Page 52 of At First Flight
“Geez,” I mumble, gripping the handle above the passenger door.
“Sorry,” he replies, relaxing his grip and slowing the car’s speed.
The road narrows a bit as it winds around the coastline, which has sandy beaches covered in driftwood.
“That used to be one of my favorite places to hang out as a kid after school,” I point out. “There used to be a dock where I’d go fishing with my dad, but a hurricane took it out a few years back. The town never rebuilt it.”
Dean doesn’t say anything, probably sensing the melancholy in my voice. I miss those times with my dad. My parents always made it a point to spend individual time with each of their children when they could, and I treasured those times with my dad. In a house of seven, it was easy to get lost in the crowd.
Beside me, Dean clears his throat softly, his voice low but steady. “Everything still quiet on your end?”
I glance at him, my chest tightening just a little. “You mean Prescott?”
He nods, jaw ticking. “Just want to make sure he hasn’t managed to get ahold of your new number.”
“Um…” I say, fingers curling around the hem of my shirt. “Sort of. He’s been calling and messaging my old phone, but I blocked his number. I’m almost afraid to check my email.”
Dean’s eyes lock on mine, warm but filled with an undercurrent of steel. “If anything changes or it gets worse, I want to be the first person you tell. Don’t try to handle it alone, Lila. Let me take care of it. Of you.”
The words land soft and sharp all at once, threading warmth through my ribs even as my throat tightens. He’s not just offering help. He’s offering protection. Reassurance. A place to land if everything goes sideways again.
And maybe for the first time, I don’t feel like I have to carry it all by myself.
“Okay,” I say on a heavy sigh as he parks the car.
“Why do you say it like that?” Dean asks, turning in his seat toward me.
“Because Prescott doesn’t come across as someone to let go that easily. One time, he wasn’t happy with our meal at this really expensive restaurant. Not only did he speak with the manager before we left, but he went so far as to have the entire restaurant shut down by the end of the week. It had been in their family for over a hundred years.”
“God, I have no idea what I saw in him.”
“Will you tell me if he reaches out again?”
“Dean, I would never put your kids in any danger.”
“What about you? Seems like you’re in a bit of danger yourself.”
“He won’t hurt me. He’s probably still fuming about the canceled wedding.”
Dean makes a noise deep in his throat as he exits the car. I dutifully wait for him to come over to my side because that is an argument I positively don’t want to have again.
As he opens the door and I step out onto the pavement, Dean closes in. He’s so close that the subtle salty seaside breeze mixes with his sandalwood scent. It’s intoxicating.
“How much do you know about your ex and his family?”
“Um…” I shake my head slightly. “Not much other than they’re investors and politicians. I’m not really big into gossip rags or anything. I mean, outside of finding out he is married, they keep things pretty close to their chest, if you know what I mean.”
“Doesn’t that seem suspicious to you?” he asks, my stomach clenching at the possibilities.
“Maybe, but…”
“Lila, there are things about them I want to tell you, need to tell you.”
Pressing my hand against his chest, I allow my palm to settle against the soft cotton of his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin seep through the material. “Not now, okay? I’m…not ready.”
“When will you be? Because, sweetheart, Iwilltell you. Secrets are one thing I won’t stand for.”
“Can we just enjoy the night? I have a few places I want to show you,” I explain, trying to distract him.
