Chapter 6

6

"What grade are you in?" Elijah demanded.

Lila, a beautiful girl who looked a lot like her father, smiled sweetly at him. "I'm not. I'm actually all done with school."

The little boy's eyes widened. "Done? How can you be done? I've got to go to school forever! "

"I know it feels that way," Lila said with a laugh. "You do get to be done eventually. You just have to make sure that you show up and do your work, and then you'll get through it all."

Elijah scrunched his face and folded his arms. "I don't like doing my work. It's boring."

"That's just because he's so smart," Vivian offered, squaring her shoulders and clearly trying to act older to impress Lila. "And anyway, aren't you going to college?"

"I haven't decided," the older girl replied. "I might, but right now, I'm just spending some time here with family."

Stacey couldn't help but smile as she watched the three of them interact. "It sounds like they're all getting along."

A small smile was playing along his lips as well. "Lila has always been good with kids. I thought she might go into teaching, actually, but she's still got time to make up her mind." He looked like there was more he wanted to say, but he took a sip of iced tea instead.

Stacey didn't push the issue. She had no doubt that sweet, smart Lila would make an excellent teacher, but that wasn't a decision for anyone else to make. "Thanks for having us over today. Like I said, I figured it'd be good for the kids to know someone here besides Mom and me."

"Of course. And thanks for bringing lunch over. It was delicious." Dylan polished off the last of his dill chicken salad.

She pulled her eyes away from him and tried to focus on the kids. She hadn't been making things up when she said she wanted her kids to get to know some people in the neighborhood, but it wasn't like she minded spending more time with the handsome ranger. Their dinner date the night before had left her reeling between the sheets once she'd finally gone to bed, her mind constantly recreating the feel of his hands down her back and the grip of his fingers on her hips. That was just what he could do with his hands! She didn't remember sex with Todd ever feeling like that. Dylan was different, and it wasn't just because it was new. A driving force inside him called to her, bringing out and satisfying her desires. The only downside was that it'd taken her over forty years to find someone who could blow her mind like that.

"Can we see your room?" Vivian asked Lila.

"Sure, but it's kind of a mess right now. I still have some things to unpack now that I'm back from Boston."

"We're unpacking, too," Elijah piped up.

That left Dylan and Stacey to clear the table and pack up the leftovers. "You really have a lovely home," she said as she popped the lid on top of a container of carrot sticks. "It's even bigger than it looks on the outside."

He rolled his shoulder noncommittally. "It's more than Lila and I need, but I inherited it. We usually have a lot of bigger family events here, so I hope that won't bother you."

"No, not at all." Stacey wiped a few crumbs off the table. Was he testing her? Trying to see just what kind of neighbor she would be? Well, she couldn't blame him if he was since she was wondering the same thing. Actually, it was about much more than what kind of neighbor he'd be. What kind of a man was he? Hell, she had two little kids. She couldn't just go around having porch sex, not when she had every reason to think about what the next day would bring and what it might mean for her children. And then there was the incredible awkwardness that was bound to ensue if things didn't work out for them. There seemed to be no right answer in her mind, but her body insisted that none of those details really mattered as long as she could feel her skin against Dylan's again.

"I think it's great that you all get together," she added, feeling like it'd been just a moment too long before she'd spoken. "And this living room is certainly a great entertaining space. You've got this big fireplace, and…"

She trailed off as something on the mantel caught her eye. Drawn to it, Stacey moved closer. She managed to keep from reaching out to pluck it from the large piece of driftwood that also held various family photos. Her eyes traced the lines, so familiar to her, yet she knew she'd never seen it before. She couldn't have.

"And what?" Dylan asked as he joined her. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Was she okay? Or if she wasn't, then just how long had she been not okay? Her brush with death had been terrifying in many ways, but all that she'd seen during those moments was crystal clear in her mind. The little bear sculpture that sat in the center of the mantel was exactly the same as what her father had handed her in that vision. How was that possible? "Where did you get this cute little guy?" she asked, hoping she sounded at least somewhat casual.

"Oh." Dylan smiled as he touched his finger to the bear's nose where it was turned up toward the ceiling. "Lila made that in art class and gave it to me. I know she's my daughter, and I'm biased, but I thought it was pretty great."

"She's very talented," Stacey gulped through a tight throat. She couldn't wrap her brain around how the very same statue could be in her vision as well as right there. It wasn't like she'd been there before. If the little bear had been a mass-produced knickknack, she would've been happy to write it off as a mere coincidence. Now, she didn't know what to think.

"Hey, do you want to see the lighthouse?" Dylan suggested. "It's just a short walk down past my cousin Holly's house, but we could take the kids up in it."

"Really?" The offer was good enough that it jogged her out of her confused reverie. "It's okay to do that?"

Dylan let out a little laugh, a rumbling sound that resonated within her own lungs. "Sure. My family has been maintaining it for generations, so it's not a problem at all."

"I think the kids would love that, especially Elijah."

"Lila! Bring the kids down. We're going to the lighthouse," Dylan called at the bottom of the stairs.

A moment later, three pairs of footsteps came rumbling down. "The lighthouse?" Elijah asked, excitement illuminating his eyes.

"Yep," Dylan confirmed. "We can even go inside it."

