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“Because Dyllan said divorce wasn’t an option for him, and if I’m completely honest, now that we’ve been together for a little bit, I don’t want it to be either,” she replied quietly, looking at Lila for her reaction.
“Oh, Skylar, I didn’t know you felt that way,” Mandy said, placing her hand on Skylar’s arm with tears in her eyes. “Don’t mind me, pregnancy hormones, but this is amazing. When did things start changing for you?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I guess I was always attracted to him in a burly, lumberjack, alpha-jerk sorta way, but I don’t know. Lately, he’s been really sweet and attentive. Last night when I came home from the wedding, he’d made me dinner because he knew I didn’t have time to eat, and then he took care of me until I fell asleep.” She sighed, thinking back to how attentive Dyllan had been.
“Ugh, TMI, Skylar. I don’t need to know about Dyllan ‘taking care of you’,” Lila said, using air quotes.
“Stop it,” Skylar joked as she smacked her friend’s hands. “I meant he sent me off to have a bath with a glass of wine and then rubbed my feet until I fell asleep.”
“Aw, that is sweet. I didn’t know Dyllan had it in him, especially lately,” Lila added.
“You don’t give Dyllan enough credit, Lila. He’s a good guy,” Mandy added.
“He is, but he’s just been so—gruff lately. Don’t get me wrong, he was super nice to Kade and me when we first moved here, but I never saw him as the lovey-dovey type.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Skylar chuckled. “But Mandy’s right. He’s a good man, and so far, he’s been a fantastic husband.”
“So why didn’t you tell us?” Lila asked, resting her chin on her palm, elbow on the counter.
“Because it’s Kade and Brody’s time, and I didn’t want to ruin it. I wanted to wait until after the wedding and then tell everyone. Mandy only knows because she walked in on Dyllan and I kissing when I was setting up the barn.”
“I knew you knew something!” Lila pointed a finger at Mandy.
“Yes, and Zach by extension, but I promised him to secrecy,” Mandy added.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Lila asked. “Kade and Brody’s wedding is over. After they have their little staycation honeymoon on the farm today, it’s return to normal. You have to tell them soon.”
“I will. I just didn’t want to take any attention off their big day,” Skylar said, nodding her head.
“I get that, but we all want to support you, Skylar.” Lila’s eyes turned wide in excitement. “Does this mean you’re staying in Logan Creek?”
“Yes, I think it does,” Skylar said with a smile so big, her face hurt.
“Ah!” Lila squealed as she threw herself at her friend. Mandy joined in on the group hug, pure happiness filling the room.
This is what she’d been missing her whole life. The feeling of belonging, and a place to call home. No matter what life had in store for Dyllan and her, she would fight hard never to lose that.
Chapter Eighteen
Dyllan
Dyllan shuffled through the papers on his office desk, frustrated he wasn’t finding the one he needed. “Why isn’t this all fucking electronic yet?” He grumbled to no one.
Unable to sleep after his night with Skylar, he’d decided to take advantage of an empty office on a Sunday morning to get some work done. Shuffling through all the papers, he cursed leaving bed with her, knowing he could have enjoyed her sweet little body even more, but she needed the sleep.
Amidst all the papers, one, in particular, stood out to him. He’d received an email about an opening for a private security company looking for people in Iraq. The pay was good, and the benefits were decent, which was unusual for that area. While the idea of going back to the desert didn’t appeal to him, he had to admit there was a lure there. To be back in the action, to feel needed. Sure, being a mayor was like the safe way of doing the same thing, but it didn’t have the same adrenaline rush, and if he was honest with himself, he missed that.
He hadn’t gone looking for it, but a buddy had sent it to him saying they were desperate for people. At first, he’d almost deleted it, but his mind kept drifting back to thinking what if. What if he took it so that someone like Jax didn’t have to. If he passed on it, would it be given to another guy like Jax? There were a lot of opportunities for vets like him, but most liked to revert back to what they knew; it was easy for them to adapt to.
But what about Skylar? Even if they were married on paper only, he still had a responsibility to care for her. If something happened to him overseas, at least there’d be a financial backup for her to help her along. They’d just started opening up to each other. The sex had been incredible, and the way she surprised him on the plane? He’d never forget that. She’d gotten him to open up to her in a way that no other woman ever had, and she’d accepted him, baggage and all.
Giving his head a shake, he moved the paper to the side. He’d worry about that another day. He needed to focus on the property dispute between the Taylors and the Johnsons that had been plaguing him for weeks. The only reason he’d come in on a Sunday, after next to no sleep, was to make sure this was cleared off his desk Monday morning.
His phone lit up in front of him, signalling an incoming text.
Travis: Dude, you’re MARRIED?
Zach: Who? Brody? You were there, dumbass.
