Page 48 of Family Forever
Chapter Twelve
Dylan stepped out of the barn only to be blinded by a set of headlights. Still seeing spots, he greeted the driver of the car. “Hi. Can I help you?”
“Yeah, I hope so. I’m Terry Garski, I’m looking for Marissa,” the man replied as he reached into the back and pulled a duffle bag from off the seat.
Dylan eyed the stranger. He felt like he’d been sucker-punched. Terry was a man. When Marissa asked if her friend Terry could spend the night on New Year’s Eve, he naturally assumed Terry was a girl, a friend from school. But no, a man stood before him, and Marissa was going to take him to Jake's New Year's Eve party.
“I’m in the correct place, right?” Terry asked upon Dylan’s lengthy hesitation.
“Yes, sorry, you are. Come inside.”
Dylan led the man through the garage and into the kitchen. Cole was already dressed and waiting for Marissa. He was going to Jake's party too. Dylan had considered going to the party as well but with Thomas still being off work he was saddled with the morning chore duties. Perhaps he should reconsider going to the party anyhow. He could always nap after the morning milking.
Cole stepped toward the stranger and extended his hand. “You must be Marissa’s friend, Terry. I’m Cole.”
“Yeah. Nice to meet you.”
“Marissa’s still getting ready.”
“Okay, is there someplace I can change?” Terry asked.
Cole pointed to the stairs. “Top of the stairs to the right there’s a bathroom you can use.”
Dylan bit his tongue until Terry disappeared up the steps.
“You knew Marissa’s friend was a man and you didn’t tell me,” Dylan snapped at Cole.
“Yeah. What does it matter?”
“He’s going to sleep here?”
Cole nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“Where exactly?”
Was that a slight grin on his brother’s face?
“Don’t know.”
Silence fell over the kitchen as a tsunami of emotions washed through him, hurt and jealousy being the strongest waves drowning out the rest. Maybe he shouldn’t let her go to the party. There would surely be alcohol there and she was only nineteen. Holy heck, she was an adult, he had no right to control her, prevent her from going to the party with the man who’d just arrived. What was he thinking? That was the million dollar question. He had her under his roof this whole time and he kept pushing her away, telling her to enjoy her college years and live them to the fullest. She was doing exactly what he asked of her. He got his wish. What kind of idiot actually believed that stupid old saying he thought so much in the past six months.If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t come back, it was never meant to be.It all started so innocently, he needed help with the boys and she needed a place to live but inside a couple of months he realized he wanted more from her. And this wholego off and experience lifething was only ever meant to make sure she was ready, mature enough to handle a ready-made family, one as large as his.
Terry returned a few minutes later. Cole offered him a beer and he took it. Cole cracked one for himself and another for Dylan.
Dylan took a swig from his bottle as he eyed the stranger. He looked like a male model with his perfectly groomed blond hair and fancy modern frame glasses. He stood a bit shorter than Cole but was thin like him. Who was this guy, and where did he come from all of a sudden?
“So, how did you meet Marissa?” Dylan questioned.
“We both belong to the Christian Club.”
Figures, the Christian Club, no way he could use that against the guy. “What are you studying?”
“I’m a business major.”
“What are your plans after school?”
Terry took a swig of his beer but kept his gaze on Dylan. The man’s eyes were hardening with each passing second. Dylan supposed that was in response to the third-degree tone he was unable to mask during his questioning.
“I’ll probably just go work for my father.”
