Patricia Kay - Oh, Baby!

“Thanks.” Nicole smiled archly, all but batting her eyelashes at Dillon. Any other woman would have reciprocated the compliment, but not Nicole.

To his credit, Dillon ignored her. Instead he gave Sophie a once-over and said, “Someone else at this table looks great, too.”

Sophie knew she was blushing, but thank goodness it was too dark in the ballroom for anyone else to see the telltale stain. “Thank you,” she managed. “I’d say we all clean up well.”

Just then, the DJ switched to a slow, romantic ballad. Not losing any time, Kevin turned toward Nicole to ask if she’d like to dance. Sophie looked at Nicole and could see by her expression that she was uncertain about whether to say yes or no, but vanity won out and she smiled, saying, “I’d love to.”

Once the two of them went to the dance floor, Dillon said, “I guess that’s our cue.” He scooted his chair back and reached for her hand.

“I don’t think—”

“You can’t say no. That would be rude.” That sexy smile of his hovered around his mouth. “Didn’t your mother teach you that?”

Sophie sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was dance with Dillon. It was hard enough pretending she wasn’t interested in him. Dancing to a slow song, feeling his body up against hers, would make it nearly impossible. Even now, just allowing him to help her up, she felt her heart beating too fast and too hard.

Sophie held herself as rigidly as she could manage, trying to put some distance between them as he drew her into his arms.

“Relax,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “I don’t bite.”

“I know that. It’s just that I—I wanted to talk.”

“What about?”

“Your nephew.”

“Aidan?” He frowned, moving back a little. “What about him?”

“It appears he and my sister, Joy, have been seeing each other.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Actually, it is.”

“Why?” Another frown and he seemed to hesitate before speaking. “He’s not a bad kid.”

Something about his lukewarm response told Sophie that Dillon had his own reservations. “That may be,” she said carefully, “but he’s a senior and Joy is only a sophomore. He’s too old for her.”

Dillon drew her imperceptibly closer. “Like I was too old for you?” he whispered in her ear.

Sophie’s entire body reacted. To disguise what she was feeling, she immediately pulled away from him. If it wouldn’t have called unwanted attention to them, she would have marched straight off the floor, forcing him to follow her if he wanted to continue the conversation. “You were too old for me. But that’s not the point. Joy is very vulnerable. She’s lost her parents, Dillon. She doesn’t need any more loss in her life.”

“Aidan’s just as vulnerable,” he said. “He’s also lost his parents. And he’s having a hard time adjusting to life here in Crandall Lake. At least Joy is still living in her hometown. Aidan had to give up everything. Can’t you cut him a break?”

Sophie’s tender heart wanted to relent, because she did feel bad for the boy. “I wish I could, but Joy’s welfare is my top priority, and I think she’d be much better off if she and Aidan are not permitted to date.”

“You sure you’re not projecting what happened with us onto your sister?”

Sophie stiffened. Of course she was. How could she not be affected by her own mistakes? “Our situation has nothing to do with my decision regarding Joy. She and I had an agreement about her not dating older boys since she reached dating age.”

“Okay, okay. I get it. And I don’t want to argue with you.” Now he pulled her closer still, murmuring into her ear, “I always did like dancing with you.”

Thankfully, at that moment, the music stopped, and Sophie could pull away and leave the dance floor without making a scene. But as she and Dillon approached their table, she saw that Joy and Aidan were also heading in their direction.

“Sophie!” Joy called. “Wait up.”

Sophie stopped, and so did Dillon. Although Sophie’s mind was churning, she couldn’t help feeling a surge of pride over how pretty Joy looked in her blue dress that matched the school colors of blue and gold in her corsage. And even though Sophie was totally against Joy having any ongoing relationship with Dillon’s nephew, she had to admit, if only to herself, that Joy and Aidan made a really cute couple. Aidan was tall like his uncle and had the same striking blue eyes. His hair was lighter, though, and Sophie figured the brown/gold color came from his mother. As the two kids came closer, Sophie saw the look of uncertainty on Aidan’s face, and once again, she felt an unwanted sympathy for the young man.

“Sophie, I wanted you to meet Aidan,” Joy said, giving Dillon a shy smile before pulling Aidan forward.

As Sophie shook the boy’s hand, she was acutely aware of Dillon beside her, of Nicole Blanchard staring at them, and probably giving her the evil eye, and most of all, of the naked longing in Joy’s eyes and the tense set of Aidan’s shoulders.

In that moment, Sophie knew, without a doubt, that her worst fears were true. Joy and Aidan’s relationship had gone a lot further than Joy had let on. The question was, how far, and was it too late for Sophie to do anything about it?

* * *

Aidan hadn’t wanted to come over to meet Sophie. But Joy had talked him into it, saying she was sure once Sophie knew him, her objections to their dating would vanish.

“I don’t want to keep sneaking around,” Joy told him. “I hate lying to her.”

“Then don’t,” Aidan had answered.

“Maybe you can get away with that with your uncle, but I can’t. Anyway, it makes me feel awful to lie to her. She’s my sister , Aidan. She’s all I’ve got. And...she’s been good to me.” She’d swallowed. “Please? For me?”

So here they stood, and Joy tried to telegraph, with her eyes, how much she wanted Sophie to like Aidan. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if Sophie continued to forbid her to see him. She couldn’t give Aidan up. She loved him. It was as simple as that. Sophie might think someone Joy’s age couldn’t possibly know what love was, but she was wrong. Maybe she’d never been in love when she was in high school, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t possible.

I’m going to marry Aidan someday.

“I haven’t seen you dancing tonight,” Dillon said.

Aidan shrugged. “I’m not very good at it.”

“I’m not, either. Doesn’t stop me,” Dillon persisted. “You need to try new things.”

Joy wished Aidan’s uncle would stop criticizing Aidan. She knew he hated it. He’d told her Dillon thought he knew everything because he’d been a “hotshot” quarterback. Aidan shrugged again, then turned to Sophie. “Nice meeting you, Ms. Marlowe.” Ignoring his uncle, he said, “Let’s go get something to drink, Joy.”

Joy looked at Sophie. On her sister’s face she saw empathy, but she also saw something else. Concern. Joy knew immediately that Sophie’s mind hadn’t changed. Joy’s heart sank, and it was all she could do to keep a smile on her face and say a nonchalant “See you later” as she and Aidan walked away.

“I hate him,” Aidan muttered.

“Oh, Aidan, don’t say that.”

“Why not? It’s true. I wish—” Abruptly, he cut off whatever he’d been going to say.

Joy sighed as they approached the drink table. She knew what Aidan wished. He wished he could turn the clock back. He wished his parents were still alive. That he hadn’t had to move to a place where he knew no one and didn’t feel as if he belonged. And yet she knew he cared about her , that he was happy when they were together. She squeezed his hand to let him know she understood.