Dare to Touch (15 page)

“Care to tell me what’s in there?” she asked, eyeing the overly large gift.

He grinned. “Oh, only something my sister is going to lecture me over buying too soon.”

She laughed at the glee he was sure she saw in his face. “You’re a good uncle.”

“I try to be. So … ready to go meet the troops?”

She drew a deep breath, and he knew she was nervous.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Her words confirmed it, so he grasped her hand and pulled her in for a kiss on those hot lips, long enough to calm her but short enough not to get caught making out by the car. When he pulled back, Olivia’s eyes were glazed, and a smile lifted her lips.

Mission accomplished, he thought and led her toward the front door.

*     *     *

A pretty woman greeted Olivia and Dylan at the front door. “I’m so glad you’re here! I missed you, little brother.”

Olivia did her best not to laugh, because Dylan was so much taller than his sister, who was even shorter than Olivia’s five foot four inches. Like her brother, she had dark brown hair and pretty brown eyes, surrounded by thick lashes. And she wore a casual sundress, which made Olivia feel comfortable with her own choice (well, actually, Avery’s choice).

“You must be Olivia,” the other woman said. “I was so glad when Dylan left a message he’d be bringing a friend. I’m Callie.”

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Olivia said. “I appreciate you letting me crash your family party.”

“The more the merrier. Come out back. We’re set up outside.”

Company consisted of a princess jumping castle and screaming, happy children bouncing around, high on sugar and having fun. It also consisted of parents running ragged, keeping an eye on their kids … or trying to. Olivia sat on the patio along with the adults without rug rat responsibilities. Dylan sat beside her along with his sister and her husband, Matthew, a sweet man with a slightly receding hairline, but good-looking nonetheless. They were currently enjoying a break from watching the birthday girl, since she sat on her uncle Dylan’s lap.

The little girl was a precocious four-year-old who clearly adored her uncle. Even now, the dark-haired imp clapped her hands and chattered as he listened to her with an indulgent smile. A smile that devastated Olivia on a soul-deep level. The man loved children. And she was coming to love him.

No, she forced herself to admit silently, she did love him. She loved the man who wanted her, had gone after her and worn down her resistance until she’d faced the fact that she wanted him too. She’d tried to keep things light. Knew no good could come of letting him in. She sniffed back tears. Happy? Unhappy? She didn’t know which, because the revelation had sent her reeling.

Somehow she kept a smile on her face.

“So, Olivia, how do you work with my brother without wanting to strangle him?” Callie asked with a grin that made her look very much like her sibling.

“Who said I don’t?” Olivia laughed, grateful for the distraction.

“Ooh, the women are ganging up on me,” Dylan said without a hint of fear. “Are you going to help them, Ava?” he asked, tickling her until she screamed, a blood-curdling shriek of glee only a child could manage.

“Dylan, stop!” Callie yelled at him. “She’s had more cake and candy than I want to think about. If she gets sick, you’re cleaning it up!” Callie stood and held out her arms.

Dylan whispered something in the little girl’s ear before standing and handing her over to her mother.

“Potty break,” Callie muttered and placed her daughter on her feet and led her into the house.

“What did you say to her?” Olivia asked him.

“I told her mommies are spoilsports and uncles aren’t.”

“You did not!” She smacked his arm playfully.

“No, I told her we’d play more later.” Dylan grinned.

“You love kids, huh?” Olivia asked, hoping she kept the sadness from her voice.

He nodded.

“I can tell.” Too bad there was a part of her that was petrified to think of having a family.

Getting pregnant, trying to carry beyond the first trimester, coming to love the unborn fetus inside her body, only to lose what she loved … and she always seemed to lose. She’d lost her father, if she’d ever had him, and she’d lost the other man she’d trusted after him.

And Dylan? She wondered if he she’d lose him too. Eventually.

She pushed those thoughts out of her head. She was enjoying Dylan and his family and Callie’s neighbors and friends. Olivia helped her hostess pick up stray plates and cups and brought them into the kitchen.

She held a large plastic bag open wide so Callie could pack it full, and together, they finished tossing the last of this round of garbage.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” a woman said, rushing into the kitchen, sounding out of breath.

Olivia turned her head to see a pretty woman with light brown hair and a warm smile place a wrapped gift on the kitchen counter.

“Meg! I’m so glad you could make it. And I’m sure Ava will be really happy to see you too.”

Meg? Olivia’s stomach churned in reaction to the name. Coincidence? Probably not, since Dylan mentioned Meg was like family. Olivia hadn’t realized exactly what that meant before now.

Callie hugged the petite woman before turning to Olivia. “Olivia, meet Meg Thompson. Meg, this is Olivia Dare. Dylan’s…” Callie’s voice trailed off as the awkwardness of the situation obviously hit her.

“Girlfriend,” Olivia said, finishing Callie’s sentence. The word slipped quickly and easily off her tongue, surprising Olivia with how right it felt.

“I’m so happy to meet you,” Meg said. “I’ve heard so much about you.” She smiled, and Olivia didn’t catch a hint of insincerity from her.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Olivia said, trying not to let old insecurities infringe on her now. Dylan, unlike her college boyfriend, had given her no reason to be jealous of or suspect something was going on with his ex. It was only her own doubts that intruded.

“I’m going to run out and say hi to Ava and give her her present. I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Meg said and, with a wave, headed out the sliding glass doors to the backyard.

Callie turned to face Olivia. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? You have a right to invite whoever you want to your daughter’s party. Besides, if Dylan and Meg are friends, I was bound to meet her eventually.”

Callie lowered herself into a kitchen chair. “I have to rest my feet for a minute. Join me,” she said with a tone like Dylan’s that said she expected Olivia to listen.

