Page 81 of From This Moment

“Now, do you have bottles and formula?”

Dylan shook his head, because he had no idea what formula was.

“Right, come with me.”

He changed his basket for a trolley.

“Does she need clothes or pajamas?”

“I have no idea.”

“Okay, we’ll get a couple of things, and you can come back if you need more.”

Twenty minutes later he’d thanked Melody—they were now on first-name terms—and headed for the checkout. He’d chucked in a few more supplies for him and Piper too. Once he’d paid and loaded it into the car, his phone rang. Noting the number, he answered.

“Joe.”

“Thank you seems a bit inadequate right now, but thank you anyway, Dylan.”

“No big deal.”

“It’s a huge fucking deal!”

“Okay, it’s big and you’ll owe me a massive favor, and probably the keys to your ATV.”

Dylan started the car and put the call on speaker.

“Jesus, I can’t believe Piper had to identify the body. She must have been terrified.”

Dylan let Joe talk as he drove slowly back to the motel. The man was like a brother to Piper, and hurting because he wasn’t there for her.

“It’s going to take us seven, maybe eight hours to get to you, or longer. Dylan, I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you stay with Pip and Grace until we arrive?”

“Go home to Ryker and set everything up for the baby’s arrival, Joe. Piper has to meet with the social worker in the morning, and then she’ll bring Grace home. I’ll wait and drive her, as I’m here.”

Joe was silent for several seconds, but Dylan knew he was there.

“I can’t ask you to do that. My cousin has just become guardian to a one-year-old girl and her best friend is dead. She needs her family.”

“I’m not disputing that. But it’s late, and Piper will likely fall asleep as soon as Grace does. Besides, it makes sense. You’ll arrive here in the morning for a few hours, then leave again. I’ll bring her home as soon as I can, and we’ll head straight to Ryker.”

Joe argued some more, said he needed to get there and help her; Dylan reasoned, and he won. But Joe wanted a call first thing in the morning.

“Will do.”

He used the last few minutes of the drive to think about what the hell he was doing. Dylan Howard, major commitment phobe, was committing to helping Piper get that sweet little girl out of Rummer and safely back to Ryker.

“I’m losing it,” he muttered, pulling into the parking space outside their unit.

“I have supplies,” he said, opening the door. Piper was sitting on the bed looking at her phone.

“I was making some calls about Joanie’s funeral. I’ll have to come back for it, because this is where she lived. But I really want to bring her to Ryker. Really want her where Grace and I can visit her. Would it be wrong to do that, Dylan?”

“Is there anyone here who cared for Joanie?” Dylan put the bags on the table.

“No. She was a loner.”

“Then you have your answer.”

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