Page 12 of Family Forever
“What?”
“Pack a bag, I’ll wait,” he instructed again as he met Mr. Geyer’s gaze.
The man didn’t say a word, and it broke Dylan’s heart to know that he wouldn’t. It was evident her dad wanted—no needed—that bottle of whiskey more than his own daughter, and Dylan guessed Geyer knew he wasn’t leaving without her. Or was it that the man was so ashamed of what he had done, he wouldn’t be able to face his daughter when, or if, he ever sobered.
Marissa looked at her dad and he nodded. She opened her mouth and he held his hand up.
The poor girl cried as she walked down the hall. She was gone for only a minute or so before she returned with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. Her dad had already poured himself a glass of whiskey and lit up a cigarette. He didn’t even look at her as she walked around the table toward the door. He was a selfish, sorry man in Dylan’s book.
Dylan caught Lora’s eye roll as he and Marissa climbed into his truck. This had certainly turned out to be some date.
Neither woman spoke as he drove Lora home. He pulled up beside Lora’s trailer, located next to her parent’s home on the family farmstead. Before he could reach her side of the vehicle to get her door for her, she’d already slid out and was stomping toward her front door.
He caught up with her on the steps. “I’m sorry our date was ruined.”
“Our dates are always ruined, and you’re always sorry,” she snapped back.
“Well, what did you want me to do?”
She paused and sucked in a breath. Her gaze softened as she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. He knew what was coming, he’d seen that look before in women’s eyes. “Dylan, you are a nice man, too nice.” She shot a quick glance toward his truck where Marissa waited. “Not everybody’s problems are your problems. Your brothers I kind of get, but I’m just not ready for that.”
What she said wasn’t a big surprise to him. The fact of the matter was he had no room in his life for her or anyone else who didn’t accept that he came as a package deal with five brothers. Deep down he needed to accept the fact he was going to be lonely for a while, in terms of the opposite sex anyhow.