Olivia dutifully settled into a chair. “You don’t owe me an explanation,” she told his sister.

“I know but … I had an ex-girlfriend situation with Matthew, and I should have been more sensitive. It’s just that Meg and I remained friendly. And since Dylan never brings girlfriends to meet us, when he mentioned you were coming, I got so excited I forgot all about telling him Meg would be here too.” She bit her lip. “It’s just that I know if I were in your position, I would have appreciated a heads up.”

Olivia really liked Dylan’s sister, and she was grateful that she cared enough to explain. “I appreciate you telling me all that.” Especially the part about Dylan not bringing other women around his family before her. That little revelation caused a distinct warmth in her heart.

Callie nodded. “Look, I love Meg, but she can be needy when it comes to Dylan, and he’s never given her a reason not to be. There’s nothing between them but friendship, but she turns to him whenever she has a problem.”

“I noticed that,” Olivia said wryly.

“I’ve been there with Matthew, except his ex wasn’t as nice and unthreatening as Meg. I had to let him know, in no uncertain terms, it was her or me.”

“I’ve been there too,” Olivia said, finding it easy to talk to Dylan’s sister. “Except my ex lied about them being just friends, and I was too young and blind to let myself see it. Until I walked in on them.”

Callie winced. “That sucks.”

More than the other woman knew. “I’m trying to understand Meg and Dylan’s relationship, but it’s been really hard,” she found herself admitting.

Callie leaned in closer. “Listen, I had to push the issue with Matthew and force him to choose. I don’t think that will happen with Meg. She just needs to see firsthand where you stand in Dylan’s life.”

Olivia nodded. “Thank you,” she said with feeling.

Callie rose. “You obviously make my brother happy. I want that to continue.”

Olivia’s throat grew full at Callie’s words. She hoped she made Dylan happy. More than anything, she hoped she could continue to do so.

They headed back outside, and Callie was immediately distracted by Ava’s shriek. She made a beeline for the jumping castle. Olivia glanced around the pretty backyard and found Dylan in a private conversation with Meg in a secluded corner of the yard.

Olivia’s stomach cramped at the sight of their two heads so close together, and she swallowed hard. She might want to be an adult about all this, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t jealous or worried. She couldn’t help it, and she wouldn’t apologize for the feeling.

In the past, she might have run, but she decided to listen to Callie’s wise words. Meg might consider Dylan her friend, but Olivia intended to make it clear that she was his
girlfriend
. Yes, she thought, that was exactly what she was. Dylan had pushed for them to get serious, and watching him with Meg reinforced her own feelings. So if either one of them had a problem with her staking a subtle claim, she was better off finding out now rather than being blindsided later.

She rubbed her hands together and started across the lawn.

Chapter Nine

D
ylan shouldn’t have been shocked when Meg walked in late to the party. His ex and his sister had remained good friends throughout the years. But he hadn’t given Meg a second thought. His only concern had been to introduce Olivia to his family. Now, he had them both in one place.

Since Olivia was inside with his sister, Dylan figured now was the perfect time to tell Meg to tread carefully. Olivia needed to understand their friendship, and Meg needed to be aware of Olivia’s concerns about his relationship with his ex. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Meg relied on him more than was healthy, but he’d never had a reason to call her on it before Olivia had entered his life.

Unfortunately, before he could corner Meg with his own agenda, she’d asked him if they could talk privately for a few minutes about something important. He hoped he had a chance to say what he needed to as well.

She pulled him to a distant corner of the yard, where nobody could overhear.

“Meg, I really need to get back. What’s going on?” he asked impatiently. Though he needed to talk to her, this crazy secrecy wasn’t what he was after.

“Well, you already know Mike was pissed when he finally came back from Vegas and I had his bags packed and waiting in the front hall, right?”

Dylan nodded. “Yeah. And I told you he deserved to end up on the street and to forget about him.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be so easy,” she whispered.

He narrowed his gaze. “Why is that?” If Meg had let that bastard move back in…

“I’m pregnant.”

He blinked, stunned at her words, which took a moment to sink in. “What?” he yelled at her.

“Shh! And you obviously heard me.” She smiled at him through watery eyes.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Jesus, Meg.”

“It’s okay¸” she said, surprising him.

He narrowed his gaze. “It is?”

She nodded, sounding stronger than he’d have expected. “I kinda suspected it, so I’ve had time to think and make some decisions.”

“Did you tell him?”

She shook her head. “I need to. I know that. But throwing him out was hard enough. I couldn’t drop this on him too. But I will, not that I expect or want any help from him.” She rubbed her bare arms with her hands.

“So you’re going to keep the baby?” he asked.

Her eyes opened wide with horror. “I would never give up my own child! Or do anything else like…” She shook her head, unable to even finish the thought.

He drew in a deep breath, nodding. “You’re going to be a great mom, Meg. You’re warm, caring … and a teacher. You know exactly what a child needs.”

Her face brightened at his compliment. “I think so. I mean, it wasn’t planned, and it won’t be easy, but I can do this.” She placed a hand over her stomach, and her smile was genuine and warm.

Relief at her attitude washed over him. She’d obviously given this thought and was emotionally settled with the idea. “You seem at peace with this, and I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you. I’m still scared, but I’m good. I’ll have the summer off anyway. I’ll find a babysitter and figure it out.”

“I know you will,” he said, proud of her.

“Can I just get a small hug?” She stepped into him before he could reply, and he pulled her into a brief embrace.

“Excuse me.”

Dylan jumped at the sound of Olivia’s voice.

Shit, shit, shit. He grappled for an explanation, but he couldn’t begin to come up with the right way to justify what, once again, was just friendship. Even he knew it had looked like much more. If he’d seen her ex with his arms around her, he probably would have taken a swing at the man.