"Wow! All right!" Without even asking, Elijah raced through the kitchen and was out the back door. Vivian went after him.

Lila came at a slightly more casual pace behind them, but still moving with the energy of youth. "Hang on, guys! It'll be there waiting for us."

As the kids walked ahead, each of them taking one of Lila's hands, Stacey was left to walk next to Dylan down the beach. She was happy to have some time alone with him. After the night before, she definitely wanted to get to know him better. It was just much harder to do that at forty-two than it'd been at twenty. It was a problem her brain was holding onto like a dog with a bone. She knew the best starting point was to get to know him better, but at the moment, she struggled with what to say.

"I had a nice time last night," Dylan said, breaking the ice for her.

"Even with the unexpected company?" she challenged, easily remembering the horror that'd run through both of them when her mother had walked out.

"Yes, even with that. I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime, actually. I do go to The Dune Stop a lot, but there are plenty of other places I could show you around here," he offered. "Like my brother Ross's place up in P-Town, Captain's Quarters."

Something inside her was leaping straight at him, screaming "Yes!" at the top of its lungs. It wasn't a matter of where they went or what they did. It was about being together. "Sure. I'll talk to Mom and see if she's available. She probably is, but I never assume."

"Actually, I bet Lila would be happy to keep an eye on them. If you feel comfortable with that," he added quickly. "They're all getting along well."

It was a generous offer, one that set Stacey's mind at ease. Dylan wouldn't have offered the date or the babysitter if he didn't genuinely want to go out with her again. Another outing with a handsome man who was kind, polite, helpful, and a good father? Who could say no to that? "Sounds perfect."

They'd reached the foot of the lighthouse, which meant any romantic talk ceased while Dylan pulled out his keys and opened the door. "Make sure you hold onto the railing. There are a lot of steps, but the view at the top is worth it."

"Neato," Elijah breathed, and then he laughed. "Listen to my voice in here!" He said more loudly.

Dylan chuckled as they made their way to the top. "This old place has changed a lot over the years. These days, everything is automated. All we really have to do is change out the lightbulb every once in a while or do a bit of painting and refinishing."

Stacey's legs burned as they made their way up the stairs. She'd gotten one hell of a workout over the last few weeks as they'd gone through the lengthy process of moving, and there was still more to come. Carrying in all that furniture with Dylan the day before had certainly contributed, and she could feel the climb straining her thighs. She wasn't going to complain, though, not when her kids were having so much fun.

"Wow! Look!" The kids had reached the top first, and Elijah had gone straight to the panoramic windows surrounding the lantern room. "You can see everything from here!"

"Just about," Dylan agreed casually. "Way back in the day, the lighthouse keeper had to climb up these stairs several times a day to make sure the lamp was lit and everything was working properly. It was a full-time job."

"I want to do that!" Elijah enthused.

Playing along, Dylan nodded. "It sounds kind of fun, doesn't it?"

Stacey knew there was no way in hell Elijah would actually want to do such a thing. The excitement over the view and the huge light would wear thin quickly, but that didn't matter. He was happy right now, and that was what did matter. She was enjoying the view quite a bit herself. "This is the sort of thing that makes me wish I had artistic talent. A cell phone picture can't really capture this."

Dylan stepped up next to her, their shoulders rubbing. "There's a lot that can't really be captured with a photo."

"Hey, look! A boat!" Vivian's finger stabbed at the glass, pointing at the water below them.

"Sure is," Stacey agreed, unflustered by such an occurrence.

Dylan, however, was frowning deeply. His brows furrowed as the boat drew closer to the beach. "Guys, it's time to go back down."

"Aww," Elijah moaned.

"I'm sorry." Dylan's tone was genuine but a bit clipped. "There's something I have to take care of right now, but I'm sure we can come back another time."

The boy's shoulders sagged, and he gave one last wistful look out the window before he shuffled toward the stairs.

Lila stepped in front of him with the instincts of a mother, even at her young age, making sure that she went down ahead of him. "Hold onto the rail, okay?"

As they spiraled back down toward solid land, Stacey watched the back of Dylan's head. Something was happening, and she felt the tension radiating out from him. What was the deal with the boat? Her curiosity was getting the better of her, but she and Dylan were still too new to each other for her to feel comfortable asking.

"Stacey, I'm sorry to cut things short," Dylan said when they were out of the lighthouse.

"No, it's all right. I'll see you soon."

A bit of relief flitted across his face, but it quickly disappeared as he turned to Lila. He bent his head to say something to his daughter, and that same look of concern now darkened her features.

"Come on." Stacey moved toward home with her kids in tow. She glanced over her shoulder, getting a better look at the boat now that it was getting closer to shore. Considering his job and the fact that he'd lived there for so long, Dylan probably knew a lot of people. In that regard, none of this was all that strange.

"Mom, Lila is so cool!" Vivian enthused as they plodded back through the sand. "Her room is cool, too! I want purple walls like she has."

"We might be able to make that happen," Stacey murmured.

"Do you think she can hang out with us again?" Elijah asked. "She's fun. She even let me play with the basketball hoop on her bedroom door."

"It's a good possibility." Stacey gave a noncommittal answer even though she knew she and Dylan had already decided the kids would stay with Lila while they went out.

It was a solid plan that would make everyone happy, but was all this happening too quickly?