Dance Like Nobody's Watching (Summer Lake 3) (8 page)

As he ran, he took in the neighborhood. It was a
great little town. Being here was like going back in time. Neat
little yards fronted the sidewalks, lawn mowers buzzed, people walked
dogs, kids played ball in the street and zoomed by on bicycles. Most
of the houses were like Missy's; small and modest, but well kept. As
he neared the center of town and the resort, the houses were larger.
When he turned onto Main Street, the waterfront homes that lined the
lakeshore looked beautiful. Set back at the end of long driveways,
with beautiful sweeping lawns leading down to private docks on the
lake.

He stopped to catch his breath before he entered
the convenience store for the papers. From there he ran across the
square to the Boathouse. He'd called ahead and hoped their order
would be ready to go. He spotted Ben sitting out on the deck and ran
up the steps.

Ben grinned at him. “Run, Forrest, run!”

Dan laughed. “Very funny. How you doing?”

“I'm good. Just catching some peace and some
sunshine before the day kicks in. You?”

“Yeah. I'm good.”

Ben raised his eyebrows. “I saw a breakfast
order with your name on it. I'm guessing I know who the Boathouse is
for?”

Dan shifted from one foot to the other. “You
do.”

Ben smiled. “Hey! I'm just busting your
balls, buddy. I think it's great. I was wondering how long it would
take the two of you.”

Dan met his eye. “It'll take us a little
while longer, yet. I still have to officially end it with Olivia.”

Ben nodded. “But it must have been over for
a while, really? I mean, you're here every weekend and she never came
with you.”

“Yeah,” said Dan. “I don't even
remember the last time we went out.”

“Then kick her to the curb of her and move
up here, like everyone else is doing!” Ben grinned.

“I'm seeing her tonight to finish it.”

“Good.”

“I need to get that breakfast and get back.”

Ben raised his eyebrows with a grin.

Dan bit his lip. “No. I'm worried about her.
I think she's more than worn out, Ben. I know she's been working a
lot, but I think she might be sick. She keeps going really pale, and
this morning she was all dizzy.”

“That doesn't sound good. Do you want me to
call Michael?”

What the hell did Michael have to do with
anything? Dan was going to take care of her himself!

Ben laughed out loud. “Jesus, Dan! Don't
look like that. He's a doctor. Didn't you know?”

Dan felt foolish. “No, I didn't. Still, I
don't think she'd be too happy if we did that. Would you text me his
number, just in case, though?”

“Will do, bud. Let's go find you that
breakfast so you can get back to her.”

Running back down Main Street, Dan spotted a For
Sale sign in the yard of one of the waterfront homes down at the end
of the road. He ran on, clutching the insulated delivery bag Ben had
put the food in.
Move up here, like everyone else is doing
.
That's what Ben had said. How could he do that though? He had to go
into the office everyday. He didn't really though, did he? That was
one of Olivia's rules. She made him and Steven go in every day—just
like she made him shave—because that was how
she
thought
things should be. He and Steven could work anywhere they could get
online. Why had he been allowing her to dictate everything? For that
matter, why had Steven?

He slowed to a walk as he turned onto Missy's
street. He knew why. Both he and Steven had been allowing it because
it was easier than standing up to her and arguing with her. He'd
always thought he was being wise, taking the path of least
resistance. Right now he was starting to think that what he’d
actually been was cowardly—and not very wise at all.

***

Missy opened her eyes when she heard the front
door open. She must have drifted off. She struggled to sit up when
Dan poked his head into the living room.

“Don't get up. You stay right there. I'll
get us some plates.”

She nodded. Her limbs felt like lead. She sank
gratefully back down, hoping she'd be able to muster the strength to
sit up by the time he came back. She'd never felt this tired
before—and she'd always known what an honest day's work felt
like. She smiled, listening to Dan bang around in the kitchen. He'd
find whatever he was looking for eventually. She sat up against the
arm of the sofa and pulled a cushion towards her. Scot used a cushion
as a lap tray whenever she let him get away with it. Time for her to
take a lesson from her son. Dan came back and put a fresh coffee on
the end table beside her. He handed her the newspapers and some
napkins.

