Page 42 of Craving Theodora
“Maybe he did think it would work,” she said sympathetically. “You never think shit through at that age. It’s all hormones and epic love stories.”
I scoffed. “Wasn’t for me. I was too busy makin’ my way through every girl in the senior class.”
“Ew.”
“Me and Isla’s parents explained exactly why their little plan was doomed from the start,” I told her. She hadn’t asked about what happened while they were out shopping, which I’d been a little surprised about, but if I was honest, we hadn’t had the time. I’d gone back to work, and in the evenings we were always with the kids. “Isla seemed to take it in, but Dylan? Who knows? They’re seventeen and eighteen years old. Too young to be livin’ together and playin’ house—especially when it’s my fuckin’ house.”
“Agreed.”
“If she were in a situation, hell, if any of Dyl’s friendsneededa place to stay, my door is open. But she didn’t. This wasn’t that. Her parents are solid. Made a fucked up impression when they met you, but I’ve known ’em for years. Isla’s the youngest and has three older brothers. She’s their baby, and they treat her that way.”
“Three older brothers?” Teddy asked with a hum as she settled into the bed, curling onto her side. “Dylan got off easy.”
“Dylan’s very fuckin’ lucky her brothers didn’t show,” I confirmed. “Would’ve had a harder time layin’ ’em out if there were three of them.”
“What? You laid him out?”
“Greg can take a punch, so he didn’t go down.” I shook my head. “But I have a feelin’ he wasn’t chewin’ with that side of his jaw for a few days.”
“Oh, shit.”
“He knew he deserved it,” I muttered. “Didn’t even swing back.”
“When the hell did that happen?”
“When they were leavin’, and Dyl and Isla were sayin’ their long-ass goodbye.”
Teddy lifted her hand to her forehead, gently rubbing the spot at her hairline where the bruise had been.
“He’s lucky it wasn’t worse,” I muttered, watching her. “Ten years ago, he would’ve been brought out on a fuckin’ stretcher. Can’t believe he did that shit.”
“I wasn’t really surprised,” she replied ruefully. “By the way he was knocking, he was furious before Dylan even opened the door.”
“With good reason. Thankfully, that’s over,” I said, dropping down to the mattress. Bunching up my pillow, I stuffed it between my bent arm and my head. “Just hopin’ that Dylan doesn’t get any other bright ideas when he goes back to see her. At least I know Greg won’t let Dyl stay there. He won’t want to live with his mother, so I’m betting he’ll get his ass on the plane when it’s time to come back home.”
“His mom still lives in Montana?” Teddy asked. “I was wondering. You guys don’t really mention her.”
“Kaylee is a pain in my ass,” I explained. “Or was. She’s married now, and Dyl can’t stand the guy. He moved in with me when they got married.”
“Ouch.”
“I felt for her at first,” I replied softly. “But it’s hard to feel too bad for her. I’d never say this shit to Dylan, but Kaylee started over, and that was that. They were together a year before they moved in together and tied the knot, and she knew Dyl didn’t get along with her man pretty early into that. Instead of tryin’ to make shit better, she ignored it. By the wedding, Dyl was with me most of the time just to get away from the asshole, and she didn’t put up any kind of fight when he moved in with me full time. Think it was easier for her without the two of them buttin’ heads.”
Teddy made a sound of disgust in her throat.
“Don’t agree with kids makin’ the decisions,” I clarified. “But that shit was toxic and constant. She knew long before things got serious that the guy was a prick to my kid, and she didn’t do anythin’ about it because she was determined to lock him down anyway. They’ve got a couple of little kids now.”
“Poor Dylan.”
“No shit. He loves his mom, and I know he misses her.” I shook my head. “Kaylee didn’t say a word when I told her we were movin’ to Oregon. Just said we’d work out a time for Dylan to go back for a visit.”
“I can’t imagine being away from my kids,” Teddy said softly. “I don’t think we’ve been apart more than a day or two since I got Jesse when they were a year old.”
My head jerked back in surprise, and Teddy must’ve clocked it because she smiled.
“What? Did you think I had them when I was seventeen?”
“Didn’t do the math,” I admitted.
