Page 12 of Screw Christmas
I gave him a long, hard look examining his features with enhanced scrutiny. The colors from the lights of the tree played on his features as our gazes locked. The years had been kind to him, I’d give him that much, there was barely a wrinkle to be seen. He could easily pass as thirty; he wasn’t wrong there. Even without the make-up to roll back the years. “Okay. Let’s just say you can pass for thirty. What happens if you don’t get that big break you’re hoping for?”
He blew out a loud huff of air, the moisture in his breath materializing as it was expelled.
Before he had a chance to further explain, my phone rang. Pulling it from my purse, I looked down at the screen and smiled, then grimaced. Between work and Dylan, I’d completely forgotten about my mother. Gawd, I really was an asshole. How in the hell did I forget about her?
Pressing accept, I brought the phone up to my ear.
“Hey Mom, Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas sweetie, I was expecting a call from you.”
“I’m sorry. I worked all day, and I just got finished eating, I was about to call you.”
Liar! A voice in the back of my mind screamed.
“Say hi to your mom for me,” Dylan attempted to cut in.
Putting a hand up, I turned from him.
“Who was that? Are you with someone? Is Aaron there with you?” Mom asked, a hopeful note in her voice.
I cringed at the mention of my ex.
“No, not exactly. I stopped by the Rockefeller tree after supper, I’m here now.”
“Oh.”
There was disappointment in her tone. She had met Aaron when she came to New York a couple of years ago. He charmed her and she’d been gushing over him ever since. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that we’d broken up a long time ago. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, I also didn’t want the embarrassment of having to answer a million questions as to why we broke up and having to admit I’d gotten played.
“That reminds me. I heard from someone that Dylan was asking about you. He might be headed your way,” she said.
Looking over my shoulder, my eyes narrowed as I shot Dylan a glare.
“You don’t say.”
“Yes, if you see him tell him I said hello. It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to him.”
I cringed at being reminded that we’d been stepsiblings for most of my teenage years. Turning back from him, I sighed. I wasn’t sure why I was keeping the information that he was with me to myself. It’s not like it would be any big deal to tell my mother, but it didn’t feel like the right time. Not when I was still figuring out what my thoughts on him and him staying with me were.
“Who did you hear about Dylan coming this way from?” I asked, switching into cop mode without thinking about it.
“Word gets around,” Mom answered innocently.
Something told me there was more to the story than my mother wanted to share. I really hoped she wasn’t getting back with Dylan’s dad. They were on good terms as friends, but together they were like oil and water. Unfortunately, they seemed to be in a never-ending circle of breaking up and getting back together.
“I know you two haven’t kept in contact, but you know just because me and his father broke up doesn’t mean it was Dylan’s fault or that you should avoid talking to him. You two were so close back then. It would be nice if you reconnected. He was the closest thing you had to a sibling.”
“Yes, I know. That’s history though, Mom. Life goes on and people part ways. There’s lots of people I knew years ago that I haven’t talked to in over twenty years. He’s not special.” I didn’t look at Dylan to see how he took that.
“Maybe so, but it is the holidays and a new year coming around the corner.”
Time to shift the conversation lickety-split.
“It is. You’re doing well?”
~*~ TT ~*~
Dylan