“Thanks.”

He nodded, his face full of concern. He went back
into the kitchen and returned with her breakfast. Hash browns,
scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, and toast were all piled high
on the plate. It was a ridiculous amount of food, but she almost
always managed to finish it.

He grinned as he handed it to her. “Dig in.
I know you like to save the pancakes ’til last, so I left them
in their carton to keep warm.”

How did he know she always ate the pancakes last?
She'd never understood when people ate them along with everything
else. She considered to them to be dessert. “Thanks, hero.”

His beautiful smile lit up his face as he
disappeared to get his own breakfast.

***

Missy sipped her coffee. She was stuffed! Dan had
cleared the dishes away and was sitting on the floor beside the sofa,
looking up at her. He still looked concerned.

“Do you feel any better?'

She nodded and yawned. “Sorry. Much better.
Now I'm just full and sleepy.”

“Why don't you go back to bed, get some
rest?”

“Mm. I would if I thought I could make it up
the stairs.” Before she knew what he was doing, he'd stood and
scooped her up off the sofa. She nestled in his arms. “Are you
going for super-hero status?”

He smiled. “I don't think I'll ever make
that.”

He already had, in her eyes. He tightened his grip
and carried her up the stairs and into her room. She let go of him
reluctantly as he gently set her on the bed. She couldn't help but
tease him. “You really only brought me up here to sleep?”

He met her gaze. “Close your robe and get
under the covers, so I can say yes!”

She looked down and realized her robe was gaping
open, almost completely exposing her breasts. She looked back up to
find him staring determinedly at her face, a tight little smile
playing on his lips. “I daren't look down, Miss.”

She laughed and got into bed, pulling the covers
up to her chin. “There. We're safe now.”

He cocked his head to one side. “Damn!”

She turned on her side and patted the other
pillow. “Stay with me a while?” She watched the struggle
on his face. “Just ’til I fall asleep? It won't take
long.”

He lay down facing her. With a little smile he
tucked the covers tighter under her chin. “Just to keep you
safe.”

He was so sweet! He ran his fingers down her
cheek, his callused fingertips so very gentle. “Go to sleep
beautiful. Hopefully you'll feel better after a good rest.”

Her eyelids were heavy and her stomach was full.
She wanted to lie there for hours, get lost in those big brown eyes,
but she was already drifting away.

Dan sat in the minivan and looked across at the
group of parents standing talking in the parking lot. Occasionally,
one of them would glance over at Missy's van. Each time they did, he
quickly occupied himself with his phone so they wouldn't catch his
eye. As so often happened, his determination to avoid unnecessary
social interaction was helping his business. While he sat there, he'd
discovered that the new text-to-voice app was really buggy. He'd need
to spend some time this week working on the digitized voice
production. When he typed the word 'set', the digital voice said
'sex'. 'Asset' sounded even funnier. He smiled to himself. Perhaps he
shouldn't try to fix it, but work instead on how to get it into the
hands of teen-aged boys. It was bound to go viral if he did.

He couldn't wait to see one teenaged boy. The bus
should be here soon. Scot had called earlier, talking at a hundred
miles an hour about how they'd won. Dan had put his phone on speaker
and sat next to Missy on the sofa, knowing she'd want to hear all
about it too. They'd listened to him for a good twenty minutes before
he'd run out of steam.

“So, anyway. We should be back at school by
five, Mom. Can you pick me up?”

“I will,” Dan had answered quickly.
“Your mom's tired and I want to see you before I have to
leave.”

“Awesome! Thanks, Dan. See you then.”

Missy had been grateful, not mad at him like he'd
feared. She'd had a good few hours sleep, but she still looked tired
and pale. “Thanks, Dan. You'd probably better take the van
though. Scot won't thank you if you make him walk home.”

