dustin poured his own cup of coffee and came to the table. “No, you couldn’t. There is nothing wrong with standing up for yourself, Charlie. I’m proud of you, big brother.”
“Yeah, it’s great. Except now, I’m screwed.”
Dustin grinned. “Maybe not.”
“What?”
“Kelly, Marley, Rylie and I are restoring Buzzard Gulch and turning it into a premiere wedding venue. How would you like to be the lead architect on the project?”
Charlie’s eyebrows hiked up. “My benevolent little brother is offering me a job?”
“Hey, I want the best for this project and you’re here. You’re a genius when it comes to buildings and it pays well. And it will give you time to figure out your next move.”
Charlie cleared his throat, then nodded. “Okay. I appreciate it.”
“Then it’s settled. You want to go for a run with me?”
Charlie groaned and grabbed his head, as if just the thought was painful. “Hell no.”
“Okay, but I guess I could grab you one of those day-old breakfast burritos with the greasy sausage and onions if I make it to town? I heard foods with lots of fat and oil are good for hangovers.”
Charlie turned green around the gills. “Fuck you.”
“I love you, too.”
* * * *
Tayler opened the door. “Rylie! I meant to call you yesterday and forgot. Are you still looking for a place?”
“Yeah, I am,” Rylie said as she stepped inside.
“I might know someone looking for a tenant. A friend of mine has a little house on a couple acres outside of town, closer to Somerset. I could give her a call.”
Rylie was torn. She really did want her own place again, somewhere she could have a pet and make it her own. But that also meant moving away from Dustin.
And surprisingly, that was the only con she could come up with.
It’s not as though we’re together. Besides, his brother is there now. He probably can’t wait to get rid of me.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you,” Rylie said.
“I’ll do it right now. You go do your thing.”
Rylie snagged one of the biscuits from the basket and handed it to Tayler. “For the other pups.”
“You are such a doll.”
“Thanks, Tay.”
Tayler disappeared down the hallway and Rylie headed down the row of kennels until she stopped outside of Raider’s.
“Hey, handsome! You ready to come out and play with me?”
Raider jumped up and woofed, the sound echoing through the metal warehouse and creating a chain reaction. All the other dogs started baying and howling, and Rylie held a finger up to her lips.
“See what you started.” She unlocked the gate of his kennel and stepped inside. Once it was secure again, she sat down and let him climb into her lap, laughing as he flopped over onto his back for belly rubs.
“You are such a nerd butt. Yes you are.”
He launched himself up and gave her a half dozen doggie kisses that left her spluttering and trying to hold him off. “Ugh, baby, you need a dental bone!”
“So, I got big news,” Tayler said from the other side of the kennel gate.
Rylie gave Raider his treat, and looked up at Tayler from her position on the ground. “Wow, that was fast.”
“Well, I may have put in more than one good word for you, and told her about Raider. Shelly has a soft spot for him, too, and she’ll rent you her place if you’ll adopt Raider.”
Rylie’s heart started racing. “How much is rent?”
“Six fifty plus utilities. Two bedroom, two bath.”
With the bonus Kelly had given her, she could easily afford it, plus with the commission she’d get from the Rolland/Marconi wedding…
“Could I see it today?” she asked.
Tayler held up a slip of paper. “Yep. She’s expecting your call.”
Rylie couldn’t believe that anyone would rent a house with property for that cheap. “You must have put in a really good word.”
“You bet I did. You two deserve a home together after all you’ve been through.”
Rylie was really lucky with the people in her life. Tayler, Marley, Dustin…
The thought of telling Dustin she was leaving made her sick to her stomach. Would he even care?
Remember no strings attached? You guys are just friends. Don’t blow that by having feelings.
* * * *
That evening, Dustin and Charlie went over to their mom’s for dinner. Dustin was hoping with Charlie home there would be less focus on him and what was happening with his life, but no such luck.
“Charlie, what do you think of Rylie?” his mom asked slyly.
