“Thanks,” I said, keeping my voice quiet.
He tilted his head to the porch, then headed for the glass back door. I debated how smart it would be to go onto the porch with my ex. I looked at the couch. Then again, Jake was asleep and right here. Not to mention Hades was with me. Shit.
I followed him outside onto a large, shady deck. It wasn’t too hot in the shade at least. I sat down on a chaise and crossed my legs under me. Hades sat next to me, watching Dylan. Dylan hesitated a moment before sitting down at the end of the chaise.
“How is he?” he asked, his voice still quiet.
I turned my head to look through the window at Jake’s sleeping form.
“He’s hurting.” I didn’t know how else to explain it.
He nodded his gaze on Jake. “Did he tell you what was going on?”
I nodded and turned back to Dylan. “That he was being jealous and an ass? Yeah, I heard about it the other day.”
His lips half grinned at me. “You’re the one who told him he was being an ass, right?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged then looked back at Jake. “It was too late though.”
“How bad is he hurting?” he asked.
I turned back to him. He was serious. “His heart’s broken, and it was his own fault for pushing Derrick away. I’d say pretty bad.” I scratched Hades’ ears. He leaned into it.
Dylan looked down at the glass of tea between his knees. “I remember,” he muttered. It took me a moment to realize what he meant. He was thinking of our break up. I tried to ignore it, but he wasn’t going to.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice soft.
“For?” I asked carefully.
“All of it.” He met my eyes. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. And I sure as hell should have listened that night at the hospital.”
But not the rest of the time? I looked down at the tea in my hand. “Thank you.”
He got to his feet and moved to look over the railing to the backyard. “I want us to be able to talk. It’s a small area, Lexie.” He turned and leaned on the railing. “We’re going to run into each other. It’d be nice if you didn’t run away every time.”
I raised an eyebrow at that. “I’m not running away from you, Dylan. I just don’t have a reason to talk to you.”
“We were friends,” he reminded me.
“Yeah, we were,” I admitted. “But then you said what you said, and that made me not trust you.”
He frowned. “Do you think you’ll ever forgive me?”
I met his gaze and told him the truth. “I already have. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten what you did.”
“Was what I did that bad?” he asked. Was he serious? He seemed to realize what he said. “Not the hospital thing, or things I said that night. I was way out of line. But… everything else?”
Didn’t he get it? “Dylan, I asked you not to call. I told you to leave me alone, and you didn’t listen.” I shook my head, not believing that I had to explain this to him. “The way you were acting… I didn’t even think twice about it when Rory said they arrested you.”
His face grew dark as he looked away. “I wasn’t thinking back then. I was… I was hurting and stupid.”
“That’s not a good enough reason to act the way you did,” I told him honestly.
He came towards me, his shoulders blocking out the sun as he stood over me. “I’ve said I’m sorry—”
I flashed on the cabin. Ice on my face.
“Dylan, back up,” I told him.
Hands gripping my sweater, yanking me to my feet.
“I’m not trying to touch—”
“It’s not an ex thing, it’s an Ordin thing,” I snapped as I scrambled to my feet on the other side of the chaise and backed up several feet. Hades came with me, jumping over the chaise, keeping himself against my legs and between me and Dylan. I focused on the present and took deep breaths. I was at Jake’s. Hades was here. It was June. The feel of Hades’ fur under my fingers. The sweat running down my back. It took a little time, but when I opened my eyes I was okay. A little shaken, but okay.
I met his eyes. “That is why I can’t be friends with you.”
“What just happened?” he asked, his brow drawn down.
“You just triggered a flash.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m not the same person that you knew. I need people around me who will listen when I tell them to back up. And that’s not you.” I picked up Hades’ leash. “I’m going to head out.”
I walked around the chaise and past him to the door.
“I didn’t know,” he reminded me.
I sighed. I didn’t bother to turn around. “You didn’t have to. You just had to listen.” I opened the door and closed it quietly behind me. I picked up my keys and left Dylan on the deck.
I was in my bedroom working on a drawing when my phone rang. It was Riley.
“Hey, make-out girl,” I answered with a smile.
"Not funny,” she told me, though her voice made it clear she was smiling.
I burst out laughing.
"Lexie!"
I decided to let it go. “Tell me what happened and why didn't you tell me you liked Ryan?"
She sighed. "Because, I didn't know if he liked me."
"Well, from the look of that kiss I'd say he does,” I chimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Yeah, well, shit,” she said, her voice embarrassed. "Yeah, okay, he asked me out, I said yes and... we..."
"Started making out in the doorway of a church?" I asked, my voice helpful as I grinned wickedly.
"It wasn't that bad!" she insisted. I started laughing again. "Lexie!"
"Sorry, sorry." I tried to get control of myself again.
"He's sweet, Lexie,” she told me. "He's funny, he's sexy as hell and, well, when he looks at me..."
I smiled, remembering that feeling. "Oh, it's like that, huh?"
"Yeah. It's like that,” she admitted. "He even holds my hand around other people."
"Then you better hold on to him," I said. "And kiss him, and make out in a church—"
"Shut up,” she snapped, laughing. "I'm going to be busy for a bit; Ryan has a bunch of dates planned out."
I snorted.
"He plans dates, Lexie!" she practically squealed.
I shook my head. "I'm happy for you, hon."
"Oh, shit, that's him on the other line,” she said in a rush. "Talk to you later."
I hung up the phone still laughing at her. I couldn't blame her for being so giddy. When Riley was dating Zeke she was constantly unsure about where she stood with him. Now, with Ryan, she was getting what she needed. My dirty mind came out to play. I snorted at myself.
I continued working for an hour, until Hades got up and whined at me. Smiling, I put down my colored pencil and headed downstairs.
Rory was on the phone in the living room when I took Hades to the back door and opened it for him.
While he went out I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Yeah," Rory muttered. "I understand."
I ignored it while I waited for Hades at the door. Eventually he lumbered in and went to his food dish. I went into the living room and dropped into the chair near the door. I was taking a drink of water when Rory hung up the house phone with a frown on his face. His eyes met mine and I knew this wasn’t going to be good.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Tired,” I admitted.
“Dr. Peltier said that would happen. Your body is fighting to keep the black spot from spreading. At least, that’s what he thinks is going on.”
I nodded. I figured it was something like that.
He nodded as if he expected it. “That was the doctor. He needs to know if we’re doing surgery.”
I scoffed. “You know as well as I do that it won’t do shit.”
“It might act as a stop gap,” he offered.
“It’s brain surgery,” I countered.
“It’s an option no one’s ever tried before,” Rory pointed out.