Dylan laughs without looking my way. “Was that the time you won that ball toss competition they had near the carousel?”
“It sure was.” I smile. “I’ll never forget the look of defeat on your face.”
“AndI’llnever forget you walking backwards while gloating, and falling flat on your ass. It was a sight to be seen.” He laughs while patting my arm sympathetically.
I elbow him in the stomach and pull away. Walking ahead of him, my hands run along the brick of the building beside me.Would my life have turned out differently, if I had known Dylan as a child?
As if reading my mind, Dylan muses in a tone laced with melancholy. “If only we had some real childhood memories together.”
Plastering on my trademark smile, even though he can’t see my face, I think about his words.Oh Dylan, we do. They’re just not of the happy variety.I shake out my thoughts and bring myself back to the present, continuing on with our game.
“My favorite memory from this pier is standing by the ocean, listening to the crashing waves with the wind in my hair, while watching the sunset…and eating the biggest bag of taffy you’ve ever seen,” I joke and laugh at myself.
Dylan doesn’t answer right away, and when I look back at him, he’s leaning against a signpost, hands in his pockets, eyes locked on me. There’s a soft smile playing on his lips and a look of pure contentment on his face.
“This right here, right now.Thisis my favorite memory. Or at least, it will be, the second after I drop you home,” he says, briefly looking around before returning his eyes to mine.
I feel the blush spread across my skin as butterflies do acrobatics in my stomach.Ugh, why does he have to be so freaking amazing all the time? Not to mention gorgeous. The way his eyes light up when he smiles, and the sexy way he…shit! I’m staring.
With a small smile and shoulder shrug, I turn my back on him once again. I don’t make it far before his arm wraps around my shoulders, and he pulls me close, tucking me into his side. With the warmth of his embrace, the feel of his body pressed to mine, and the smell of his familiar rich woodsy cologne, I suddenly feel protected like I haven’t in a long time. Like no matter what happens, Dylan will be there for me. And that feeling is as wonderful as it is terrifying.
When we reach the end of the pier, I stare out into the darkness and listen to the waves. The breeze of the ocean hits me in the face, and I shiver involuntarily. Without missing a beat, Dylan pulls me close and presses a kiss to my hair before wrapping his other arm tightly around me. Comfortable in the moment, and perhaps a little caught up in unfamiliar feelings, I allow myself to burrow into his chest. As my mind stills I can’t help but admit that Dylan was right…
This moment is going to be hard to forget.
An hour later, we find ourselves in our current location, Dumpling Way, for dinner. The place looks like a dive, considering its location, but the food… I’ve never had anything like it. The place is crowded, the tables are old wrought iron and not particularly comfortable, and the noise level is high due to the concrete walls, but the food definitely makes up for it.
They don’t do table service, so I’m currently standing in line at the counter to order our dessert, even though we’ve already polished off an unmentionable number of dumplings between us. Dylan insists we try the dessert buns, and who am I to say no?
When I get back to the table, Dylan’s staring out the window in a daze. “What’s got that nostalgic look on your face?” I ask, clicking my fingers in front of his face to get his attention.
His eyes flash to mine, and he stares at me for a moment, as if trying to process that I’m standing in front of him. “Football?”
“Is that a question?” I laugh.
“No?”
I frown as he shakes his head and offers a small smile before rolling his eyes. “Sorry, my mind was elsewhere, but I was thinking about football—about a chat I had with the coach.”
“About not wanting to go pro?” I ask, and I’m met with a look of pure shock. “Sorry. Am I way off base?”
Dylan’s brows furrow, and his eyes look up to the left, as though he’s trying to recall information. “No, I’m sorry,” he says and then finally looks my way again. “Your question just caught me off guard. I didn’t think I’d told you that. Sorry, I don’t remember it.”
Oh shit!“Oh. Uh, no, you didn’t. You haven’t. Shit. Joel told me,” I say, as I nervously bite my lip.Was it meant to be a secret?
Dylan’s expression softens, and he smiles. “No big deal. What exactly did he say?” He sounds nervous, and I’d bet my last penny it’s because it’s not something he likes to share.
I scrunch up my nose and answer, not wanting to lie since I’ve already dug a hole. “Just that you don’t want to go pro because you want to be around for your future family.” He cringes, all but confirming my suspicion. “Was he not supposed to tell me that?”
“It’s not that I didn’t wantyouto know. I just don’t talk about it in general.”
That’s somewhat of a relief, but I don’t understand why he’d keep it a secret. “Why?” I ask, trying to keep my voice void of emotion so he doesn’t think I’m judging him for his decision.
“Why do I feel that way, or why don’t I talk about it?”
“Both,” I say, almost apologetically. I’m asking him to open up, even though I’d never do the same.
He sighs and runs his hand through his hair before gripping his neck. I see it the second he decides to confide in me. His gaze softens, and the smallest hint of relief flashes across his face. He’s wanted to get this off his chest for a while. He closes his eyes tightly as if pained by a memory and then shakes his thoughts away. “Dad was away a lot during my childhood and missed some pretty big moments. I don’t just mean dance recitals, or sporting events. I mean Lucy fell off a horse and broke her arm, and he wasn’t there when she was rushed to the hospital. He wasn’t around when we got the news that my grandmother, his mother, had passed away. He missed anniversaries and birthdays. Sure, he was only ever gone a day or so at a time but that’s not the point. He wasn’t even there the day I was born.”