So here he sat. In Missy's van. Waiting for Scot
to get back. He'd take him home and go get them an early dinner from
the Boathouse. Then he really should leave. He needed to call Smoke
an hour ahead of time, so he could file a flight plan and have the
plane ready to go. He enjoyed using Jack and Pete's plane. He was
enjoying it so much that he and Steven had talked about investing in
one themselves. Of course, Olivia didn't approve, but then that
shouldn't matter. She had no real say in the business. She was a
minor partner. It was just that he and Steven had let her walk all
over them. Dan was starting to realize just how stupid he'd been when
it came to her. He hoped he could make Steven see it too. Over the
last couple of years she'd changed the shape of their business, and
their lives. She'd changed things in her own best interests, not
theirs. Though he wasn't looking forward to the conversation he
needed to have with her tonight, he was very much looking forward to
being on the other side of it. He'd be free, free to explore whatever
might happen with Missy, and free to start re-arranging his life, and
his work, to suit himself.

The minibus pulled into the parking lot and a
group of tired, but happy-looking kids piled out. Dan spotted Scot
and got out of the van. Scot high-fived a couple of his friends, then
hitched his backpack higher and came to Dan, a big grin on his face.
Dan was surprised when the kid wrapped his arms around his waist and
hugged him. Dan hugged back. This was a new development.

Scot let go. “Thanks, Dan.”

“My pleasure, champ. I wanted to see you
before I have to go.”

Scot stood close and leaned against him as a
couple of his friends walked by.

“See you tomorrow, Scot.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

The mothers smiled and nodded at Dan as they
passed, curious eyes darting between him and Scot.

“Bye, Mrs. Miller.” Scot waved at
them.

“Come on,” said Dan, getting back in
the van. “Let's get you back to your mom.”

“I'm surprised she let you come for me. She
usually likes to stand and yack with all the other moms.”

Dan grinned. No doubt all the other moms would be
yacking about him, wondering who he was and where Missy was. “She's
really tired, so I persuaded her to let me come.”

“She must be beat. You can't normally keep
her away.”

“Listen, champ. Will you take care of her?
She really is beat and I'm not convinced that she's not sick, too.”

Scot turned big eyes on him. Big gray eyes, just
like his mom's. “She's sick?”

“Not bad sick, just tired out. She needs a
rest.” Shit! He hadn't meant to scare the kid, just to make him
think to look out for her. “I just think maybe you can help her
out a bit, you know? Look out for her.”

Scot nodded, his face solemn. “Can you stay
and help?”

Dan had thought about it, but he figured he should
get out of the way now Scot was home and would be back at school in
the morning. He'd often come on Friday, or left on Monday over the
summer, but he knew Missy liked to stick to a routine when Scot was
in school. He didn't want to mess that up. Plus, he was supposed to
meet Olivia at eight. On the other hand, he didn't want to leave if
Missy wasn't feeling any better.

“You'll be fine, champ. She's probably
better by now.”

Scot didn't look convinced. Dan didn't feel so
sure either. He'd make the call when they got back to the house and
he saw her.

***

Missy sat on the sofa waiting for Dan to bring
Scot back. She still felt totally exhausted. What she couldn't figure
out was why. She'd slept for hours, but she still felt like she could
sleep for a week. Her body felt heavy and lethargic. She didn't feel
ill though. Well, maybe a low-grade headache, but she'd had that on
and off for weeks. She'd felt dizzy a few times, but she did get that
way when she'd been overdoing it. She just hoped a good night's sleep
would set her straight. She had a lot of work lined up for tomorrow.
She covered her eyes at the thought. She had no idea how she would
manage it all if she still felt like this.

She smiled when she heard the van pull in to the
driveway. Scot bounded in to the living room.

“Hey, Mom!” He flung himself on the
sofa and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you okay? I missed
you.”

Missy's heart overflowed. “Hey, sunbeam. I
missed you too!” Moments like this were the highlights of her
life. Much of the time she wondered if he even knew she was there. It
was hard when he was engrossed in his computers, or his robots. When
he didn't even hear her speak. When he forgot to call her. It was so
very hard, but she knew he was doing what he needed to for himself,
to become his own person. If she waited long enough and didn't push,
he gave her what she needed, too—a show of his love, like this
one right now. She hugged him tight and he snuggled up, resting his
head on her shoulder.