“She gorgeous, sweet, and she can bake. What’s not to like?”
Charlie shot Dustin a knowing grin. Dustin wished he could kick his brother in the shin, but he was too far away.
“Well, apparently, your brother isn’t interested.”
Charlie covered his mouth with his napkin and coughed. “Bullshit.”
Dustin fingered his steak knife, calculating the accuracy if he threw it at Charlie’s smug face.
“What’s this now?” his mom asked innocently.
“They hooked up last night.”
Dustin stood up. “Dude, outside. I am going to give you a matching bruise on the other side.”
“Dustin sit down. Your brother is just messing with you.”
“He acts like a ten-year-old,” Dustin snapped.
“Sit. Down,” she said firmly.
Dustin sat, still shooting daggers at his brother.
“Why don’t you bring Rylie by for brunch next Sunday? I’d love to meet her.”
“It’s not like that, Mom. We aren’t dating. It was a one-time thing.”
His mother’s smile faded. “Oh, Dustin.”
“What?”
“Dumbass,” Charlie mumbled.
“Why am I the dumbass? You dumped Kenzie and she is awesome. The best you’re ever going to find.”
Charlie stood up menacingly and his mom shouted, “Now that is enough! Why can’t we get through one meal without someone storming out or wanting to kill each other?”
“I don’t know, Mom,” Dustin said sarcastically. “Maybe because we all have unresolved anger issues from being beaten by Dad for years.”
The words had tumbled out before he could stop them and they hung in the air like poison.
His mother seemed to visibly shake as she stood. “I am sorry that I couldn’t protect you boys. I did the best I could at the time, but I love you with all my heart and I am so sorry.”
“Mom, I—”
She left the room and it was just Charlie glaring at him accusingly.
“What? You’re going to tell me he never hit you?”
“No. He hit me all right. Mom and me letting him wale on us for so long was the only reason he didn’t take the strap to you sooner.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Why didn’t we just leave?”
Charlie shook his head. “Because Mom signed a prenup. If they ever divorced, Dad got any kids from their union and if he wasn’t around to parent us, then we went to the next Kent relative. Mom tried to find a lawyer who would take her case, but he had money and power and she was scared that she would lose us if she left. That he would make it look as though she kidnapped us. Our father was a bastard, Dustin, but he was a smart bastard.”
Charlie came around the table and squeezed his shoulder. “I get you’re still angry, but you’ve got to figure out a way to deal with it or it will eat you up inside. You don’t want to end up like him, do you?”
Dustin let that sink in as Charlie left the room.
Dustin headed down the hallway toward his mother’s room, and as he stood outside the door, he could hear her sobbing. Slowly, he turned the knob and found her on the bed with her face in a pillow.
He didn’t say anything until he’d sat down on the bed next to her. “I guess I blamed you more than I thought.”
She sniffled behind him. “You have every right to. I should never have married him.”
Dustin turned her around and smiled sadly at her. “But without him, you wouldn’t have four terrible sons who refuse to give you grandchildren.”
She laughed a little and he put his arms around her, lifting her against him, and for the first time, he realized how slight his mother was. She’d never been particularly strong, but now that he thought about everything she’d endured and how she’d still gotten up and carried on, he realized his mother had done the best she could. Could she have done something different? Maybe, but there was no point in wondering what if. He needed to accept what had happened, to all of them, and move on.
“I’m sorry. I know you lived in hell for years longer than any of us, and I never knew why you stayed.”
“One thing I learned from your father is that money is a terrifying thing if you don’t have it and worse if you do.”
He squeezed her. “I’m okay with never talking about him ever again.”
“I think you should talk about him. And me. Maybe go to therapy.”
“I tried that and it didn’t really work.”
“Then talk to someone you trust.” She pulled away from him and cupped his cheek. “Don’t hold all that pain inside, sweetheart. I did that for twenty-five years and it ate me up inside. It’s only been the last two years that I’ve found my joy again. It’s time you found yours.”